Blessing Others Through Celebration--Keeping Your Party Simple

 
 
Last week we covered

Preparation

If you are new to party planning or want to keep things simple because you don't have a lot of help or time, here are some tips:

• Where:  Have it at your home, a friend's house, or at your church
• Who to invite?  Invite fewer people if possible.  Focus on the people whom the person is closest to.
• What time:  Go with a time in the mid-morning or afternoon or after dinner to avoid having to serve a full meal.
• Food: Opt for one main thing, like cake or ice-cream sundaes, with some small appetizers on the side: nuts, fruit, cheese and crackers, etc.  Simple drinks: water, hot tea and coffee, pink lemonade, koolaid, milk, pop.
• Avoid games if you possibly can.  Games are fun and can make a party memorable, but if you are trying to keep things ultra simple, skip the games.
• No need for music or entertainment, unless you want to just pop a favorite CD in for some background music
• There is no need to really decorate if you want a simple party.  Decorations are the thing I probably like least.  I had fun doing a few things for my daughter, but most of the time I skip decorations or get a talented decorator friend on board with me when I do an event.  Often, they seem like a waste of time.  I've been to showers where there are tons of decorations and showers where there are none, and I think both were just as nice.  The thing that made the party special was being together, sharing in someone's joy, and blessing that person, not the decorations.  So, to keep things simple I usually limit my decorating to a nice tablecloth, a vase or two of flowers, and the occasional bouquet of balloons.
• Party supplies:  Next week we'll talk about The Party Stash.  You can keep party supplies very simple by purchasing coordinating plates and napkins and cups at the Dollar Store for a few bucks.
• Gifts:  In a couple of weeks I'll write about the gift stash and how to keep giving gifts simple for yourself. 
• Invitations: In lieu of a formal, printed invitation, it's often very appropriate to send an e-mail invite, call folks on the phone, or talk to them in person.  This could save you time AND stamps!

Next week we'll talk about The Party Stash.

Blessing Others Through Celebration

Ali holds my friend Tracy's 3 day old baby, Samantha

As the years go by, I'm discovering that one of the primary responsibilities of being a Christian woman, wife, mother, and light for Christ is "Celebration Manager."  Whether it's a birthday luncheon for a roommate, a brunch for your husband's co-workers, a shower for a friend getting married, or your children's birthday parties, every women finds herself in the midst of many celebrations during the year.

Because "celebrations" of various kinds are a frequent part of life and a tool for ministering to others, I want to spend some time focusing on how to throw a successful celebration to encourage those of you who get chills thinking about hosting a party. 

I encourage those of you young women who are still living at home to train in the area of hospitality by reading books about parties and group games, by experimenting in the kitchen, by taking a cake decorating class, by throwing birthday celebrations for your siblings, etc.  The more you practice now, the easier it will be when you are managing the celebrations in your own home someday.

So, look for a weekly post on Blessing Others Through Celebration beginning this Tuesday!