PARTY IN THE...

Here's a great article in BC about tips on planning everything from small shindigs (what a funny word) to bigger events. Hope it helps you as well. The photos are just to take me down memory lane. Merry Christmas, and more blessings to you and yours!--Kariz

Whether it’s a Christmas party, birthday celebration, or a simple family get-together, make sure you know these tips by heart, for a hassle-free, memorable gathering

Our turn for the family photo at New Year's Eve in our LA home. Guess when?

 

Our first real pine tree. Had to spray water on this baby everyday, but the scent was worth it. Disposing is another story.


Tali, Beli, my Sabina and Maxine (first cousins--all girls--'til this year!)

The party (red-nosed reindeer) SUV 

Sabina's 6th birthday party at the awesome Kids Castle

With Sabina's classmates and my friends from high school

Tara and Chris Noth ("Big" of Sex & the City) and their then-baby Orion

Soleil Moon Frye-Goldberg (AKA Punky Brewster) and her daughter, Jagger

Jason Goldberg, and daughter Poet

High school friends

My husband and I with Aonika Laurent, Lola and Sean Patrick Thomas (Save the Last Dance)

With Soleil and Jagger

My friends and I with Chris

T-MINUS 30 DAYS:

Get Organized – The first step to every party plan is to know the when’s, what’s, who’s, and where’s of the occasion. Are you planning a baby shower, Christening party, or a Thanksgiving get-together? Determining the purpose of your party will help you in deciding on the details such as theme and menu. Pick a date and venue, estimate your guest count, and decide on the budget for your party. When sure about your guest list, send out invitations as early as you can. Create a weekly schedule that will help you eliminate tasks gradually, and help decrease the pre-party rush.

T-MINUS 21 DAYS:

Examine the Guest List – Once you’ve sent out your invitations (remember to place RSVP requests), organize the attending guests list into age groups. Count even the youngest guests, so you can keep track of how much, and the type of food you will serve, plus how much space you’ll need for everyone.

Start Stocking – Never wait for the last minute to purchase non-perishable items for your event, as you’ll never know when the nearby grocery will run out of what you need. At this point, you must have the menu planned, with everyone’s health concerns in mind. If you have a guest who’s allergic to a particular type of food, make sure your menu accommodates their dietary constraint.

T-MINUS 14 DAYS:

Practice – Avoid failed attempts at cooking an unfamiliar dish by practicing a new recipe, weeks in advance. When your party date arrives, there’s very little to no room for mistakes.

Delegate – Family and friends may opt to help you out by bringing food, wine, or other perishables to the party. Inform them of what they could bring, so it would go well with your menu.

T-MINUS 7 DAYS:

Clean Up – It’s never too early to remove all the clutter around the house. Do the major cleaning up now, so you won’t have to worry about it later. Minor tidying up can be done a couple of days before the party. Ensure that your home or venue is kid-and-elderly-friendly by fixing uneven floors, covering protruding knobs or screws, and installing safety gates on staircases (if your party is to be held on an upper floor, or by the pool).

Rearrange – Take out your guest list and map out the areas for your guests according to age groups. Keep kids in one area where they can play without disrupting the party for other guests. Elders can stay in a section where the food, rest rooms, and exits are easily accessible. If the party is at your home, check the lights, and if appropriate, sound system. Replace accordingly and purchase back-up equipment, if possible.

T-MINUS 3 DAYS:

Collect - Head to the grocery for the perishable items you’ll need. At this point, the ingredients for the menu should be complete.

Assign Tasks – If you have house help or family members pitching in to do the work, ensure that they are aware of your guest list, especially the elders and kids. Assign them to watch over the little ones, and make sure they stay out of the kitchen while you do the last-minute preparations on the day of the party.

Gear Up – Start preparing tableware, glassware, tablecloths, and napkins. If you’re planning on playing music but don’t want to deal with hired disc jockeys and their space-consuming equipment, grab your iPod and create a playlist or burn a CD of your favorite, catchy tunes for the celebration. Keep the music GP by checking the songs for inappropriate lyrics, as you don’t want your kids (or worse, your guests and their children) to hear profanity or offensive messages. Connect your iPod to speakers and crank it up to create a full party experience.

T-MINUS 24 HOURS:

Decorate – Get the young ones to help you spruce up the place and hang up the lights, streamers, and other party paraphernalia within their safe reach. This makes your celebration a family affair, aside from teaching kids the basics of decor.

Prepare – If your menu includes recipes that require hours of marinating, thawing or pre-cooking, you should do it well in advance, so that you’ll have enough time to do the last-minute arrangements. Charge your iPod for non-stop music, and ensure your camera and video camera’s batteries are full, so you won’t miss out on those picture-worthy moments.

T-MINUS 4-8 HOURS:

Set Up – You can chill the wine and refrigerate drinks at this point, while you do the last-minute cooking, baking, and preparing. Put together your menu, and begin arranging the tableware. Bring out the Wii, video games, and other toys the little ones would love to play with in their own “kids’ zone.” Place storybooks, coloring books, paper, pencils, and crayons on the tea table (or if you have enough space in your venue, a children’s desk or a small furniture set would be great) for those who would like to draw or read instead. Turning on the TV is often discouraged, unless it’s a viewing party, but you can have the children watch cartoons, movies, or kiddy shows, a long as the kids’ zone is in a separate area.

Plan Ahead – If babies are expected, have a diaper-changing area away from the crowd. A guest room with its own bathroom can serve as the changing area, where basic supplies such as water, cotton, wipes, hand soap, or hand sanitizer should be readily available. This will help avoid the unnecessary bustling around to look for the host to ask for such items.

T-MINUS 1-3 HOURS:

Finalize – Lay out the appetizers in your receiving area or cocktail table, and get the whole family ready for the party. Test your lights and sounds, and put on some music while you do the last-minute preparations. Get your digital camera ready to take snapshots once your guests arrive, for a full documentation of the party, from start to finish!

NICE TO KNOW: How to involve elder family members in the merrymaking

“There comes a time when older adults may not be able to do all the things they once could. At this point, family members and friends can find ways to include older adults in these traditions or start new ones.” –David Haber, Professor of Wellness and Gerontology at Ball State University, Indiana

Make the festivities easier and more comfortable for your beloved seniors with Haber’s simple yet effective tips on how to accommodate them in any get-together:

If you’re planning an event, make sure that most of the activities will be senior-friendly, by “tailoring the level of their participation to their physical abilities.” Ask your elderly relatives for input and ideas when planning activities. Remember that their comfort and security should also be a priority during these festivities.

Be aware of the nutritional, physical, and health needs of the elderly. Whether your grandma is allergic to nuts, or your uncle is a vegetarian, ask about their health conditions and dietary preferences, so that the food you will serve will not cause any problems for anyone.

Stay connected. Encourage your elders to try social networking sites that will keep them in the know. Because elders are often reluctant to learn new technology, you must have a supportive approach in teaching them how to use e-mail, instant messaging, and social media.

If an elderly relative is disabled, tell your children about his or her condition. Remind them to behave around the person, and be accommodating with seniors, especially those who are using a wheelchair or cane. Teach kids how to be sensitive and considerate to their needs.