Deciding what type of food you are going to serve can be a lot of fun as well. We would suggest staying away from anything too labor intensive, unless cooking is your forte. Instead opt for different easier finger foods that work well with a wide array of dips, cheeses and sauces. A lot of favorites can be placed attractively on a pretty tray, and look like you’ve worked on them for hours. So keep in mind that a great presentation is bound to make up for any cooking shortages you may have. Whether you are a great chef or a novice, be sure you include some variety in your selection, so that everyone will be able to find a few things to enjoy. Deciding what beverages to offer at your party can be just as important as deciding on your food offerings. You can safely stick with a variety of beer, wine, water and soft drinks. Or stock an open bar…either appoint a couple of friends to bartend throughout the evening or invite everyone to serve themselves. If your budget isn’t large enough, it is perfectly acceptable to ask everyone to “bring their own”. The choice will be easy,...Read More
When planning your party consider what start and ending times will work the best. You don’t want to start too early, when you are having a post midnight end time. It won’t be any fun when the countdown begins if you, and most of your guests, are too tired to celebrate! Another positive to starting your party later is that you will only have to serve up appetizers, snacks and finger foods; everyone will have already had an earlier dinner. You will want to have out some holiday decorations, some nice touches can be icicle lights, candles and cozy seating arrangements. The lights and candles will soften the atmosphere, and intimate seating arrangements will encourage guests to relax and chit chat. You should also plan on adding some pizzazz to the evening with fun additions like horn blowers, party hats, or confetti. While this may seem a little juvenile, as the night winds to an end they will only add to the laughter and enjoyment. No party is complete without the right music playing in the background. You should prepare a play list that can be changed frequently throughout the evening. We would include classic hits, seasonal favorites, dance tunes...Read More
Is this the year you want to welcome the New Year in by hosting a bash of your own? Do you want it to be “the” party that everyone wants to attend? If so, you have some work to do in order to achieve success, but we think you’ll find that it will all be worth your effort in the end! New Years Eve is a celebration well recognized for producing high expectations, resolutions, kisses and thoughts of years gone by…it may seem like months away, but it will be arriving sooner than you may be hoping for, especially if you are going to be a party thrower extraordinaire. The majority of celebrants want their new years eve to be something to look forward to filled with anticipation of the new year to come, and memories of the years gone, in short something unforgettable would fit the bill nicely. So why not take a chance, and instead of falling asleep in front of the television minutes before the “ball” drops, throw your own New Years Eve Bash instead? If you decide to do so, we’ve included some tips to help ensure your success. You need to remember that throwing a...Read More
The rage of party games has increased such that Christmas parties seem to be incomplete without Christmas party games. Start your party off on the right by sending a fun invitation from American Stationery. On your invitation you will want to let your guests know what the theme is for your gift exchange. You can go a traditional route by doing an anonymous swap or picking names out of a bowl. A White Elephant gift exchange is where everyone brings something tacky from their attics or basements. (I once received a velvet Elvis picture that became part of the gift exchange in years to come.) You can even hold a contest for the "weirdest’, "ugliest", and "most creative use of glitter/rubber bands/dry pasta". You can always do the Secret Santa thing where a group of people each draw names of others in the group and must purchase something for that person in secret (set a spending limit either way). With a little planning your gift exchange party will be a memorable event for you and your guests. Tis the Time to be Jolly!
If you have personalized cups on hand, you should certainly consider offering a personalized napkin. These, like the tumblers, come with a variety of options and styles to choose from. If you want to coordinate a color scheme there are colorful party napkins in your choice of Bright Red, Green, Blue or Ivory. These 5” x 5” napkins come customized with your choice of Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Cheers or Seasons Greetings in an eye-catching script done with gold foil. Add your own personal touch by including one line of the personalization of your choice such as, your name, or verse in matching foil. If you prefer a classic white napkin, with a splash of color as your accent, you should consider the elegant Antique Initial Napkins. Theses are a heavy weight white napkin personalized with your single initial in an ornate Antique font and one line of personalization in Aqua, Brown, Black, Blue, Hunter Green, Fuchsia, Light Blue, Lime, Purple, Red or Silver ink. Another heavyweight napkin that features a Script Monogram, Block Monogram or single Script Initial with Block name imprinted on a textured 5” x 5” (folded) beverage napkin or 6” x 8 ½” textured guest towel....Read More
The holiday season is filled with family, friends, warmth, beautiful decorations, thoughtful gifts and wonderful food. Why not make this holiday season one you fill with an added personal touch? American Stationery offers a wide array of personalized items for entertaining, hostess gifts and open house additions. So, whether you are entertaining a few intimate friends or hosting a large family throng, there are a lot of items available that allow you to lend a more personal air. A few items that come to mind are detailed for you below. Everyone needs to have additional cups available during this busy entertainment time of year. There are a variety of sizes, designs, personalization options and styles to choose from. American Stationery offers clear plastic tumblers in the 8 ounce, 12 ounce or 16 ounce sizes. These are dishwasher safe and can be personalized with a name, in a variety of typestyles, a monogram, a single initial and even a design motif. They can contain a design selection and your choice of one or two lines of personalization. How cute to have a cup with a cheery Santa icon followed with a Ho! Ho! Ho! on one line and “The Williams” in...Read More
When determining what type of appetizers to serve, keep in mind that cooking them ahead of the occasion will save you constant worry, and allow you to enjoy your party and friends more fully. I would suggest using appetizers or desserts that can be frozen ahead of time. The more finger foods you have the more, the less you will be required to supply a lot of plates and cutlery…better, yet smaller, portions will amount to less clean up! You are probably best to stick to tried and true family favorite recipes and a trial run for baking and sampling is advisable. If you want your guests to take part of the party home with them prepare and send home everyone a bag of cookies, candy or something handmade. This little added touch will mean a lot to those attending…they will know you went the extra mile, and were thinking of them. Once you have your guest list, food and decor in mind, be sure you can provide a sufficient amount chairs for your guests so all can be seated and relaxed at once. When it comes to cleaning don’t stress over every nook and cranny in the house, concentrate...Read More
Your table will probably be the center of attention so you should spend time creating a centerpiece. With all the decorations available you should be able to find something that is perfect for you…try a star, candle, an angel, or even a Santa Claus. I wouldn’t suggest getting anything too big, you’ll more likely than not need the room. When hosting a special party around Christmas it is often the goal to create a "magical" atmosphere that your guests will appreciate and feel comfortable in. You can create this type of atmosphere by utilizing many types of simple decorations. When deciding the color palette for your party you’ll need to make the decision whether to go to go with the traditional green and red, or coordinate with your home decor. What type of an impression would you like to make, Warm?, Contemporary? Elegant? Make the choice based on what you prefer, whether it be gold and silver, silver and white or even multi colors. Once you have a color scheme you can tie in your decorating with strings of colored or white lights, carefully placed stockings, or gifts wrapped in wrapped gifts in empty boxes, in your color scheme. One...Read More
If you are going around humming "I’m dreaming of a white Christmas", don’t fight it, why not treat your friends and family to a Christmas Party? Just keep in mind before you begin that the holidays, even though hectic, are the best time for gathering together with friends and loved ones. Don’t allow yourself to plan something that is going to prove stressful to yourself, or those around you. Keep your planning and goals realistic, nobody will have fun if the hostess is too tired to enjoy! While you are planning your, decorations, food and invitation list just remember the end goal is to….have a wonderful time! When most people think of Christmas time, they think of the white snow, Santa, wood fires, or even fresh baked ginger bread cookies and eggnog! All kinds of memories and emotions come to us each year when we think of the how we spent our time, what parties we attended, and who we were with in years gone by. These cherished memories are reason enough to host and plan your own Christmas party!  The key to any successful party is being well prepared! Unfortunately hosting a party of your dreams isn’t as simple...Read More
Looking for the perfect invitation to your holiday party? American Stationery has just what you need. Invitations are now being offered for many holidays and special occasions such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New years. The best part of all is that our designers are currently working on even more designs for occasions such as birthday parties, retirement, baby showers and baby announcements. In charge of inviting everyone to your annual Christmas party? Our Holiday Ornaments Invitations may be just what you are looking for! The invitations feature colorful Christmas tree ornaments and the festive design make this a perfect choice. If you are looking for something a little more traditional then our Red Holiday Stripes Invitations are just the thing. These invitations feature the traditional Christmas colors and stripes of a candy cane giving it a special holiday flare. Once Christmas has passed, New Years Eve arrives and American Stationery has just added some new designs for the occasion. Invite all of your friends and family to your News Eve part with our New Year Celebration Invitations. This design features ribbon and martini glasses which make this invitation perfect for ringing in the New Year. Another great design that will have everyone...Read More
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