In 1862 nearly four thousand greatly outnumbered Mexican soldiers defeated a well-equipped French army of 8,000 that had not been defeated for almost fifty years. Since then no country in the Americas has been invaded by any other European military force.     Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of the Mexican army’s defeat of French forces in the state of Puebla. Though it is commonly mistaken for Mexican Independence Day May 5th has taken on a whole new life beyond that in Mexico. The date is one of the best recognized dates in the United States as a day to celebrate the culture and experiences of another country. Similar to St. Patricks Day and Oktoberfest it is observed by many Americans and other countries around the world.   Regardless of your ethnicity, everyone should have a party on the 5th of May! Cinco de Mayo is a perfect opportunity to have a party, drink some margaritas and spice things up with a few friends or family. Did you know that Mexican dinner parties are one of the most common types of celebrations in America? As with any party you need to send out the perfect invitation to mark the...Read More

Whether you’re planning a first birthday party or a celebration with 100 candles, it should always be a happy and festive occasion. So it’s important to you and your friends and loved ones that everything goes well… Is the birthday boy/girl shy and withdrawn or outgoing and ready to have a good time and party? Experts suggest that you plan around their temperament at this age. If your 2 year old is going through the clinging, make the world go away stage; simply invite a few favorite relatives over for a celebration of cake and ice cream. You don’t want to ruin their big day! It can be overwhelming, especially for toddlers, by having a large number of people around all at once. About three to eight friends is good, depending on your social circle. Parents may need to stay with the toddler, so you should have plenty of help and support from beginning to end. Remember, your child will only just be learning to relate to other children, so you should not expect great levels of cooperation from them. If your child is more the center of attention or bouncing off the walls type, and you’re sure they will...Read More

When you arrive at each home you could prepare in advance seating place cards, a description of the food you will be enjoying and a little history of the home and family. This will lend a personal air, to the host of each course. Although there are a few logistics to work out, it would probably be best if the couple hosting the next course is given a ten or fifteen minute advance departure. This will allow them to arrive home before the rest, light their candles, turn on the music and make sure their food will be ready to go. What fun it will be to greet your friends in each new setting and enjoy a new dish, glass of wine and atmosphere together. You will probably need to have a few conversations before the actual party day, so that you and everyone involved has a clear picture of how things will flow and what is expected of them. If you have a chance you should try to get the recipe that everyone is serving, along with a little bio or family photo. You should also take photos at each home of the host and hostess, guests and the...Read More

The holiday season is filled with quality time spent with friends and family, beautifully decorated homes, twinkling trees and wonderful food. As the season gets busy we often don’t have the time to open up our homes, at height of their beauty, to our friends. So, why not share your beautifully decorated home, and view those of your closest friends, by initiating a Progressive Dinner Party? Half of the work involved in a Progressive Dinner Party is done once you have decorated your home for the holidays. This party simply consists of a dinner that changes homes for each food course. For example you may start out with appetizers at your home, and move on to the next home, admire their decorations, and have a soup course…this continues from home to home until your finish off with dessert or a night cap. Planning and executing a Progressive Dinner Party achieves two goals, one being that everyone can share their beautifully decorated homes, and secondly everyone can enjoy a wonderful dinner with one another. The first step is to decide how many friends you would like to include in your party so that you can determine how many homes and courses...Read More

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!

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