The notion of coming of age can take on a variety of meanings. Coming of age could be the transition from being young and childlike to becoming older, wiser, and developmentally more mature. A few familiar representations of this would be the transition from infancy to a toddler or the celebration of one’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Coming of age also suggests taking on new responsibilities. Bar / Bat Mitzvah Though many would think of a Bar or Bat Mitzvah as a party it is actually the term given to represent youth of the Jewish faith who have now reached an age to accept certain religious responsibilities. Many families will celebrate this occasion in a ceremonial manner. Read:  First Birthday  |  Bar / Bat Mitzvah  |  Sweet Sixteen  
A wedding anniversary is cause for celebration, and that is why the invitations should be as distinctive as possible. Wedding anniversary invitations do so much more than give your guests the date, the location, and the time for your party. They convey the theme of the party as well as provide a great memento for the couple or others that wish to preserve record of the festivities. Set the perfect tone for your wedding anniversary party by selecting the perfect invitation from the American Stationery Company! The American Stationery Company offers a wide line of wedding anniversary party invitations to choose from and each is customizable so it will show your own personal touch. From exquisite and formal to contemporary and casual, they have an invitation to suit any party theme. For a party with all the frills, consider our Antique Frame anniversary invitation. Set on a backdrop that resembles golden parchment, the words "Happy Anniversary" are printed in a beautiful script font. A light banner dashes across the center of the invitation framed by a Greek key border. The year of the anniversary is displayed on the upper right hand corner and can be customized, followed by your invitation...Read More
The wedding day is a very special day in which two lives became one before all of the couple’s closest family and friends. It is understandable why we celebrate the beginning of the marriage. It is a time when we rejoice in the commitment that is being made and commemorate a new beginning for the couple, as husband and wife. Each year, the anniversary celebrates the continuation of that same love for one another. Each and every wedding anniversary deserves to be celebrated in a memorable way. When you celebrate a wedding anniversary each year it is an annual renewal of the love and commitment to one another. It is an opportunity to reflect on how much closer the two have become and how much deeper your relationship has grown. Celebrating the anniversary dates back to the 1200s, but the tradition was polished and refined in the Victorian era. Today, with more than half of marriages ending in divorce, it is even more important to celebrate the wedding anniversary. A wedding anniversary commemorates a milestone in a lifelong commitment. Etiquette states that there are specific gifts to be given in correlation with the year of the anniversary. Below is a...Read More
Most people look forward to the day when they can retire. No more boss, no more alarm clock, no more late meetings. . . in short, a life of freedom. Retirement marks the end of work and the beginning of play. What better reason to have a party? Retirement parties are both happy and sad. They are the end of a career, but the beginning of a new life. People who have worked together for a while become acquaintances and then friends. These relationships are special and though friendships can continue, they will be different than they were when you were working alongside someone. Leaving a familiar place and starting a new life can be challenging. A retirement party celebrates this challenge, remembering the past and looking ahead to the future. Your focus will want to be not only on the time that was spent at the company, but the opportunity that is on the horizon. The retirement party should be a celebration of the person retiring as well as his or her family. Careers affect the spouse and children significantly, and the future will almost always involve more time with loved ones. Most parties involve toasts of the retiree,...Read More
Looking for something slightly more low key? If so, consider our fashionista inspired invitations! For the girl that loves shoes or just loves to dress up and look fancy, these invitations are perfect. Our Sassy Shoes invitation is a great choice for dinner out or cocktails in, in celebration of the upcoming wedding. With a sassy open toed sling back and little pink buttons on the corners of the invitation, to frame your personalized wording, these invitations are a great choice for your soirée. Guys, are you planning a raucous party of your own or perhaps something more tame? Consider our Blue Frame invitations for your bachelor party. These invitations are simple, modern, and versatile. The "Blue Frame" invitation is a contemporary looking invitation that is an excellent choice for a sports themed bachelor party. Will you be taking in a baseball game with your boys or perhaps paintball or extreme karting? Any activity will fit nicely on this bright white invitation that is framed by a handsome royal blue border. Your friends will appreciate the invitation and keep it to remember the amazing time you had on your last night out with the guys. No matter what kind of...Read More
The date is set, the reception hail is booked, and the flowers are picked out. Now it is time to celebrate your last days as a single with your closest friends! The bachelor and bachelorette parties are a great opportunity to enjoy one final hoorah with the guys or girls, and your party invitations are the first step to an unforgettable event! The American Stationery Company has many invitations to fit your special bachelorette party. Whether you are planning a wild night on the town or an afternoon tea, these invitations will certainly be a hit with your guests and the bride-to-be. Read:  Intro  |  Suggestions – Part 1  |  Suggestions – Part 2  
Bachelor and bachelorette parties are fast becoming a big part of the festivities leading up to the wedding. They have deep rooted traditions. The bachelor party can be traced back to the Spartans, when soldiers used to have a dinner and toast the groom on the eve of his wedding. The bachelorette party started in middle-eastern cultures when the women gather to paint henna tattoos on the bride-to-be on the eve of the wedding. These days, both women and men enjoy getting together with their friends to spend one last evening together, celebrating the rite of passage from singlehood to a more responsible married man or woman, before they take their vows. Planning the perfect bachelor or bachelorette party is usually an honor reserved for a close sibling or the best man / maid of honor. Any member of the wedding party can assume the responsibility though. Take his or her personality and preferences into account. Even though you are celebrating the farewell to life as a single, you should still be respectful of the person’s future spouse. For a girl’s night out, you may paint the town red by dressing up and dancing or just have a slumber party...Read More
Mardi Gras refers to the whole Carnival season. With roots in the Catholic tradition, it is celebrated during Lent, from Twelfth Night through the day before Ash Wednesday. It is a series of parades, parties, and balls, but is most famous for the events taking place on its last day, Fat Tuesday. It is a celebration, according to New Orleanians, of power, faith, and justice. Fat Tuesday is a day of excess, when the city of New Orleans doubles in population and most of its occupants revel in the party atmosphere. At exactly midnight, Lent begins, and many New Orleanians give up the vices that they have clung to over the Mardi Gras season. Around the world, the day is about various cultures coming together to celebrate the things that make them unique, and these differences unite under the common theme of a people who like to have fun, enjoy each other, and celebrate. Costumes, masks, and beads are common place, as well as the Mardi Gras favorite, the king cake. Mardi Gras parties are a great time to indulge in Cajun cuisine, take in the jazz band sounds, New Orleans flair and beautiful bright purple, green, and gold colors...Read More
Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of the Mexican army’s defeat of French forces in the state of Puebla in 1862. Napoleon had ambitions of invading Mexico City, since the US was in the midst of our Civil War. The Mexicans were outmatched two to one and had weapons that were far inferior to the French state of the art weaponry. The French were defeated by the Mexican cavalry and it prevented Napoleon from supplying the Confederate Army for over a year. It can be argued that this allowed for the North to gain advantage and win the Civil War. Though it is commonly mistaken for Mexican Independence Day, it is still significant and recognized around the world as a day to honor Mexican heritage and pride. It is more widely celebrated in the United States than in Mexico, with most paying tribute to Mexican-American ancestry and culture. Regardless of your background or ethnicity, anyone can have a party on May 5th! For most, Cinco de Mayo is the perfect opportunity to gather together with friends and have a fiesta. Margarita parties as well as Mexican dinner parties are probably the most common type of celebrations. Spice your party up...Read More
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