How to Host a St. Patrick's Day Party

In the land of fables, mystical luck & shamrock's

March 17th is a day of celebration.
So let's bring it on and party like a Leprechaun!

St. Patrick's Day doesn't generally result in a day off unless you're in Ireland but we can still join in on the festivities. With your own Irish twist shakin' up the neighbourhood will become second nature.

Invitations...

Your invitations will speak for you, so be sure to include all the details. Including wearing a St. Patrick's Day Costume (or suffer the wrath of a pinch ;)...even if it's just green striped socks!

- Pick up some seed packets of Clover and grow your own in tiny clay pots and attach to your invite.

- On an intentional visit to your guests home, hide their invitation and leave a riddle behind. If they solve the riddle, they find the invite.

- Attach a Four Leaf Clover Charm, a Sterling Celtic Cross Charm or a Shamrock Keychain.

How to decorate...

- Use shades of green, gold, black and white in your color scheme and be sure to include streamers, balloons, tissue paper and anything you can find based on the theme colors.

- Make construction paper shamrocks, four leaf clovers, pots of gold and rainbows or large cut-outs and stand ups from cardboard remnants.

- Live greenery and flowers such as Daffodils, White Iris and Lily of the Valley.

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What to wear...

- A Leprechaun costume or outfit that you've either bought or made. Striped socks or leggings, a full green jumper, plaid pants, green vest, black blazer, bow tie, slacks or a skirt, blouse, top or t-shirt black shoes with shiny buckles, along with red curly hair, big sideburns, freckles and a big, green top hat, little glasses, a pipe and a big, cheshire grin.


What to eat and drink...

- Corned beef, cabbage, Irish stew, pork roast, ham, bacon, root vegetables like parsnips and turnips, battered fish and onion rings.

- Arrange edible green foods such as pistachios, quacamole, broccoli, olives, green peppers, edemame beans, green beans, mini-donuts dipped in green sugar, celery, lettuce, jalapenos, M&M's, Smarties, kiwi, melon, pear, apple, grapes, lime and jello.

- Add green food coloring to mashed potatoes, homemade soda bread, shortbread, vanilla cupcakes milk shakes and beer.

- Chocolate coins and chocolate dipped strawberries! Dip strawberries in white, milk and dark chocolate then drizzle with melted green chocolate (coloured white chocolate) or double dip the tips.

- Juice, pop, coffee, tea and Irish Coffee, jello shots, mugs of green beer or Guiness.



What to do...

Grab the disposable camera's for this event, you're sure to get some awesome pics!

- I'm all for the adult pub crawl. Count your invites and pre-order a cab, bus or limo. Use public transit or go on foot. Don't tempt the luck of the Irish, no drinking and driving.

- Crank up the celtic music, dance the gaelic jig and party!

- Play spin the bottle and say 'Kiss Me I'm Irish' when the bottle points to you.



Kids...

With family friendly get togethers get the kids involved with party games and activities.

- Have a crafts table set up with St. Paddy's Day colored papers, tissues, puff balls, sparkles, confetti, pipe cleaners.

- Put out bowls of Lucky Charms cereal with Shoestring Licorice and make necklaces.

- Play the Shamrock Stomp!It's like Musical Chairs only you'd cut out large shamrock's and tape them  to the ground. Make one less than the amount of guests participating. Turn up the Celtic music and play.

- Hide gold chocolate coins under the rainbow and have the kids solve riddles to find it.

- Tell riddles, Irish fables and sing limericks.

- Gather palm size stones and paint a lucky Blarney Stone. (Wiki's-What's a Blarney Stone?)

- Make potato print wall art.

- Hat making contest such as who makes the funniest, largest or smallest.

- Kids love practical jokes and funny business so have a box of tricks and gags nearby.



Talk the Lingo...
-You'll find your way with the 'effing torch'.
- Dressed in green, your friends look like 'eejit's'.
-You'll take a 'shite' in the 'loo'.
-Your 'manky butt' needs it's own 'lift!'
-Your spouse didn't appreciate above comment and returned with naming you a 'shite hawk'.
-Your 'starters' are wrong because your 'fluthered' friends were 'blathering' the order.
- It's prime 'telly' night so you grab 'take away' as you fill up on 'petrol'.
- Your uninvited acquaintence tells you to 'ring her up' with the details of a rumored party.

Get your Green on here...St. Patrick's Day Costumes, Hats, Beads & Novelties!

 

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Host an Easter or Spring Themed Costume Party - Adults & Kids

Spring is coming!

Spring is the perfect time to celebrate life and new beginnings, especially after a long winter slumber. As the snow melts away Mother Nature brings about a fresh rainbow of colors and sunshine that welcome's the start of a wonderful new season.

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spring as the perfect season, and reason, to host an amazing party! 

Spring begins on March 21st with Easter following shortly after in the beginning of April. Pairing these two landmark dates together creates a festive party atmosphere for family, friends and of course children of all ages. Hosting a party in the spring enables themes and the ages to blend together; children love chocolates for breakfast and easter egg hunts while adults may prefer a relaxing brunch with no sweets. Finding a winning combination that keeps both age groups happy will help to ensure a fun and successful event.

Wether hosting a spring fling or a fun n' crazy bunny bash you must determine wether you will be partying inside, outside or a combination of both. With spring comes the rain so keep this in mind when planning your soiree. Rock gardens and patios are beautiful but unless covered you may potentially be drowned out by the weather. Renting a tent is another option if you have the required space, or hosting a barn party is also feasible if you have one!



How to decorate...


- Invitations set the tone for every party so include these theme related pictures, items and information about the actual event within. Incorporate the spring or Easter theme by sending along a small Easter basket with the invitation attached, a pair of garden gloves, a gardening tool, raw carrot or pair of bunny ears.

- For colour use white for contrast along with bright, vibrant colours like pink, purple, blue, green, and yellow. Use different hues, textures and patterns such as stripes, polka dots, florals and swirls. Add sheen, sparkle and shine, wherever possible.

- Or, use soft pastel colours. Shabby Chic is very pretty, themed decor which uses fancy lace, linens, cottons and doilies which creates warmth without being uptight.

- Tea parties have delicate linens, china tea cups and saucers, sugar cubes and dainty sandwiches.

- Decorate and accessorize with potted Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacynthe, grass, catnip or other spring flowers and bloomers. Hang kites, butterflies, ladybugs and nests with baby birds inside. Display cute critters like baby chicks, lambs and bunnies along with Easter bonnets, coloured eggs and tissue paper flowers. Use streamers, balloons, pinwheels, ribbons, bows, baskets, tissue, pipe cleaners, paper plates, pom poms and construction paper.

What to wear...

- What time of day will your party be held? Does your party have a theme such as a costume party, tea party or is it simply casual? Will it be mid-morning brunch, early to mid afternoon, afternoon only, afternoon into the evening or just the evening?

- Include on your invitation if you wish everyone to be dressed in their Sunday best such as pretty dresses, Easter bonnets, button shirts and slacks. Or, if you want the kids or adults as Little Bo Peeps and Easter Bunnies with long ears, whiskers and fluffy tail then request them to come in costume.



What to Eat and Drink...


- Eggs! Hard boiled, devilled, pickled or in salad, frittata, omeletes etc; cookies, cakes and cupcakes, biscuits, scones, tarts and pie, jello, pudding, chocolate, Marshmellow Peeps, Hot Cross Buns, bread, corn on the cob, hot dogs, hamburgers, sandwiches, quiche, baked ham, roast pork, BBQ chicken, sauasage, shrimp, crab, lobster, steak, pasta, green and fruit salads, cheese, crackers, deli meats, pickles and other tasty condiments.

- Flavoured, herbal or regular tea and coffee, fruit juice, lemonade, iced tea, Rootbeer or soda, homemade punch with and without alcohol, Mimosa's (Champagne and orange juice) jello shooters, wine, beer and spirits.

What to do...


- Attend an Easter parade or organize your own which could even include your guests own pets dressed in silly attire or costumes.

- Have an Easter egg hunt with clues and riddles. Include chocolate bunnies, candies and toys for the season like bean bags, hoola hoops, skipping ropes and chalk. If you hide chocolate outside it may melt in warmer climates.

- Kids love to craft and love to win prizes. Set up crafting stations for decorating Easter bonnets and baskets, make tissue paper flowers, kites, pipe cleaner bugs, masks, bunny ears and fluffy tails then have an art contest.

- Have an area set up where everyone can decorate Easter eggs. Use marker, stickers, sparkles and child safe dyes. You can use Q-tips as little paint brushes or use rubber bands wrapped around the eggs to block, save or separate colours. 

- Set up a cupcake decorating station with multi coloured icing, sprinkles and candies like Easter themed Smarties, M&M's, Marshmallow Peeps or Mini-Eggs.

- Trade plant clippings, uprooted perennials, dried seeds, flowers and herbs or if it's a garden planting party then get dirty!

- Decorate an egg tree with hand blown, raw eggs (pasturized) that are have been decorated. Blowing eggs is tricky but when done correctly can last forever (unless damaged). Blown eggs can be hung, decoupaged or painted using most methods but when dyeing the eggs dip carefully due to the holes.

- Go to a petting zoo or have one visit you. Everyone loves adorable, baby animals and in the spring there is an abundance of them.



Games for the kids...


- Have each child draw part of an Easter animal then pass it on to the next person to create some very funny artwork.

- Make bowling pins from carved yams and balls from hard boiled eggs, then play a few rounds.

- Have teams or go solo with the bunny hop race, sac races or egg races on a spoon using either hard, raw or blown eggs and with or without a blindfold.

- If you have craft stations then have craft contests to choose who created the funniest bonnet, ugliest egg, largest rabbit ears, cutest mask or best kite.

- Play guessing games. How many eggs are in the basket? Is the egg hardboiled or raw? smashing it to find out! What's hidden in the egg? How many jelly beans can you hold while wearing a pair of furry oven mitts?

- Or play toss the tail in the basket games, skipping games, pin the ears on the bunny or have a playful round or two of chick, chick, rabbit!

- Hide dozens of chocolate mini-eggs within whip cream pies and do a hands free Easter egg hunt!

 I hope the Easter Bunny leave any rotten eggs ;)

Pysanka

Visit wiki for information regarding the Origin of Easter. Many European cultures such Ukranians, Bulgarians and the Czechs celebrate Easter by decorating beautifully detailed Easter eggs knowns as Pysanka or Pysanky. Talented artisans use beeswax and dye in a wax-resist method known as Batik to block and protect colour as they draw extravagant patterns, lines and designs. Some artists even use delicate, tiny plants such as the fern tips creating realistic colour blocked forms.

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Host a Pirate Themed Costume Party - Adults & Kids

Ahoy matey! Want to get in touch with your inner Pirate?

Throw a swashbuckling Pirate themed costume party that will give your fellow Saucy Wenches and Bad Boy Bucaneers a taste of your wild side! You can't tame a savage pirate but what fun it would be to try, if Jack Sparrow is one of em'!

Having a Pirate themed costume party doesn't mean you have to go overboard! An old wooden ship, go on a perilous journey down under just to get the scurvy, although quite authentic, is hard to duplicate. You just need to focus on a few key items that represent that era such as skull and crossbones, eye patches, hook hands, tattoos, pistols, swords, skeletons, finger foods for grub and lots of rum n' ale! And yes, costumes are a must to pull off this event. Be sure to let your guests know this very important piece of information far in advance, so they are prepared.

Visit the Scavenger Hunt Guru for ideas on how to prepare and plan a successful treasure hunt. Add a bit o' Pirate by making cannonballs from black ballons but first; write up clues and seal in a ziploc bag then gently stuff inside the balloon before you fill it. Give each team a plastic skeleton which must be taken with them, everywhere! Have a disposable camera for each team too, for fun or as part of your rules (a one hour photo shop could prepare them while you're eating).


How to Decorate...

- when choosing your streamers, balloons, table clothes, napkins, plates, cups, utensils etc. stay within the color family of red, black and white in either solids or stripes then accent with gold and silver.
- write invitations on either parchment paper or regular white paper with burn edges (do yourself, carefully!!) or use this Treasure Map. Scroll it and secure with hot wax or a ribbon or roll up and tuck inside a bottle.
- give your mates and the party a name; Blackbeard, Captain Bootstrap or Captain Jack visit Scurvy on Skeleton Island, the Buccaneer Bash or Rowdy Rogue Reunion
- float sharks in the pool and punish stowaway's and land lovers by making them 'walk the plank' or become the target of water balloon cannonballs.
- create n' paint large silhouette pirate ships, flags, skulls and crossbones to hide un-pirate-like items.
- torches, candles and/or a large fire will rustic ambience.
- poppy seeds make great looking gun powder
- turn the beer tub into a Crow's Nest
- drape sheets as though they are sails
- hang long lengths of looped rope
- use your Halloween decorations, they are versatile. Put a pirate's hat, eye patch and gold hoop earring on those ghouls, goblins and witches and they will be piratized!
- candy necklaces, ring pops, chocolate coins wrapped in gold and silver
- inflatable tropical palm trees, parrots or pinata's
- make a ships wheel from an old wagon wheel
- a full stand up of Jack Sparrow

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What to Wear...


- eye patch, gold hoop earring, pirate hat, black boots, hook hand, bandana, shackles, chains, sash
- the 'fluffy shirt', a striped t-shirt, dirty shredded and tight clothing, short skirts and high boots
- your costume should represent either a wench, pirate, buccaneer, captain, mate, deck hand or prisoner!
- Pirates of the Caribbean Costumes at Costume Craze! or check out the Sexy Pirate Costumes from Amazon on my blog.


What to Eat and Drink...

- meat and cheese trays, vegetable and dip, crackers and bread
- bbq shrimp, ribs, roasted pig and chicken wings
- salted fish, boiled lobster
- clams, mussels, oysters
- yo ho ho and a bottle of rum chased by mugs of ale, pirates aren't picky!
- Pirate Punch and mugs of rootbeer, coffee, tea, juice

Kids Pirate Parties...
Go for fun, adventure and mystery! Combine pirates with a tropical island,
pirate ships, relic ghost ship, princess and mermaids.


Games for Kids...

- Scavenger or Treasure Hunt

- Sink the Ship (water balloons and a kiddie pool)

- Pin the Patch on the Pirate

- Stolen Treasure (memory game, what's in the treasure chest?)

- Peg Leg Races (a rat ran off with your peg leg, hop on one foot, win the race & get it back!)

- Bobbing for Cannons (use black balloon)

Food for Kids...

- little lads and lassies are content with the basics, hot dogs with a small skull and crossbone flag!

- food on the bone like chicken wings and legs or beef and pork ribs.

- pirate ship cake or treasure chest with gold chocolate coins hidden inside (done after baking)

- mugs of grog (rootbeer)

- piggies in blanket wrapped to look like pirate fingers

- junk food

Pirate Lingo, talk like a Pirate...

Bilge Rat - are rats that live in the lowest, slimmiest parts of the ship, an insult if spoken to someone

Black Spot - to have a 'Black Spot' means he's been marked for death

Briny Deep and Davy Jones' Locker - the bottom of the ocean 

Cat O'nine Tails - a whip with many lashes, used for flogging as a form of punishment

Corsair - is a fancier more romantic term for pirate

Deadlights - a person's eyes

Dead Men tell No Tales - how to justify leaving no survivors

Feed the Fish - a term used when you're thrown to sea

Grog - anything with alcohol like rum and ale

Jack Ketch - is the hangman

Keelhauling - a form of punishment where a victim is dragged back and forth underneath the ship

Kiss the Gunner's Daughter - being flogged while bent overtop of the ship's guns

Lads n' Lassies - a title to acknowledge a person who is younger than yourself

Landlubber - no sailing experience, considered an insult

No Quarter! - a red flag suggests there will be no surrender

Poxy or Poxed - an insult suggesting you're diseased

Scupper - holes that allow water to drain, used as a term for throwing something over board

Old Salt or Sea Dog - an experienced seaman

Splice the Mainbrace - to have a drink

For more pirate words - click here