Planning the Perfect Party

Dress your Guests
Guests themselves can become decorations when you festoon them with Mardi Gras beads, cowboy hats for a barbecue, or leis for a Hawaiian luau.

Host on a Scavenger Hunt
Start your decorations search at home. Ransack your closets and cupboards. Wicker baskets can be filled with paper plates, napkins, and utensils for a buffet. Don’t be afraid to get creative and find new uses for Christmas balls, or interesting kitchen accessories. For instance, use a clear vase filled with colourful glass ornaments as a centerpiece.

Stimulate the Senses
Create ambience by filling your home with candles, soft music, and flowers.

Celebrate the Seasons
Greet your guests by placing seasonal props such as pinecones, pussy willows, or sunflowers on your front porch.

Theme the Cake
Buy or decorate the cake to match the occasion. For example, try a ship for a bon-voyage party.

Administer Aromatherapy
Add fragrance to your party by dabbing aromatic oil on light bulbs, burning incense, or filling the room with scented candles.

Use Stealthy Seating Methods
If you don’t have enough seating, use throw pillows on the floor; bring outdoor furniture inside, or vice versa. Sitting down encourages a relaxed and luxurious mood.

Play the Name Game
Greet guests as they arrive and introduce each person to at least one other guest. That way it will be easier for you guests to break the ice, and feel comfortable.

Put on a Show
Treat your guests to a slideshow, a board game, a scavenger hunt, or a few card games. Whether you provide the entertainment, or get the guests involved in an interactive activity, adding a little structure to the evening can make it stand out.