Flowers, candles and party favors set a welcoming mood for a summer party outdoors.
Part of the fun of hosting a party is decorating the house beforehand. With a little bit of ingenuity, it’s easy to create the perfect party space, whether it’s for a family event, a barbecue with friends or a child’s birthday.
There’s always something to celebrate but each occasion requires a different approach. Before sending out the invitations, settle on the theme and type of party. It could be an evening gala with a theme such as “film stars,” a casual brunch or a garden party with a barbecue and games.
• Invitations are usually written, although you might send an email for a casual event. Make the invitation original, personal and tailored to the occasion.
• Using place cards? Make sure they suit the context. Be imaginative: Hand-lettered stones, homemade cupcakes or little silhouettes in miniature picture frames can spell out where people are to sit just as well as cardboard cards with ornamental calligraphy.
• Give your event a restaurant feel by posting the menu on a blackboard or printing it on decorative paper, then rolling and tying each copy with a ribbon and placing one on each guest’s plate.
• Be sure floral decorations suit the occasion: A bouquet of wild or natural flowers works well for a barbecue, while a single lily stem in a slim silver vase adds elegance to a dinner table.
Tables set for summer need fresh flowers and lots of greenery. For example, a garland of variegated ivy looks festive on a brightly decorated table. Deck out the table any way you want, but try to stick with one or two bright colors, such as a cool blue and white or sunflower yellow.
• Once the table decor has been decided, add a playful touch to cocktails or ice cream sundaes with cheerful paper umbrellas. Straw hats with colorful flower wreaths hung around the patio contribute to a rustic decor. Also, it is a good idea to make sure there are plenty of flickering lanterns spread along the tables at an evening barbecue, while strings of lights are a must. Torches can also be used to create a romantic light in the garden, but keep them well away from trees and other plants to avoid accidents.
• A well-decorated party space doesn’t have to be just about looks. Scented candles can serve a double purpose, contributing to the ambience as well as keeping insects away. The scent of citronella, mint or eucalyptus works best.
Children look forward to their birthdays all year long. Fortunately, there are lots of simple yet effective ways of preparing for their special day.
• First, let the children make their own party invitations. They can pull together fanciful creations with stickers, crayons and colored paper, or hone their design skills on the computer. It’s fun for them and gives the invites a special, personal touch.
• On the day, use bright paper plates, napkins and confetti to add color to the table.
• Make the birthday girl or boy’s seat of honor stand out from the rest: Crown it with streamers and garlands or a bouquet of balloons.
• Use paper tablecloths and put cups of crayons on the table so young guests can practice their artwork and be entertained while they wait for their food.
• Blow up plenty of colorful balloons. They can also serve as place cards if you write a child’s name on each and tie it to his or her assigned chair.
• Opt for a sweet and scrumptious wreath as the final touch: Use toothpicks to stick licorice, jelly beans and other soft sweets on a foam base.
Flying balloons
Paper cups
String, about 3 feet (1 m) long
Balloons, filled with helium
Half fill about 10 cups with water. Dip the end of each string in a cup and put everything in the freezer. After freezing, tie the balloons to the strings and distribute the cups around the room. As soon as the ice melts, the balloons float up one after the other. One warning, however: Don’t do this outside, as the material they are made of could be harmful if swallowed by birds or other wild animals.
You really don’t have to spend a fortune to come up with tasteful holiday decorations. In fact, traditional items like red velvet bows, nutcrackers and handcrafted nativity scenes or angels can often decorate a home more festively than any life-size Santa Claus climbing the wall, or rows and rows of lights flashing on the roof.
• Buying a real tree? If you have to trim off the lower branches, keep them to use for wreaths, floral arrangements or garlands. Then, mirror the tree’s festive green hue with embroidered napkins, place mats or tablecloths and add a splash of red—such as ribbons or smaller accessories—to set it off.
• Place nuts, pinecones or glass marbles sprayed with metallic paint in a silver bowl and decorate it with ivy tendrils. Or for a more modern approach, pile glittering baubles, in your chosen color scheme, into a shallow glass bowl and surround it with trails of silver garland to create a beautiful and festive centerpiece.
• Create a traditional Christmas atmosphere with candles in pretty candlesticks or lanterns spaced throughout the room. Be sure that no candles are too close to the Christmas tree. Strings of lights, lanterns or a variety of glittery ornaments can be used to decorate your windows, patio or balcony or the trees in your garden.
FESTIVE candles, berries AND FOLIAGE all add to the CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.
