7 Party Lessons from Downton Abbey


As Season 3 ends for Downton Abbey and the Crawley family, we can learn a variety of wonderful party and celebration tips from the hit BBC show.Chapeau haut de forme sur fond blanc 1

Lesson 7. Always dress for the occasion.  

White tie for dinner may seem a bit much, but the Crawleys are always dressed properly for dinner. And isn’t a dressing gong just a marvelous idea? Dress well for your party or event. Formal never goes out of style.

Lesson 6. Seating arrangements matter.

We know that one had better think through who will be sitting next to the Dowager Countess or who might be sitting next to his Lordship. Leave nothing to chance and assign seats based on creating an interesting dinner conversation and thought provoking discussion while avoiding conflict among those who might be looking to gain social advantage of the moment.

Lesson 5. Having a butler can be of a great advantage.

Imagine if you had a Carson or a Mrs. Hughes to help you with your party planning. Things might be a bit easier! In our day, there are a variety of wonderful event planners willing to help and bring the pieces together for you. Or appoint your children to new roles in the household “staff” to help with party execution. Little Johnny can be a magnificent footman serving the guests! Just don’t forget the white gloves!

Dress SuitLesson 4. Details make the difference between success and mere accomplishment.

The Crawleys would never mix the flight of wines to be paired with dinner or use an inappropriate piece of silver in the service, so you should do the same! Be attentive to the small details from the moment of arrival to the time of departure. Have you planned for coats and galoshes? Have you planned for after dinner drinks in your drawing room? Have you thought about games and activities for the group? A lovely game of charades is always a favorite! Show your guests you have thought about the little things and you will be lavished with praise!

Lesson 3. Be welcoming to all.

One never knows who might arrive at Downton for dinner on short notice. Be prepared with extra food and drink for all events and welcome everyone who might attend. Who knows, they may bring news of newly discovered family or riches you have not yet imagined!

Lesson 2. Have friends with an accent.

It just seems so much more exotic and refined to have guests with a lilt or different language. Throw in a guest or two from the British isles or elsewhere in the Empire and your party and event will seem new and refreshed! If all else fails, put on an accent yourself for the evening and see how it goes.

Lesson 1. Garden parties rock!

Whether you have 10,000 acres or just a humble backyard, the Crawleys know that a garden party is both refined, relaxing and wonderfully proper. Guests will enjoy the outdoors, a canapé or two and a delightful strong quartet on the lawn. As spring approaches, plan your garden party with tea and crumpets.

What thoughts or lessons have you learned from the show to share with us?

Happy Birthday Monopoly – Vintage Game Nights Surge Back!


12SZKC1915The stores are lined with video games. They’re also filled with the newest card and board games on the market.

But never fear! The classics are still there! Monopoly, Candy Land, Twister… some games stand the test of time and aren’t going away anytime soon. Vintage Game Nights are surging back with not only fun game play, but with exciting and colorful decorations as well.

The first Monopoly game was sold in 1935, and since then, more than six billion green houses and red hotels have been made for the famous game. More than 275 million games have been sold, and it’s available in 111 countries in 43 languages. Needless to say, Monopoly has made its mark on the entire world!

Monopoly has become more than just a game for some. It’s actually become a theme for proms and parties! Can you imagine having friends and family over for a vintage game night and literally transforming them into a Monopoly world? The Monopoly Game Night Kit has oodles of giant Monopoly game pieces, a giant board to hang, and even an arch of Monopoly money.

12SZKC1891Perhaps making an even bigger splash on the party scene is the board game Candy Land, which has been around since 1949. We’ve  seen the game box and board change with the times, but the sweetness of it all has stayed the same. A vintage game night turned into a literal Candy Land has the potential to be unforgettable! The Candy Land Kit makes it easy for decorating. With giant lollipops, a Candy Land Game arch, lots of hot pink and purple, this kit is perfect for any event that needs to be made sweeter- whether a vintage game night or a high school dance.

Vintage game events don’t have to mean purchasing lots of board games, there are other popular games that can be played with things you can find for great prices online. Games like jacks, checkers, pick-up sticks and even jump rope are affordable vintage games that would make for a great school party for elementary kids. Set up stations around the gym for each of the games and consider maybe having a tournament of some sort. Use the event to teach kids about another time- a time when video games weren’t in everyone’s household.

Whether a vintage game night in your home or a party at school, you’ll want to keep the themes rolling in every aspect of the event. If your focus is on Monopoly, you might want to stick to the primary colors. Get plates, cups and napkins in red or blue, or a combination of the two. If you’re more focused on Candy Land, go for the pink. If your vintage game event covers a wide range of games, purchase a rainbow of colors for your tableware.

While they’ve never really gone away, it’s clear that vintage games are making a huge comeback in the forms of game nights and parties. Go all out and make sure your event has that extra something that makes guests remember it for years to come.

Happy Birthday Monopoly! You are one of many Hasbro games that continue to sweep the nation and give us yet another reason to party!

Games to Play at a Super Bowl Party


12SZNAL617It’s the biggest game of the year and you’ve got a house full of guests. You’ve got Super Bowl XLVII decorations all over and a spread of wings, pizza, dips and sweets that will assure everyone leaves with a full tummy.

But face it, not everyone at a Super Bowl party cares about the football game, and sometimes the game is just plain boring. You simply cannot have a party for the big game without playing some games of your own.

Here are some of our favorites:

Cornhole Competition

Set up some cornhole boards in the garage or outside, if the weather is nice. Party guests will love the competition. Set up a tournament and maybe even name the teams after NFL teams. If there’s an artist in the family, have someone paint the boards with the teams in the Super Bowl.

Board Game Bonanza

The stores are lined with rows and rows of board games. Grab some of your favorites and have plenty of options for your party guests. Monopoly, Sorry, or even Twister can make for great party games.

Big Game Bingo

This game can be played while watching the Super Bowl. Have guests fill out their own Bingo cards with words like:

  • touchdown
  • field goal
  • safety
  • sack
  • offsides
  • interception
  • timeout

Come up with a large list of football terms, and the first time one of them happens, players mark their Bingo cards. This is a good way to play a game and watch the game at the same time!

Guess the Game

Everyone is already in a competitive mood, test their predicting skills and have guests guess what will happen in the game. Make sure everyone has their paper filled out with their answers before the game begins.

Some ideas of what guests can predict:

  • halftime score
  • final score
  • rushing yards
  • receiving yards
  • MVP

drinkathlonDrink Up

If your crowd is 21 and older, and the drinks are one of your favorite things about Super Bowl Sunday, consider getting the Drinkathlon to see what your guests are made of. The keg-shaped tin contains eight shot glasses, four mini hockey pucks, one mini football, one die, one ping-pong ball and one super ball. Perfect for 4-20 players, your guests might get so wrapped up in these games that they forget there’s even a game on TV!

If you truly appreciate all your guests, consider sending them home with some small favors just for attending your party. That way they’ll never forget what a great time they had, and they’ll be back next year for more football, games and fun!

October Party Ideas


There really is no more versatile of a month to celebrate than the month of October. The warmth of the autumn hues signals all of the inspiration we need to gather with friends and loved ones to rejoice in fellowship and enjoy all of the pleasures that life has to offer.

Host a Fall Fellowship Festival:

Gather your loved ones for an evening of fun, food, and fellowship! Excite your backyard setting with the simplicity of a beautiful natural backdrop of passionate reds, fiery oranges, and burnt yellows adorned with wispy stacks of hay and straw. Let the warmth of a backyard fire ignite the aromas of kettle cooked firehouse chili and corn. Spark a smile on your loved ones’ faces with the simple joys of an amusingly-friendly competition of bobbing-for-apples. Set out a few ice buckets and fill them with water. Drop a few fresh, crimson colored apples in the bucket. Have each participant line up next to their bucket and on your mark, have them bob for apples using only their mouths. The first participant to empty their bucket of apples first will be the winner. For a little extraordinary fun, have a few prize giveaways, such as a scarecrow decoration, a fall leaves centerpiece, or a pack of leaf swirl hangers  for a little added fun for the winners of each competition. And if you are hoping for a family-friendly get-together, don’t forget to have a few children’s games scattered throughout the yard. The Pumpkin Toss Game, inflatable pumpkin toss game, glow-in-the-dark frisbee, and inflatable jumpies (moonwalks) are a few children’s favorites. And, as the cool evening sets in, warm up to a bubbling cup of hot chocolate topped with a sticky, sweet marshmallow or a cup of sweet apple cider. You’ll have so much fun that you’ll want to turn your Fall Fellowship Festival into an annual gathering.

Bring the Joys of Oktoberfest to October:

Decorate your home for an ol’ fashioned, hike up your lederhosen, good time and gather your adult friends together for an evening of German sausages, cold drinks, and lots of laughter. Everyone knows Oktoberfest is known for good food and good drinks, so make sure you have plenty of Oktoberfest steins and keep your cold drinks a-flowin’. Your friends will yoddle the night away when you surprise them with Oktoberfest party buttons, Oktoberfest Hi hats, and Oktoberfest plastic beads. And to make your party complete, embellish it with beer candle favors.  (For a little surprise memory-making, ask that your friends come dressed in their best Oktoberfest outfit and you’ll make long-lasting memories for you and your friends).

And for a fun children’s October-themed party, host a Pumpkin Carving Party. The kids will love it!

Find the Clues At A Murder Mystery Dinner


Did you ever think that your best friend could murder Mrs. Scarlet in the library with the candlestick? She can, and maybe she did. Or maybe it was your father-in-law who killed Professor Plum in the kitchen with the rope. Find out who did it when you host a Murder Mystery Dinner with your entertainment-seeking friends.

Who Done It?

Invite Your Friends:

You don’t need a reason; just grab some personalized invitations and invite your friends or family for an action packed night of your life…. or death. Who wouldn’t enjoy a night filled with good food and mysterious fun?

 Address your invitations to a few of your closest friends or family members. There are a few differing versions of a Murder Mystery Dinner game out there, so be sure to choose one that best matches your plans for the evening. Most games range from 7-13 players. Be sure to assign one friend or family member to a corresponding character alias. For some adding fun, leave a little message in your personalized invitations inviting your guests to come in their best alias character’s attire; just watch how much it adds to the ambiance of the night. Since each friend will be role-playing their assigned character, you may even want to have personalized name badges or buttons for them, so everyone will know who their fellow guests will be.

Don’t forget to request an RSVP to plan for attendance. Since the game depends on the players, you will want to ensure that you have the appropriate guest to player ratio.

Prepare Your Party

Since there are a few different versions out there, find out which game will work best for you and get Instructions to Host a Murder Mystery Game. The instructions will help you design the course of the evening. They offer everything from dinner plans to timelines for dinner preparation and when to begin each round of the mystery. Having a party planning template is sure to help you plan for the night. If you are feeling really crafty, you may even want to try your hand at writing your own mystery plot. Either way, be sure to create the murder scene with plenty of props. Have a dagger greeting your guests at the front door, and a pistol on the dinner table. Lay a lead pipe in the bathroom and a wrench in the living room. Let the night revolver around the atmosphere. You never know when one of the murder weapons can come up missing.

Since much of the night will be spent around the dinner table, don’t forget to set the scene in the dining room, too. Be sure to pick up black premium dinner plates,  napkins,silverware, and a black plastic table cover. You can often save on items such as these when you bundle them into packages, such as a black paper kit-n-kaboodle. You may also want to consider purchasing a party serving set. It may help to keep your dinner since you will be busy searching for which one of your guests murdered Mr. Green in the basement with a pipe!

Have fun sharing in the murder mystery; it will be a killer good time!

Did you ever think that your best friend could muder Mrs. Scarlet in the library with the candlestick? She can, and maybe she did. Or maybe it was your father-in-law who killed Professor Plum in the kitchen with the rope. Find out who did it when you host a Murder Mystery Dinner with your entertainment-seeking friends.

Invite Your Friends:

You don’t need a reason; just grab some personalized invitations and invite your friends or family for an action packed night of your life…. or death. Who wouldn’t enjoy a night filled with good food and mysterious fun?

 Address your invitations to a few of your closet friends or family members. There are a few differing versions of a Murder Mystery Dinner game out there, so be sure to choose one that best matches your plans for the evening. Most games range from 7-13 players. Be sure to assign one friend or family member to a corresponding character alias. For some adding fun, leave a little message in your personalized invitations inviting your guests to come in their best alias character’s attire; just watch how much it adds to the ambiance of the night. Since each friend will be role-playing their assigned character, you may even want to have personalized name badges or buttons for them, so everyone will know who their fellow guests will be.

Don’t forget to request an RSVP to plan for attendance. Since the game depends on the players, you will want to ensure that you have the appropriate guest to player ratio.

Prepare Your Party

Since there are a few different versions out there, find out which game will work best for you and get Instructions to Host a Murder Mystery Game. The instructions will help you design the course of the evening. They offer everything from dinner plans to timelines for dinner preparation and when to begin each round of the mystery. Having a party planning template is sure to help you plan for the night. If you are feeling really crafty, you may even want to try your hand at writing your own mystery plot. Either way, be sure to create the murder scene with plenty of props. Have a dagger greeting your guests at the front door, and a pistol on the dinner table. Lay a lead pipe in the bathroom and a wrench in the living room. Let the night revolver around the atmosphere. You never know when one of the murder weapons can come up missing.

Since much of the night will be spent around the dinner table, don’t forget to set the scene in the dining room, too. Be sure to pick up black premium dinner plates,  napkins,silverware, and a black plastic table cover. You can often save on items such as these when you bundle them into packages, such as a black paper kit-n-kaboodle. You may also want to consider purchasing a party serving set. It may help to keep your dinner since you will be busy searching for which one of your guests murdered Mr. Green in the basement with a pipe!

Have fun sharing in the murder mystery; it will be a killer good time!     

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 21,956 other followers

%d bloggers like this: