Are Party Favors A Must Have?

One of the more accepted traditions of a party is that guests depart with a party favor. This is usually a small gift of some kind, inexpensive but thoughtful, and leaves guests going home with a smile on their face. Yet with party favors – for adult parties, anyway – being a more modern tradition, have they now become expected – or is it possible to throw a good party without them?

Party favors are tricky beasts in several ways. To begin with, they add extra dollars on to your budget – but unlike spending cash on food or decorations, favors in no way actually benefit the party itself. After all, they are just a going home gift, meaning the party is naturally over by the time guests receive their gifts. That’s a lot of hassle to go to, and expense spent, for something which is a mere formality.

Secondly, what exactly constitutes a good party favor? How on earth can you predict and buy something that everyone attending the party will want? All in all, party favors can present the kind of worries that any stressed-out host can do without.

Yet one does not want to appear selfish or rude by not handing out party favors, so you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. The solution is unfortunately not a simple one, because no matter which way you go you risk offending people; they may not appreciate not having a favor, or they may think the favor is inappropriate. The best option is to go cheap and cheerful with your favors, and pass them off as a mere novelty rather than some kind of gift – make light of it, spend little, but nevertheless hit the favor requirement.

How To Successfully Plan A Party

When it comes to party planning, there is one particular word you need to bear in mind: planning. With parties, the planning is everything – it may even be more important than the actual execution of the party. A party that is planned well is a party that will run smoothly, and a smooth party is the kind of party everyone wants to attend.

There will inevitably be hiccups in any party you throw; unfortunately, that cannot be avoided. You can, however, eliminate how serious the hiccup can be with effective preparation. When planning a party, apply the rule of Sod’s Law: if it can go wrong, it will. Try and think through every situation that may be problematic, and come up with the solutions beforehand. It may take awhile, but it could save you hassle and stress on the evening of the party.

The essential party planning tool is the list. Writing things down helps to streamline thoughts, focus the mind and keeps you up to date with the latest happenings. Buy a notebook or pad and specifically dedicate its pages to the party. Anything to do with the party, write it down in the notebook – even (and actually, especially) things you believe you will not have a problem remembering. At the very least, you will find the presence of the notebook and its detailed notes reassuring if you’re experiencing any last minute nerves.

Finally, give yourself as much time as possible to plan your party – two or three weeks, if possible. You may also find setting aside complete blocks of one or two hours is more effective than doing a little bit here and there. Utilize this time correctly, and your party will hopefully be hiccup-free.

How Do I Know How Much Food To Buy For A Party?

When planning and hosting a party, there is a somewhat inevitable conundrum that will pop up and temporarily flummox you: just how much food do I need to buy?

The answer to this question begins in the planning of the party; namely, the invitations. To successfully plan for the right amount of food to buy, you will need to know how many guests are coming. It is therefore imperative that you include a request for people to RSVP whether or not they are planning to attend your party or not. When you have received all the RSVPs you expect to get, add five to that number (in case of stragglers or late announcements) and use this as a base for planning the amount of food you need to purchase.

Fortunately, most part food manufacturer’s will include a guidance label as to how many people a portion or serving of food will serve. If possible, you should overestimate this so as to allow for second helpings. If for example, you have 40 people coming to your party and you have a cake that “serves 10”, buy five cakes.

Apply the overestimating wherever you can, as far as your budget will allow. If you have individual items of food, ensure there is enough for everyone and include a couple of spares. It is always better to have too much – which you can offer as doggy bags – than too little, after all.