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Tired of Christmas Party Planning? Enjoy These Holiday Pranks.

December 27, 2012 By Comments

Tired of Christmas Party Planning Enjoy These Holiday PranksWith the big day behind us, many of you are relaxing and enjoying this time of year with family and friends.  All the Christmas party planning has been executed and, by now, mostly completed.  And you’re probably pretty tired of party planning (now you have an idea of a party planner’s job year round).

We won’t mention New Years Eve parties just yet…

So sit back, relax and enjoy our compilation (from our friends at Just for Laughs) of innocent Christmas pranks. A comedy video that’s all in good taste of course.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

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Merry Christmas – Scruffy the Elf – A Funny Christmas Song

December 24, 2012 By Comments

Photo courtesy of aussiegall

Can you believe it, the time is here and Christmas is upon us and we are just a mere day away. Hopefully everyone is safe and sound and as Santa would say “You’ve made your lists and you’re checking them twice”. You are ready, all your party plans have been made, gifts have been bought and wrapped, food has been purchased and recipes have been decided on and you are feeling the love. So when it comes to this special time of year, Christmas, you are ready to go. Relaxing and sitting with your feet up eating bon bons and just wishing, wanting and waiting for all the fun to start…right?

For so many, this time of year can bring on anxiety, stress, tension, hassle and a whole bunch of worry. We all know this is the season to spend quality family time and sharing and caring for others. But sometimes just sometimes the craziness of the season intrudes and things don’t work out that way. Stress is a holiday destroyer and can affect not only your Christmas but your health as well. So if you want to enjoy your holidays take a minute, be realistic, plan ahead and ask for help. And don’t forget about some happy holiday music to put you in the just right mood. Just ask Scruffy the Elf and take some time to enjoy his mostly politically correct and funny Christmas Song.

Merry Christmas!

 

 

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All Meeting Planners Want for Christmas Is…

December 21, 2012 By Comments
all meeting planners want for Christmas is

photo by country1071.com

Meeting planners are used to making a list and checking it twice. Like Santa, it’s what they do all year long. Meeting and event planners have to work with a lot of suppliers in order to make their programs run smoothly. And inevitably you know what happens when you have to rely on several other people to make your function go off without a hitch. It’s otherwise known as Murphy’s Law.

A Meeting and Event Planners Christmas Wish List (If Only…)

We started wondering exactly what kind of a list meeting planners would make at Christmas time if they had an opportunity to correct everything that they don’t like about their job tasks.

So we present to you a meeting planners Christmas wish list for 2013 (after all, one can wish):

  • hearing suppliers say “we can do that”
  • a final program invoice that is in the ballpark of their quote
  • a proposal that actually addresses what they requested
  • submitting a request for proposal (RFP) and not getting 100 telephone calls or e-mails from suppliers asking for clarification
  • that all the venue lights are working when they arrive
  • Wi-Fi services that cover a distance more than 2 feet
  • for people to get their name right during cold calls
  • staff that understand that a “working lunch” actually means people are working in the room
  • suppliers that know how to spell
  • to stop receiving information that they didn’t request

For all of you meeting and event planners out there we hope your wishes come true for 2013. Merry Christmas.

 

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Dress for Success and the Importance of Styling!

December 20, 2012 By Comments
magnifing glass highlighting the definition of success

Photo courtesy of orvalrochefort

If you want to make a good impression you must remember the the importance of styling and dress for success.

It really makes no difference what industry you are part of; first impressions are very important. When it comes to our professions and career paths putting our best foot forward is key. In these times of informality and casual Fridays, getting a handle on what is appropriate and suitable and what is not can be tough.

We all know that how competent you are at your job has nothing to do with what you wear, but in fact it can say a whole lot about you. If you want to be taken seriously then you must dress like you care. If you dress like you don’t care that is definitely the impression you are giving. Should you be judged by your clothes? Of course not but no matter what they say, everyone judges so if you want to be taken seriously then you have to show you give a hoot and dress for success.

Dress for Success and Career Victory

It is difficult to know how to properly dress for a job in a time when you can find Presidents and CEOs dressing very, very casually. And while some say appearance and image isn’t everything. The majority say “they” are wrong and really it is important to dress to impress. It has been said; that a professional wardrobe and dressing suitably is as essential as timeliness and achieving deadlines. So the best way to tackle this issue is to recognize and comprehend business values.

How Should You Dress for Success

When it comes to dressing for success making a good impression is top of the list. For some it’s simple and for others it’s a hard task to overcome. Here are some basic tips to get started.

Tip One – The first step to assembling that just right professional wardrobe is to look at those at the top of your industry, office and company. Once you’ve established the trendsetters whether it be within your industry or from the pages of fashion magazines use them as a guideline to model and market yourself.

Tip Two – Know your companies dress code. So many of us feel “the proof is in the pudding” and our work quality should speak for itself. But as we  know that’s not always the case, our appearance and look is of equal importance. If your office has a mandated dress code then always, always be sure to observe any and all policies as directed.

Tip Three – When it comes to your look, the fit and color do matter and are key when it comes to dressing for success. An outfit that is too big or too small, too fitted or too baggy is not appropriate and sends the wrong message. Color does affect people emotionally with the unconscious message that our clothing is conveying. Colors stir up various reactions and influence people in ways that don’t gel with career advancement. It is imperative to wear clothing that fits and colors that help you to put your best foot forward.

Dressing for success and business clothing doesn’t have to break the bank. Take an inventory of what you already own and then enhance that wardrobe. And when it comes to putting it all together let your personality shine through and remember to up the ante when it comes to personal grooming. Keep in mind, it really only takes some very simple steps to enhance your persona and help get you up the corporate ladder.

 

 

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10 Beautiful Pictures of Hotels Decorated for Christmas

December 19, 2012 By Comments
decorating for Christmas

photo by tommytoy.typepad.com

One of the reasons why I love Christmas is that it adds an abundance of color to what would normally be a bleak time. I also think it’s one of the reasons why I don’t hate the cooler weather arriving. Many meeting and event planners are winding down their actual meetings during this time. However, for those meeting planners that do host meetings around Christmas time, they are treated to all of the sights and sounds that are synonymous with Christmas. And it’s so easy to plan events around Christmas time. Because the hotels go all out decorating, event planners don’t have to spend a lot of time worrying about decor.

Staff Picks of Hotels Decorated for Christmas

For this post I would like to provide you with a visual tour of some of the best decorated hotels for Christmas. And you’re going to be quite impressed with our scientific formula for determining which hotels made it to the list. It was our staff that picked the ones that they liked. How do you like that for scientific polling.

So without further ado, we present to you a visual tour of some great hotels that have gone all out for Christmas. In addition to our foolproof scientific sampling, we present these pictures in no specific order:

The Grand Californian at Disneyland

the grand Californian at Disneyland

photo by toursdepartingdaily.com

The Roosevelt New Orleans

the Roosevelt New Orleans

photo by new-orleans.travora.com

The Grand Hotel Hamburg

the grand Hotel Hamburg

photo by kempinski.com

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

Fairmont Banff Springs

photo by skisolutions.com

Hotel Ritz London

London's Ritz hotel

photo by architectsstudio.net

The Peninsula Chicago

photo by blog.startle.com

The Gaylord Hotel at Opryland

Gaylord Opryland hotel

photo by mvmaithai.blogspot.com

The Peabody Memphis

the Peabody Memphis

photo by capturememphis.com

The Waldorf Astoria

the Waldorf Astoria

photo by blog.oyster.com

The White House (okay it’s technically not a hotel, but definitely worth a mention)

decorations at the White House

photo by mirror.co.uk

Of course we are always open for suggestions from our readers. If you have any great pictures of hotels decorated for Christmas please feel free to send them along. And for all our meeting and event planner friends (as well as everyone reading this post) we wish you a great holiday season.

 

 

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Planning a Last Minute New Year’s Eve Party!

December 18, 2012 By Comments

Photo courtesy of James Marvin Phelps

2013 is literally just around the corner. And if you’re like me you have been busy trying to get all your Christmas stuff done and have ignored one of the most obvious upcoming holiday celebrations. New Year’s Eve is a time of year filled with joy and excitement and probably one of the most popular nights of the year to host a party. The question always remains, at the last minute, how to make the party special and unique?

When it comes to a New Year’s Eve party, it really has nothing to do with the amount of money you spend that will produce a memorable evening. And has everything to do with an organized plan, creativity, easy but dazzling eats and drinks, smart decorating enhanced with a sense of humor, imagination and a bit of resourcefulness and you are well on your way to hosting a party to be remembered.

Next all you have to do is determine just what you’re in the mood for.

Tips to Get Started Planning a Last Minute New Year’s Eve Party!

With Christmas just around the bend and the New Year just days away from that now is the time to put the task of party planning together. The theme, activities, decorations, drinks and food; and just because it’s more of a last minute scenario by no means is it too late to plan a great party and wonderful celebration.

The number one step to New Year’s Eve party planning is to create a budget and be sure to consider and include all the pieces and do not, I repeat do not exceed your financial circumstances. Once the budget has been created you can then itemize all the essentials needed to host a party. You can then establish the portion of your budget you want to allocate to each element.

Choosing a party theme will provide help to the party planner in you. Help not only in organization but with everything that follows; what to buy and serve, how to decorate and entertain and how best to create that just right party flow and fun.

Forget about formal invitations. When it comes to last minute party planning and invites Evite.com is your friend. The fastest and most stress free way to invite guests to your soiree is right at your fingertips. Be sure to request RSVPs to ensure you plan appropriately based on the actual number of guests coming to your party.

Tips to Get Started Hosting a Last Minute New Year’s Eve Party!

When organizing a New Year’s Eve party decorating is a pretty easy feat. Really it makes no difference the party theme you decide to go with, whether it is a dress your resolution, black & white, time of day or just good old New Year’s Eve, once the theme is decided on the next step is to get the suitable within budget decorations. Time is of a minimum and decorations can simply be found online or by visiting your local party store or retailer. Don’t try and recreate the wheel here, utilize all the retail help available.

Eating and drinking is an important part of any party and most especially a New Year’s Eve one. While you don’t have to break the bank or budget just because of the unique date you do have to go that extra mile to ensure the party is super special. And not just any old Saturday night get together. There are lots of great ways to serve your guests while staying on budget. Consider food that can be prepared ahead of time or if the budget allows hire out. Most importantly do not and again I repeat do not get trapped in the kitchen as the party roars on without you.

Entertainment doesn’t always mean for hire and expensive, there are lots and lots of entertaining and economical ways to amuse guests at a New Year’s Eve gala. While there are wonderful DJ’s and bands for hire why not throw together an appropriately awesome music list and play it on your own CD player. Or ask your guests to bring their favorite CD and everyone can take turns playing party DJ. New Year’s Eve begs for the long-established, time-honored traditions. A cheap and cheerful formula for fun is a table full of hats, horns, noisemakers, confetti, boas, air blowers and the like. Easy on the wallet but heavy on the fun!

Why not go along with what one party host did, as guests departed her New Year’s Eve bash she gifted them with a “Hangover Cure” bag filled with pain killers, stomach calmers, water, vitamins and her personal hangover favorite…potato chips.

When it comes to the details of party planning our own individually always comes shining through. So remember to be genuine and include the things that you care about and that are important to you. And always remember these are special times so do not stress yourself out, just go with the flow and enjoy. By adopting this approach a great and memorable time will be had by all!

 

 

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Holiday Party Planning and Some Great Tools to Help!

December 13, 2012 By Comments

Photo courtesy of chiaralily

‘Tis the season and all that jazz! Ask any party planner and they will tell you when it comes to a successful party success is definitely in the details. And when it comes to details success is in the planning, planning, planning. Especially during the holiday season when time is at a minimum and before you know it you’re throwing something together at the very last minute. So by taking the time to first consider the party type as well as the who, what, when and where of party planning and planning ahead will absolutely save you time, energy and yes stress.

For many planning a holiday soiree is the high point of their year. And who doesn’t want their party to be the best and brightest. Organizing and hosting a holiday party for your friends and family does not need the expertise and skills of a high-powered, A list professional planner. With some pre-planning, a bit of elbow grease and some great planning tools you can easily wow even the biggest of critics.

Holiday Party Planning with the Evite Party Budget Calculator

How many times have you heard; do we even have a budget for this? Holiday celebrations are exciting and enjoyable but frankly can be costly to host. When planning a party that bottom line is always forefront in our minds. With each party planned the feat of finding that perfect balance of how much to spend without literally breaking the bank can be so frustrating. Well now staying within a budget is as easy as one, two, three. Evite has a great handy dandy party tool, a Party Budget Calculator, to help. You simply enter the details, party style, number of guests and the party duration and poof the Evite Party Calculator will provide an estimation of expenses. Remember when it comes to holiday party spending it’s not how much you spend it’s how you spend it!

Holiday Party Planning with the Evite Party Planning Checklist

With Christmas and New Year’s Eve just around the corner everyone’s stress levels are snowballing. In a snap, party planning can easily become a hectic, all-consuming and nerve wracking situation. Repeat after me; this is the year to enjoy, not agonize and worry, about what is missing. A Party Planning Checklist will help you to set your priorities and schedule your time, allowing for a fun filled evening when it comes party time. A checklist will ensure you have thought of every single thing and will provide for a well-planned, stress free experience. Just enter the party information and the tool will provide a list of tasks with the matching due dates. And then just check off the items as they are accomplished and by the time the party arrives all the work will be done. Rumor has it the secret to party success is being prepared so in an effort to remain stress free and enjoy these special times a party planning checklist will be your best friend.

Holiday parties are special occasions to spend quality time with friends and family. So if you’re one who wants to relax and enjoy once it comes time to party then don’t forget to utilize that great resource, the internet. Right at your fingertips and there to help when it comes to creativity, ideas, templates and all things holiday party. So when the night arrives you and your guests will create memories to be remembered for a lifetime! Season’s Greetings!

 

 

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A Cool Tool for Your Christmas and New Year’s Eve Party Planning

December 12, 2012 By Comments

Bright Settings Set the Table AppAs the holiday season is now upon us, many of you are planning on hosting a Christmas or New Year’s Eve party. And many of those parties will be dinner parties.

Christmas and New Year’s Eve Parties Are a Time for Friends and Colleagues to Gather

This is the time of year where many people turn into part-time party planners. After all, what’s Christmas or New Year’s without having to attend some fun and festivities. Now, with the help of a tableware setup tool, you’ll be able to set your dinner table exactly like professional event planners. No more worrying about which fork to use and where to place the spoon.

A Party Planning Tool from Bright Settings

Bright Settings is a national table and linen rental company (they have also expanded to screen and digital printing). On their website they also have a category devoted to tools. One of those tools is a tableware setup application.

Here’s how Bright Settings’ tableware set up works:

Basically, once you know what you’ll be serving at your party, you check off all that is applicable. Then hit the “set the table” button and presto, a diagram with the appropriate way to set your table is displayed. This is a perfect tool for anyone that wants to ensure that they are setting their table properly for the meal that they will be serving.

So why not take a little bit of stress from your Christmas and New Year’s Eve party planning by utilizing the tableware set up tool. No more second-guessing which utensils are required for your menu.

 

Disclaimer. Bright Settings does have a banner ad that runs on this website. However, I stumbled across the tableware set up page as I was reviewing their website. Without their knowledge, I thought that this was such a great valuable tool that I just had to write a post about it.

 

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Hanukkah Party Planning

December 11, 2012 By Comments

Photo courtesy of Cayusa

December is here and we have officially entered that special time of year. When everyone seems to be in a good mood and ready to party at the drop of a hat. Whether it’s Christmas or Hanukkah, hosting or attending, we are all in the spirit to celebrate.

This past weekend I attended a Hanukkah party and not only did we enjoy ourselves thoroughly we also learned a bit along the way. When we arrived it was clear that this shindig was all about family, friends and celebrating. The party was all about the eight day festival of Hanukkah, the customs and traditions, the food and yes the fun.

Hanukkah Party Planning – What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is a special way to gather friends and family to share traditions and celebrate. Customarily friends and family are invited over to rejoice by exchanging gifts, eating, saying the Hanukkah blessing and most importantly lighting the menorah.

The Jewish celebration of Hanukkah is recognized as the eight day winter celebration, the “Festival of Lights”. Hanukkah celebrates; the phenomenon that came about when the one day supply of lamp oil burned for eight days, it rejoices and celebrates the triumph of the Macabees and the rededication of the Jewish temple.

Hanukkah happens on the 25th day of the month of Kislev on the Jewish calendar. Based on the Roman calendar this occurs sometime in November or December. Each and every night for eight nights, a Jewish family lights the menorah. On the first evening one candle is lit and on the second evening the next candle is lit and so on and so on. And each following night, one extra candle is added up to the eighth and final night. This very important tradition is a great part of the celebration of Hanukkah.

Photo courtesy of drurydrama

Hanukkah Party Planning – One, Two, Three…

Having a Hanukkah party is a wonderful way to share in the holiday traditions with those you love. From delicious food to fun activities from beautiful decorations to the ultimate in joy, when autumn hits the love and magic of Hanukkah is just around the corner. And whether this is the first or hundredth Hanukkah party you’ve hosted, there is, of course, some long established, time honored food and activity traditions you’ll want to ensure you have.

Decorations are an important part of the celebration. Be sure to adorn and decorate the space with the traditional colors of Hanukkah; blue, silver and white. Don’t stress, Hanukkah party supplies are plentiful and easy to find. Really Hanukkah party supplies are just like any other typical party decorations; they’re just themed around Hanukkah. In addition to balloons, banners, signs you will find everything you’ll possibly need to decorate; napkins, plates, cups, tablecloths and the like all designed with Dreidels, Menorahs and other holiday adornments and embellishments. There are so many possibilities to choose from. The party I attended this weekend had blue and white lights hung around the interior of the home adding that extra oomph!

Food glorious food! When it comes to Hanukkah and party food the first word that comes to mind is “traditional”. During Hanukkah it’s traditional to eat foods that are fried in oil and made with cheese. So watch your cholesterol, when it comes to the party bill of fare, the delicious potato latkes, jelly filled doughnuts and cheese appetizer, all on the menu and always a treat. And there are lots of classic foods that have over the years become popular to serve including slow roasted beef brisket, chicken liver pate, vegetable kugel, butter cookies, sweet honey desserts and don’t forget about the chocolate gelt (money)!

Games and Activities are a must when it comes to Hanukkah celebrating and ask anyone spinning that dreidel is an absolute. A dreidel is a four sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. After making a bet with chocolate gelt, each player takes a turn at spinning the dreidel and depending on the letter it lands on the spinner follows the directions; taking some or all of the pot. The game is played until one player has won the entire pot and is the winner. And what about, the self-explanatory favorite “Hide the Chocolate Gelt” a fun and entertaining game for kids of all ages. Really who amongst us doesn’t love finding and stocking up on some delicious chocolate coins. And don’t forget about conventional board games too or this is the perfect opportunity to create new game traditions of your own.

Hanukkah Party Planning – Thinking of Others!

The party I just attended had an extra special touch that I loved. The host asked each guest to bring an unwrapped toy to help those less fortunate and not able to celebrate in the same manner we were about to. After the party the host not only donated the gifts to a charity they matched the amount of gifts providing an amazing hall for others. I will forever include this touch in my future holiday party planning.

In the midst of all the craziness of the holidays, it’s very easy to lose sight of the real reason for the get together. In the truest sense it’s all about family, friends and faith. By keeping this in mind and with some pre planning, attention and effort you will host a most wonderful Hanukkah party that will be remembered for days to come.

 

 

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3 Fun New Years Eve Party Ideas for Kids

December 7, 2012 By Comments
New Year's Eve party ideas for kids

photo by reflectionstees. blogspot.com

While many of you are still thinking about the Christmas holiday, New Year’s Eve is also right around the corner. When we think of New Year’s Eve, many of us think of adult themed parties. But, more and more, many people are starting to plan New Year’s Eve parties with their kids.

And this isn’t a new trend.

I remember, as a child, being very excited about New Year’s Eve. My parents had decided that rather than leave us with a babysitter on the big end of the year night, that they would make us apart of the big celebration. And we had a blast. Most of the activities centered around homemade games and, of course, lots of great snacks.

Many Venue Prices Seem to Increase on New Year’s Eve

I think another factor that has a lot of people reconsidering their New Year’s Eve options is that a lot of venues have a prearranged party at a preset price. Not that there’s anything wrong with this format. I’ve been in the hotel industry for many years where we used to organize several various parties throughout our outlets. And they were always very popular.

When you’re planning a party that involves young people it’s always a good idea to have activities planned out ahead of time. It’s not like an adult party were we’re very comfortable networking with each other. Generally at these types of parties the events and activities unfold as they happen. In other words adults do not have to have every moment of a party structured for them.

Three New Year’s Eve party ideas

I’m sure many parents have no trouble thinking of activities that their children would want to do. Not being a parent myself, I talked to a few colleagues that told me they’re planning on staying home with their family New Year’s Eve. Here’s a few of the take away ideas from those conversations for activities that you can implement for your own party:

America’s Got Talent. An easy activity to organize. Basically at the beginning of the party tell the participants that they need to think up and then rehearse a small act that they can perform later in the evening. Trust me, children will not have a problem with this. Whether it be magic acts, a song performance or some other type of acrobatic act, the children will have a blast performing and the adults will have just as much fun watching. You’ll have to assign some judges for the competitions (but you can also make sure that everybody wins a little something…).

Name That Tune. This one I even remember doing as a kid. This one is also an easy one to implement. Obviously the selection of songs need to be recognizable by the participants. But after that it’s simply a matter of lining up the songs, playing a couple of seconds of them, and watching the contestants try to name the song they’re listening to.

Charades. This one almost speaks for itself. There are even many boardgames that are centered around this activity. This activity is a great group activity (and whenever I played charades I appreciated being part of a group and not left on my own).

These posts also provide additional party ideas:

For all of the activities listed above, you will want to have prizes that you can give away. That’s a task that you can split amongst all of the adults that will be attending.

New Year’s Eve is becoming, more and more so, and evening for children just as much as for adults. Many of us are opting for house parties as opposed to going out for the big night. For those that are hosting New Year’s Eve party for kids, it’s important to remember to organize some activities ahead of time. Then make sure you communicate to all the participants what will be happening and, for the adult crowd, what they can contribute to the big night.

 

 

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