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Planning a Super Bowl XLVII Party? A Few Fun Facts.

January 25, 2013 By Comments
Super Bowl party fun facts

photo by ifood.tv

Super Bowl XLVII (let’s see how good you are at your Roman numerals) will be held this year in New Orleans on Sunday, February 3, 2013. The AFC champion, the Baltimore Ravens, will be facing the NFC champion, the San Francisco 49ers. And by now I’m sure many of you are busy planning for your own Super Bowl party. Or perhaps you’re even luckier and you’re just going to be attending a friend’s Super Bowl party.

Super Bowl Party Food-Devilishly Good

What would a Super Bowl party be without the traditional food fare such as pizzas, Buffalo wings and chips, to name a few. And while I know these are not the greatest foods for our health, it just wouldn’t be a Super Bowl party without junk food. Sorry. I contemplated writing about some healthy alternatives to serve during a Super Bowl party. But then I thought “what the heck” it’s okay for us to be eating junk food on this non-official national holiday.

Related Super Bowl Party Ideas

Nearly 20,000,000 Americans will be attending a Super Bowl party. For those of you that are still considering hosting a Super Bowl party, here are a couple of additional post to review:

Super Bowl Parties-the Fun Facts

Super Bowl party by the numbers

photo by wjla.com

It’s estimated that the average person will consume over 1200 calories on Super Bowl Sunday. Truthfully, I thought it would be much higher than that.

Additional fun facts about consumption amounts at Super Bowl parties:

  • 8,000,000 pounds – the amount of guacamole that will be consumed on Super Bowl Sunday
  • 14,500 tons – of chips consumed
  • 8,000,000 pounds – of popcorn popped
  • 1.25 billion – Buffalo chicken wings will be devoured
  • 325.5 million – gallons of beer gulped

And, as a result of the above:

  • 20% – amount of increase in antacid sales on the Monday following the game
  • 7 million – number of people that will call in sick on Monday following the game
* References: wikipedia.org , Treehugger.com

Super Bowl parties are as much a part of American culture as Thanksgiving. It’s a time when friends and family gather to root for their favorite team (especially if yours is lucky enough to be one of the teams playing). Super Bowl party food tends to focus on junk food. It’s quick, easy to make and, let’s face it, everybody loves one item or another.

Oh and about that Roman numeral XLVII, it’s 47, as in Super Bowl XLVII.

 

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Train Birthday Party Ideas – Set the Tone!

March 24, 2012 By Comments
train on the tracks

Photo courtesy of trams aux fils

Don’t be fooled, choosing a great party theme for your kid’s birthday party can be stressful and nerve racking. And any parent who has had this task knows what I am saying. But I can speak from experience that selecting the celebratory theme can be almost as much fun as the actual planning and party throwing. There is an unbelievable amount of party themes and ideas to decide from. And like anything, the choosing can be extremely challenging and tricky while at the same time barrels of fun.

Planning and watching your child’s excitement build the closer the celebration gets is a benefit in its self. As we all know, one of the ultimate goals for a parent planning a party is to make the birthday and actual party as unforgettable as possible.

Train Birthday Party Ideas – Get on Track!

The available variety of party themes is literally unlimited. When thinking kid’s party themes, the tough part is to know where to start. First ask yourself (and your kid) a couple of questions; what is your child’s age, what do they love doing most, who are their preferred and much loved TV or literacy characters, how much space do you have for the party and how many invitees will be included? Simply posing and answering these questions will get you on track to making the best party theme decision for your kids’ next birthday party.

Train Birthday Party Ideas – All Aboard!

Almost every young boy and girl loves trains and is amazed by trains of all kinds. Back in the day, when my nephews were just wee sprouts they were totally in love with trains. And I mean totally! One of my nephews would only wear overalls because in his mind (and only his mind), he was the train conductor. So when it came to birthday time and birthday themes, it was a no brainier, they each had a train party at least twice. This made it really easy for us to plan since we all love a train birthday party and all the great ideas that come with it. A train party is great for kids of all ages and it is pretty easy to accommodate this theme.

Train Birthday Party Ideas – The Train has Arrived!

The train birthday party theme has been around for almost as many years as trains have been here. And because it is one of the most popular kid’s party themes you won’t have any difficulties in finding help. So a train themed birthday party it is and the next step to realize a fun and unforgettable party is to be sure you have all the essential supplies. Whether you buy the enhanced tableware or use your own, whether you buy decorations or create your own, whether you buy pre-made food and cake or make your own, there is a ton of help via online websites and retail stores to get you going. You heard it here first, the real key in planning a train birthday party that won’t cost you a cent is your imagination! The more you immerse yourself in the theme, the better the party will be. So get those creative juices going and pull together all your great ideas for cake, decorations, invites, loot bags, food and games and like magic you will have yourself a unique and fun filled party!

With all the great ideas and tips for train birthday parties available, hop on the express train and plan a rousingly fun railroad birthday bash! Your conductor and crew will be happy you did!

 

 

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25th Birthday Party Ideas

February 17, 2012 By Comments

A 25th birthday is definitely a milestone in one’s life. They are a quarter-century old. It wasn’t that long ago (okay maybe I’m stretching the amount of time here) that our life span wasn’t much longer than that. And no, over the hill themes won’t do for 25th birthday party ideas. Today, 25 is still a young age and thus 25th birthday party ideas should be themed around having a good time with friends and family.

Be Careful with 25th Birthday Party Games

I was actually reviewing one birthday party website not long ago and I remember seeing a list of ideas for 25th birthday theme ideas. I actually had to go back and read the title of the blog post as I couldn’t believe, based on the type of games they were talking about, that they were promoting ideas for 25th birthday. Now don’t get me wrong as I’m sure most of us don’t mind playing some type of games. But I’m not sure that party games that are popular for teenagers is something that a 25-year-old really wants to have at their birthday.

I remember some of my birthdays when I was in my 20s. If my friends took me out for beer and pizza that would’ve been a good time (okay add beer and pizza to the list of ideas).

25th Birthday Party Themes Need to Fit the Person

It’s not easy planning anybody’s birthday. Whether you are planning 25th birthday party ideas for her or him, the number one rule is that ideas for 25th birthday party have to be planned with the persons interests in mind (not yours). A few 25th birthday party theme ideas include:

  • tickets to a sporting event
  • dinner and a movie with friends
  • an overnight getaway to a favored location
  • a surprise gathering at the birthday boy or girl’s favorite pub
  • a mini this is your life (at this stage of life one is starting to lose touch with old high school friends)
  • a beach or pool party
  • a complementary training at a NASCAR track
  • a spa day

Whatever your 25th birthday party ideas include, make sure they fit the personality of the person you’re planning the 25th birthday party for. A 25-year-old still has lots of energy left in them so a fun night on the town is one way of having an exciting time. But whatever theme you decide to go with the number one rule is to have fun. The 25-year-old is about to embark on another 25 year period that will bring many additional changes to their life. Trust me, I’m almost through the second 25 year period too.

 

 

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Where to Search for Star Wars Birthday Party Ideas

February 12, 2012 By Comments

Star Wars movie posterIf you’re planning a birthday party for your young one (or even your young at heart one) Star Wars is always a popular theme. Star Wars birthday party ideas can range from simple invitations to a full-fledged decor theme. But one thing that’s for sure is that there are many Star Wars birthday party ideas for any budget.

Star Wars Birthday Party Ideas by a Pro

Here at “Plan An Event” we like to surf the Internet for you. We might try and tell you that we’re doing this to save you time but, truth be told, we’re also addicted to the Internet. But the key for any search is to first determine how much or how little you plan to devote to your birthday party theme. The first website that we are profiling here is called “Party Ideas by a Pro” . This website has an excellent page devoted to Star Wars birthday party ideas. Here they provide an easy-to-follow outline which includes; invitations (which includes a very cool homemade light saber invitation), Star Wars stamps (yes believe it or not they do exist in the US), drink ideas (the Yoda soda sounds quite interesting) including cocktails for the young at heart crowd, Star Wars party food ideas (I really want to Star Wars toaster) including many types of birthday cakes, how to create some of your favorite Star Wars characters, how to decorate as well as some Star Wars party games that you can play. Although this site is presented by a professional, us amateurs can easily take the ideas presented here and implement them into your very own Star Wars birthday party.

Star Wars Birthday Party Ideas in a Box

Another site that’s worth checking out for Star Wars birthday party ideas is called “Birthday in a Box“. Their Star Wars birthday party ideas page  has an easy-to-follow outline of what you need to do from start to finish (or anywhere in between). What I also like about this site is that there are some links where you can buy additional supplies for your Star Wars party at nominal prices.

A Star Wars birthday party theme is a great idea if you have a Star Wars enthusiast in your household. And let’s face it even if they’re not the most avid fans of the Star Wars movies, I’ll bet they’ll enjoy a Star Wars birthday party theme as much as the next person.

 

 

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Birthday Party Ideas – Planning a Party

February 9, 2012 By Comments
neon blue happy birthday sign

Photo courtesy of milko romero

When it comes to planning a party, here are so many birthday party ideas to choose from.  We all want our party to be memorable, the party that everyone talks about for weeks afterwards for all the right reasons. We put a lot of thought into the theme, invitations, food and decor. But often, it just takes one small misstep to throw a wrench into your best laid plans. Whether it’s a decor disaster, a food fracas or a vile venue, we all want to avoid those errors and ensure that our party is the one everybody else tries to top.

I went to a party recently where everything was in line. The food was fabulous. The decor elegant and the theme was inspired! The problem? The host sent out the invites late and unfortunately, only about 30% of her guest list showed up. And though all of the other elements were in place, the guests weren’t!

I love to use the internet for inspiration. There are so many great planning sites available (this one included). So when looking to the experts for assistance in planning your party, don’t forget to check out funnyordie.com!

Gary French’s list of what to do when throwing a party is actually more of a list of what not to do! So sit back and watch how not to throw a party. Brought to you by Gary French and our friends at funnyordie.com.

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Planning a Party This Super Bowl Weekend? Better Begin the Belt-Tightening Now.

February 3, 2012 By Comments

Many Americans are busy planning a party for Super Bowl Sunday. When you think of Super Bowl parties, most often food items like chicken wings and pizza go hand-in-hand. Super Bowl Sunday is the day that sees Americans consume a great deal of our favorite snack foods. In fact, speaking in consumption terms, Super Bowl Sunday is only outdone by Thanksgiving. That’s a lot of food. But after all it is a party and no matter which team you’re rooting for there’s one thing that’s certain, you’re probably going to leave your Super Bowl party feeling very full.

Planning a Party for Super Bowl Sunday-by the Numbers

The numbers are staggering. According to the Huffington Post we’re expected to eat a whole day’s worth of calories during the game. Here are a few of the items that you can expect to see at your Super Bowl party:

  • potato chips (we should go through around 11,000,000 pounds)
  • chicken wings (a mere 1.2 5 billion will be consumed)
  • potato skins
  • pizza slices
  • beer (okay so it’s not food but what would be a Super Bowl party without beer)

Do you think you know how many calories you’re going to consume? Well, if you’re like me, I don’t even know what a portion size looks like anymore. And according to the Huffington Post article neither do most Americans. But it is a party and we don’t normally go to parties thinking about all the healthy foods we’re going to consume. But if you’re interested, and I’m warning you here, head on over to the Huffington Post article where they also have a quiz. See if you’re able to determine how many calories you can expect to consume. If you’re like me you’re going to be surprised by your outcome. There are only 10 questions and yes you are allowed to skip.

So if you’re planning a party for Super Bowl Sunday I would suggest you hide all of the portion size information regarding the foods you’ll be serving. And if you really want to know how the calories are going to add up take the calorie quiz offered by Huffington Post. But don’t forget I did warn you.

 

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3 Websites You Should Visit for Super Mario Birthday Party Ideas

January 15, 2012 By Comments

Planning your loved one’s birthday party can be hectic at the best of times. Many times the theme for the birthday party centers around what the birthday boy or girl likes. And as we are living in a digital age Super Mario birthday party ideas are always a hit. But where do you start? Well as part of what we do here at Plan an Event we scour the Internet so that you don’t have to. From our review, we have selected three websites for Super Mario brothers birthday party ideas and Mario birthday party supplies.

A Mario Birthday Party Can Include Both Do-It-Yourself Ideas and Pre-Purchased Items

While reviewing websites for a Super Mario birthday party I wanted to be sure that I included websites that provided options for you. For some, especially you creative types, you may want to make the party favors yourself. For others, you may simply be looking for Mario birthday party games or just places where you can buy Super Mario bros birthday part supplies.

Party Depot (party Canada blog) - This website provides an easy-to-follow outline for putting together a Super Mario brothers birthday party including; invitations, decorations, games, activities, party food, and party favors. Basically everything you would need to put together a successful party. What I like about this site is that, for many of the areas, they provide both do-it-yourself ideas as well as where to find and purchase items.

Squidoo (super mario party ideas) – This is a great site to visit especially if you’re a do-it-yourself type of person. This site provides in detail how to make all of the components for your successful Super Mario bros birthday party. There may be small or bulk items that you’ll have to purchase but you could easily do that at a discount store. If you have the time and effort this site will help you pull off a Mario brothers birthday party from scratch. However don’t despair, they’re kind enough to provide links where you can buy some of the product, if needed.

Birthday Supply Depot – As the website name suggests, this is a great place to purchase Super Mario Brothers party supply packs. What I liked most about this site was the variety and options available to you. It’s very straightforward and easy to follow for finding the right kit for your party. And, judging from the prices, there appears to be a package for all budgets. A great site for Super Mario birthday party supplies.

So if you think a Super Mario birthday party idea is a good one for your loved one then take a look at these three websites. You’re sure to find ideas and supplies that will make your birthday party that talk of the neighborhood.

 

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Party Planning Tips for Thanksgiving Football Games

November 23, 2011 By Comments

Thanksgiving is this Thursday. In living rooms all across America there will be football parties. If you’re feeling stressed out about your Thanksgiving football party then read these three party planning tips that will help get you through the day. Better yet, you might even enjoy yourself. For this post were going to focus on football as the party theme. There are three NFL games slated for Thursday – after all it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without football now would it.

All Good Party Planning Tips Include Food and Beverage

To most of us, the food and beverage alone can be a major cost when throwing a party. The nice thing about having a party centered around football is that it’s much easier to come up with food ideas that don’t cost you a fortune. So for your food ideas, try and think of what you would like to eat when you go to a football game. Think of the tail gate parties – almost always they include, hotdogs, burgers and munchie foods.  A football party just wouldn’t be the same without these snack foods.  And the best part is that they’re not expensive to serve.

For beverages you may want to have a few selections available for your guests. But there is also nothing wrong with asking your guests to bring a beverage of their choice as well.

Party Planning Tips for Those Who Don’t like Football

Say it isn’t so. Well believe it or not there are always a few people that arrive that don’t like football games. While the theme of your party is centered around the game(s), you should have something available for those that don’t want to watch. If it’s a group of close friends or family you may have a movie in mind that you can watch in another room in your house. Or if the room is far enough away from where everyone is watching the football game (after all we can’t have too much interference during the game itself) you can set it up to play music and have a few games available.

Party Planning Tips-the Plates and Cutlery

For this party planning tip, think of the aftermath. When all is said and done, you can be left with a huge cleanup. Any of us that have hosted parties will tell you – the worst part of hosting is after everyone is gone and you’re left with all the dishes and a huge clean up.  Unfortunately I don’t have any advice on how to ask your guests not to leave a mess.  But I do have a suggestion for the plates and cutlery. Why not use disposable.  Especially since the food is predominantly casual for these types of parties. And if being green or environmentally conscious is a concern of yours make sure you look for recyclable disposable materials at your local grocery store. That way the cleanup will take a lot less time. And by selecting green products you can recycle them guilt free. Now if only we could come up with solution for the vacuuming…

Having a party should be a fun event for all (including you the organizer). Plan ahead and make sure that you have a few of the basics covered and you should find yourself being able to enjoy yourself. Party planning tips should be designed to help take the pressure off of you and put the focus on fun. And you don’t have to blow the budget to create a good atmosphere for your guests.

 

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Party and Event Planning-How to Choose a Venue

October 5, 2011 By Comments

Picking a venue is a crucial part of your party and event planning. Often it can be one of the most stressful stages of the planning process. However sitting down and predetermining a few key factors should help you in deciding which venue is the right one for your party or event.

Developing a List of Criteria for Your Party and Event Planning

By taking some time at the planning stage and determining what you are looking for in a venue will help eliminate the stress of making the final decision. In this post I’m going to provide you with a guideline of some areas that you should decide on when selecting a venue. If you work through the checklist, the results should give you a clear picture of the type of venue that you require for your party or event.

The following list will help you determine which venue is the best for your party or event. Once you have worked through the checklist you should be able to review the venues in the area where your party or event will occur and select one that will fit your criteria.

Location – do you want a downtown venue or are you looking for a venue that has ample parking. If your guest are not being transferred by you to the venue than consider factors such as public transportation and parking.

Venue style – what setting are you looking for. Are you looking for fun, casual or does your event require something more elegant such as a museum or art gallery.

Type of party or event – are you looking for a sitdown dinner, presentation, or a mingling event.

Availability – when will your party or event occur. If it’s during the day make sure that any venues you’re considering are available during the period you require.

Capacity – how many guests are you expecting. Make sure the venues are able to accommodate your numbers

Venue caterers – if you have your own caterer in mind, make sure that any venues you are considering will allow outside caterers. Also if budgets are a concern, many venues that have in-house caterers can often provide you with a quote that is lower than if an outside caterer is involved.

Private or exclusive – if you want your party or event to be private, make sure any venues you’re considering can accommodate that.

Wheelchair accessibility – especially if your event or party is inviting the general public. Many municipal bylaws require public events to be wheelchair accessible.

Party and Event Planning-There Is Help for Selecting a Venue

A lot of party and event planning companies have moved their business to the Internet. What this means for you is that there are several areas that you can go to for help in finding the perfect venue. As a party and event planner I would suggest that you look for sites that are free for you to use. Website companies such as Cvent and Welcome To The City offer an area for people to search for venues based on the criteria that they have selected. You can create free user accounts that allow you to save your searches and come back to work on your selections as needed.

Party and event planning does not need to be stressful. Determining the factors that are important to you will help you pick the final candidate. If you don’t determine what you’re looking for in a venue you may find yourself scrambling at the last minute for a location.

 

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Party Event Planning in 3 Easy Steps

October 4, 2011 By Comments

Does party event planning have you stressed out? While there are certainly things that you must address when orchestrating an event, it doesn’t mean that it has to be a stressful ordeal . Depending on how elaborate your event will be is key in determining the amount of work required ahead of time. But do not despair, using a few simple steps as a guidelines will help ensure your party or event goes off without a hitch.

Party Event Planning-Determine Your Theme

Determining the theme for your party or event may seem like a no-brainer to many. However I’ve often talked to party planners who told me that picking the theme of their party was often one of the last task that they did. Determining the theme of your party or event at the beginning will help you in determining the location as well as what party favors or decor that you may need. A lot of people in October will obviously pick Halloween as a theme. This can be a lot of fun as long as you give your guests enough notice and make it so that they don’t have to spend a fortune to partake.

Party Event Planning-Location Location Location

Determining the theme of your party can also help make your decision easier on where to host the event. Another tip is to choose a venue that will fit your theme easily. One that you don’t have to spend a lot of money decorating.

If your party or event is going to be hosted at your house, pick a theme that won’t be too hard to execute on your end. Seasonal themes are often good selections because there are many retail places that you can buy decor without spending a fortune.

Party Event Planning-Inviting

The key to any successful party is inviting the people that you want to attend. A lot of people overlook this step as they think all of the people that they will invite will attend. Not so. And you want to time the inviting process so that it doesn’t begin to early or too late in the planning stages. A lot of people ask me if it’s important to get RSVPs. I always say yes for a couple of reasons. The obvious reason is so that you know roughly how many people to expect at your party. The second reason, and this has to do with using third-party or cloud software to invite your guests, is that you can tailor your messages. For example you can have a follow-up automated message that gets sent to the people that replied yes. And you can also have a second automated message that gets sent to people that have not replied at all. Both of these messages can be set up in advance saving you crucial time during the execution stage of party event planning. There are several cloud-based registration software that you can use that are free. EventBrite is one that I have used often for both my professional and personal use. It’s very easy to set up an account and you can get started with your invitation in no time at all. It’s also very easy to set up those reminder notices that you can schedule to be sent on specific dates. EventBrite is also equipped to collect money on your behalf (if your event is a charged event). This is particularly good if you’re doing fundraising events. Your invitees can pay by credit card yet there is no need for you to obtain a credit card merchant account in order to accept these fees. Event Brite will forward any money that you collected for your event directly to your bank account. Accounts with EventBrite are easy to set up and you could administer several events at one time.

So do not let the task of party event planning keep you stressed out. Set a few simple goals with due dates and try to stick to your schedule. Utilize automated software when you can. In no time you’ll feel the pressure lifted and you’ll feel like you’re ready to tackle your next event.

 

 

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