Category Archive: Let’s Party

Halfway to Halloween

Categories:

Entertainment, Family Fun, Let's Party, Silly Stupid, Suggestions and Ideas

April 24, 2013

by Jenna Maxwell

We LOVE Halloween, and we know you do, too.  Halloween has propelled itself to being the second most popular holiday celebrated in this country and with good reason.  Who doesn’t love getting all dressed up in costumes?  Who doesn’t love candy?  Who doesn’t love parties?  Who doesn’t love all sorts of scary and spooky fun?  There is one downside to Halloween, however and sadly it is this.  Halloween only comes once a year!  Bleh!  We think that once a year is just too infrequent to bask in all the joys of Halloween so we are stepping it up a bit and causing a little spooky revolution.  April 30 is hereby noted as an important milestone and we hope that you will celebrate it with us.  April 30th is officially “Halfway To Halloween!”

Halfway to Halloween is the perfect opportunity for you Halloween/Horror/Costume fans out there to have some serious Halloween-style fun when it’s not even Halloween. Why wait until October the 31st?  A springtime Halfway to Halloween celebration can have some virtues of it’s own. Here are some of our best costume ideas if you are thinking (as we do) that celebrating “Halfway to Halloween” might be the greatest springtime idea ever!

Monster Mash:  Invite your friends over for a Horror-lover’s fest. Dress up as your favorite monsters, including zombies, vampires, werewolves and creepy ghosts.  Really get into it and have contests for the scariest look, the most complete transformation and the most original horror costume. 

Photo Contest:  You and your friends can celebrate “Halfway To Halloween” by using social media apps.  Get into your best costume look –really go all out with makeup and details– and then take some really groovy pictures of yourself.  Post your best photos on Facebook or Instagram.  Hash-tag your pics #halfwaytohalloween! 

Springtime Costume Party:  You can skip the horror stuff and save it for later and instead have a spring/summer costume party that is going to definitely spell F-U-N.

  • Throw a Hawaiian-themed luau or BBQ for you and all your friends.  Have all your guests wear leis, grass skirts, Hawaiian shirts, etc.
  • Kids of all ages will really dig having a superhero themed party–invite all the guests to dress up as their favorite superhero and play competitive games focused around the superhero characters.
  • Have a “tween”-age girl at your house?  Well this age group is going to love any dress up party with a pop-rock dress up theme and lots of music to go with it.
  • Grown-ups or older teenagers will really get into a “dress as a celebrity” themed party. 

Springtime Costumes:  There are lots of really cool costumes that have more of a spring or summertime vibe to them.  Why not give some of these warmer weather looks a try now?  Springtime costume get-togethers seem like the perfect time to try some of our more summery looks like bugs, flowers, fruits, veggies, garden gnomes and fairies, just to name a few.

A great holiday isn’t always around when you need it, so why wait for Halloween when NOW is the perfect time for getting into a great costume and having some serious warm-weather fun.  Happy Halfway to Halloween! 

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YAY February!

Categories:

Current Events, Let's Party

February 4, 2013

by Jenna Maxwell

There’s something about the arrival of February that’s like a breath of fresh air.  To me, January seems so long and never-ending.  February on the other hand, is a shorter month filled to the brim with all sorts of good things.  The even better news is, that when February ends (and it will rather quickly), it always feels like spring is just around the corner.  So without further a-do, <drum roll, please> Happy February!  To celebrate, here’s a great list of fabulous things February brings!

Holiday’s in Abundance!  Okay, maybe these aren’t huge holidays like Christmas or (our personal favorite) Halloween, but in my book, a holiday is a holiday and February is packed with some really good ones.  Groundhog’s Day, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day and Mardi Gras are some of the more readily recognized holidays or celebrations we can get excited about during February.  But listen, folks…there are LOTS more.  Check out this list of things to look forward to this month.  And you thought it was just more winter!

Celebrate All Month Long!  You just won’t believe all the month-long celebrations happening in such a short and sweet month.  February honors and marks the following:  Black History Month, American Heart Month, and American History Month.  A few of the less known month-long celebrations include: Responsible Pet Owner Month, Embroidery Month and Bird Feeding Month.  (Nothing spells party like a full bird feeder, right?)

Special Holidays and Celebrations in February–Mark your calendar now!

February 2-Groundhog Day.  Want to know more?  Check out January the 28th’s posting.
February 3-Elmo’s Birthday!  For lots of “Elmo” themed fun, stop by and visit him here: http://www.sesamestreet.org/muppets/elmo
February 3-Super Bowl XLVII–With a game this big you just have to get into it; even if you are just there for the food and to watch the fantastic commercials! 
February 4-Create a Vacuum Day.  (This holiday could truly suck but after your Super Bowl Party it might be just what you need!)
February 5-World Nutella Day!  If you haven’t tried a Nutella and banana sandwich yet, today should be the day!
February 6-Lame Duck Day-A holiday dedicated to those in a position whose time has pretty much run out.  (Probably not everything it’s quacked up to be.)
February 7-Send a Card to a Friend Day-Getting things warmed up for Valentine’s day, methinks…
February 8-Boy Scout’s Day-(founded in 1910)
February 9-Hershey’s Chocolate was founded in 1894.  Women everywhere can rejoice!!! 
February 10-Chinese New Year!  2013 marks the beginning of the year of the Dragon.
February 11-White T-shirt Day-White t-shirt day honors the men and women who honored the sit down strike at General Motors back in 1937.  This is “white” t-shirt day, not wet t-shirt day–which is not to say that you can’t get your white t-shirt wet, but we wanted to make sure that was perfectly clear.
February 12-Abraham Lincoln’s actual birthday-(President’s Day will be celebrated on February the 18th) Also celebrated this day is MARDI GRAS!  Time to eat drink and be merry because tomorrow is…
February 13-Ash Wednesday-the first day of Lent.
February 14-Valentine’s Day!  Be sure to check out our special Valentine’s Day video for a costume look that works better than any Cupid’s arrow ever could!
February 15-National Gumdrop Day-A favorite chewy candy for over 200 years and apparently another fabulous excuse for a party!
February 16-Do a Grouch a Favor Day-Making the world a better place, one grouchy person at a time!
February 17-Random Acts of Kindness Day-Carrying over from yesterday’s theme; today is the day to surprise virtually anyone with a gesture of unexpected altruism and unabashed thoughtfulness.
February 18-President’s Day!  (What will you do with your long weekend?)
February 21-Love Your Pet Day-Time to give Fido a little extra attention and also remind him about what’s coming up on February the 23rd!
February 22-George Washington’s actual birthday. 
February 23-International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day-(What part of “woof” didn’t you understand?)
February 25-Quiet Day-A Lenten day of reflection.  (I really like the sound of this.)
February 26-Carnival Day-Carnival Day celebrates the great American carnival.
February 27-No Brainer Day-If it requires too much thought or planning, this is not the day to celebrate it.  No Brainer day revels in all things easy, that come naturally, with little or no effort at all.  Really folks, what could be better?
February 28-Public Sleeping Day-Celebrates sleeping in public.  If you ever wanted to try sleeping in a public place, this is the day to do it!
February 29-Leap Day-It happens only every 4th year and 2013 is not one of them!

February looks to be a very interesting month with an eclectic mix of wacky and wonderful days to celebrate.  Make each and every one of them count!

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Halloween Zero or Hero? It’s All About the Candy

Categories:

Entertainment, Family Fun, Halloween, Let's Party, Suggestions and Ideas

October 17, 2012

by Jenna Maxwell

Halloween Candy

We know you’ve gone to a lot of trouble getting ready for Halloween. It takes a bit of effort to scout out the perfect Halloween costumes for you and your family, assembling your best Halloween looks from head to toe.  You are almost ready to go–it’s the final countdown to what could arguably be the most exciting holiday of the year!  You definitely don’t want to blow it now.  What we are saying here dear friends, is that at some point, it really comes down to the candy.  What you are handing out to the trick or treaters in your neighborhood does matter–and yes, you will be judged.  What does your Halloween candy say about you?

Fun Size Candy Bars:  You are a Halloween traditionalist and you are into the whole Halloween gig.  These little candy bars are pretty standard Halloween fare and you can’t really go wrong with buying these for your neighborhood Halloween revelers.  Since most of these treats are chocolate based you will be scoring some major points with the entire group of mommy’s who may be sneaking some of the goodies for themselves.  (C’mon…don’t we all do this?)

Sugar Blast:  These are not necessarily going to be any adult’s favorites, but these are the ones that year after year score some major points with the kids.  This group of super sugary treats includes Starburst, Skittles, Twizzlers, Nerds, Sour Patch Kids,  Pop Rocks and gummy anything.  If you are looking to impress your neighborhood trick or treaters with no chocolate temptation calling out to you, these candies are sure-fire winners.

Full Size Candy:  You Halloween overachiever you!  With a treat basket filled with full size candy bars, the word on the street is going to get out fast.  If you don’t mind having lots of repeat customers, a line at your door, and your doorbell ringing all night long, these treats are for you.  Be aware that the other neighborhood parents may think you are just showing off.

Homemade Treats:  Don’t waste your time unless these are for a private party at your house.  Nobody lets their kids eat homemade treats anymore and more likely than not, they are going to get thrown out.

Lollipops:  Usually the only thing that is left at the store on the day of Halloween, this treat will scream, “I waited until the last minute!”  These are never a Halloween favorite and when the treat bag is almost empty sometime in late November, you are likely to find it filled with a variety of Dum Dum suckers that will eventually find their way into the trash as well.

Apples or other healthy snacks:  You might as well just turn out the lights and not participate.  No one wants to get these in their trick or treat bags.  Besides, haven’t you heard the urban legends of the real sicko’s that put razor blades in apples?  Apples, raisins or any fruit item are likely to get thrown out by scrupulous mommies anyway.

Pixy Sticks, Junior Mints, Sugar Daddy’s and Wax Lips:  These “retro” candies are not only popular with the kids, but they are a great way to help you re-live your childhood memories as well.  It’s not like you see these favorites in your grocery store everyday, but at Halloween it’s a great time to bring back some of these old and very groovy candies from the past!

Pencils, Toothbrushes, Coupons:  Oh please!  Are you trying to be the ultimate Halloween killjoy?  Save your passive preaching for another day and let the kids have fun on Halloween without the hidden agenda thrown into their treat bags. Boring!

The candy that’s found in your Halloween treat bowl speaks volumes.  You may actually want to put some thought into this before the big night and think about what you are communicating to all those costumed up kids that are coming to your door shouting “TRICK OR TREAT!”  Make sure at your house, it’s a definite “Treat”. 

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Oooo La La! It’s Mardi Gras!

Categories:

Let's Party, Mardi Gras

February 6, 2012

by Jenna Maxwell

Mardi Gras 2012

Mardi Gras 2012

Mardi Gras, and all the fun a good ol’ lively French-fest can bring with it, is right around the corner.  Mardi Gras hits the calendar a bit early this year, February the 21st, so you have just a little over 2 weeks to begin planning for your big Mardi Gras party or even a super sexy as well as mysterious masquerade ball.  Whether your trip to the Big Easy is real or just done in big Louisiana party style, we have all the hot supplies to make you look as if you are ready to go hit Bourbon Street and “laissez les bons temps rouler” (let the good times roll!)

What is Mardi Gras all about anyway?  For you Mardi Gras rookies that want to know why you should celebrate, as well as what the fuss is all about, here’s a basic crash course.  Mardi Gras, literally translated from French to English, means Fat Tuesday.  Fat Tuesday is a traditional day of feasting (can you say eat, drink and be merry?) that is done the night before Ash Wednesday, beginning the traditional Catholic period of Lent.  Lent is 40 days of fasting that occurs up until Easter.  French settlers that centered in the New Orleans area first brought this tradition to America.  The tradition of Mardi Gras runs deep in Louisiana until this very day.

The Big Easy:  Because of Mardi Gras’ early history associated with this southern region of our beloved country, the celebration of Mardi Gras has been heavily associated with and truly embraced by the people of New Orleans.  Just because you don’t live in New Orleans, however, it doesn’t mean that you can’t get into the spirit and the true Louisiana flavor of this exciting and flamboyant holiday! 

Masks and Masquerade:  Masks have been worn for years as part of the celebration of Mardi Gras.  Venetian style masks and many other creative, elaborate as well as decorative masks are part of the fun and tradition surrounding Mardi Gras.  Hiding ones identity has gone along with the celebratory theme of this holiday for hundreds of years, and there is some logic to the anonymity factor involved.  If no one knows who you actually are, traditionally, it’s been easier to really let loose and let your Cajun swagger truly get its groove on without worrying about tomorrow.

Tradition of Throws:  Since the late 1800’s, some of the authentic Mardi Gras tradition is to have many parades and floats as part of the celebrating that goes on in the city. Float riders are known to throw out many items to Mardi Gras revelers which include plastic beads, doubloons, cups and small stuffed animals.  Even if you aren’t planning a parade or float as part of your Mardi Gras festivities, you are still going to want to include some of these unique and traditional items as part of your Fat Tuesday celebration.

Party, Wild French Style:  If you are planning a Mardi Gras themed party, make sure you have all the sexy glittery costumes, elaborate masks, face paint, crazy hats, sparkling gloves and other ‘out there’ accessories that you may need to create a Fat Tuesday look that will be absolutely unforgettable.  Whether you are looking to be a Carnival King or Queen or even that wacky or sexy Court Jester, our costumes and accessories made just for your Mardi Gras celebration will definitely put the ooooo back into your la-la.  To Mardi Gras say OUI!

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2012: Start Your Best Year in Character!

Categories:

Current Events, Let's Party, Suggestions and Ideas

January 2, 2012

by Jenna Maxwell

As you packed away your Christmas decorations and welcomed in 2012, perhaps you felt a little bit sad about another wonderful holiday season that has now officially come and gone.  There is a lot of hubbub and joyful chaos that occurs during the holidays.  Once it’s over, things may seem a little bit too quiet.  January can seem cold and endless to some-but this is the perfect opportunity to start anew and regroup a bit and look ahead to many of the fun things that are just around the corner.  Perk yourself right up and get into a fun character–there are many opportunities right around the corner in the next few weeks to do just that!

Great Movies:  During the holiday season there are many blockbuster movies in the theatres and if you haven’t had time to see a good movie, now is the perfect time to do so!  Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is a great choice if action/adventure is your thing.  Check out Ethan Hunt on his latest quest as he tries to stop nuclear Armageddon!  Even if you aren’t typically a detective movie type, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a popular choice that has Robert Downey Jr. bringing the character of Sherlock Holmes to life as he has never been portrayed before!  Don’t miss it!  For another great movie with lots of family fun potential, Alvin and the Chipmunks have an unexpectedly big adventure in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.  Watch the shenanigans of Alvin and his buddies when their cruise ship sinks and they have to survive on a Polynesian Island!  No matter where your cinematic adventures take you, going to the movies is a simple but effective way to get out of a post holiday slump.

Football Season:  For some instant sporty exhilaration, get ready for some football!  Get together with your friends for to watch your favorite team in action or if you can, hit the stadium in person for some cold weather, exciting live action!  Whether you are just a fan that wants to show your ultimate loyalty to your favorite team or a football widow that wants to get some of the attention back on herself–we have lots of fun and exciting costumes and accessories that will get you into the spirit of the NFL playoffs and the upcoming Super Bowl too!  Root for your favorite team in head to toe character! 

More Holidays!  The upcoming weeks are fortunately loaded with exciting holidays that are fun as well as patriotic and educational.  These holidays and events can be made even more enjoyable as well as memorable for you and your kids with appropriate costumes to wear to mark the event.  Martin Luther King’s birthday, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day and Mardi Gras are literally right around the corner.  It’s not too soon to start planning the parties and events that surround these very special days.  Make sure your celebrations are made even more unique and fun by getting into character with some appropriate costumes and of course, all the costume accessories to go along with them!

2012 is here.  Even if you have a bad case of the wintertime blues, kick them off by looking forward to the fun and excitement that is in the coming weeks and make the most of what lies ahead.  See a good movie, watch a great football game or make some fun plans for an upcoming romantic holiday or long weekend.  Even the long days of winter can hold lots of fun and excitement; be sure to make the most of yours!

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