Throw The Best Party For Your Graduate With Help From To Do’s!

Posted on 05.09.2012 by PartyAdmin

 

Caps and gowns, tassels, school colors, “Pomp and Circumstance” playing over and over and over… Yep, it’s time for graduation!

Throughout the nation’s high schools, colleges, and universities, hardworking students are gearing up for final exams, final projects, and making sure they have all their ducks in a row so that they can don the ol’ cap and gown, receive their diploma, and move their tassels to the left, signifying that they are graduates of their school.

What better reason than accomplishing all of these wonderful achievements than throwing a good ol’ fashioned party?

But beware – throwing a graduation party can be quite difficult, especially if there is a lack of planning and fun involved. That’s where we come in! We here at To Do’s have a detailed list of all the things you need to do in order to make sure that your graduate has an awesome party (and that you don’t tear out all of your hair in the process!). Check out our tips below!

Ask Your Graduate – Don’t be afraid to ask your high school or college graduate what he or she would like to see at the party. Some like being involved with the party planning while others won’t have the time to be bothered with all of the details and decisions. Questions that should be asked AND answered include if they want a big party or a small family dinner and whom they want invited.

Pick a Time and Date for the Party – This can be harder to do than you might think! Why? Well, because everyone else will be planning parties for their graduates, too! Try your best to coordinate around the parties that you know of so that more people will be able to attend yours. Here’s a hint – don’t plan to have the party the Saturday after graduation or the day of graduation. That’s when many people hold their own parties, and you may find your party to be a washout if you claim that date, too!

Plan a Party Budget – Okay, you’re not exactly planning a wedding reception, but bigger parties like graduation parties should have a budget planned out in advance. After all, it’s better to figure out your budget and write down all of your expenses than it is to go crazy buying everything and then pay for it all later (or worse, take it out on your graduate).

Find Your Party Place – Don’t let this freak you out. You can definitely hold your graduation party in your own home. You just may need to keep a list of the things you’ll need to rent if you don’t have certain supplies (like a tent, for instance). You can always feel free to party in your local hall, park, or restaurant. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to pick the date and time and call in advance to secure the location. May tends to be a very popular month to not only host graduation parties, but also bridal showers and baby showers!

Compile a Guest List – This can be one of the most difficult parts in planning the party. The number of guests you invite can easily determine what size your party will be, where it will need to be held, and so many other facets.

Choose a Fun Theme – Now the fun begins! Of course you’ll want to choose the ol’ graduation theme, but you need more than caps and gowns to make this party fun. You can choose additional themes such as your graduate’s school colors or decorations that convey what sports he or she was involved in or what area of expertise he or she has majored in.

Come To To Do’s To Grab Your Party Supplies – We have all sorts of great graduation party supplies like paper products, decorations, invitations, balloons, streamers, and more!

Choose the Menu – Every party needs some sort of food. Will you simply provide finger foods for your guests? Will you make a meal or set out sandwiches and fruit? Or is your party going to be large enough to call for a caterer? If you plan on serving alcohol, be aware if any minors are attending, and if anyone does drink, don’t let them drive!

Play Some Music – Play some fun party music for your graduate’s party, or better yet, if your graduate has any music they would like to listen to, try that!

Have Your Graduate’s Guests Sign a Keepsake – You know those cute autograph dogs? Yes, you do. Be sure to snag one of those and keep it in a busy location in your party’s venue so that your graduate’s guests can sign it with their congratulations and their words of wisdom. If you want, you can include an autograph book or picture frame instead.

Ready to party? Call us here at To Do’s at (618) 656-8899 or visit our website at www.to-dos.com. Better yet, stop in and visit us to see what we can do for you!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Get Your Fiesta on With These “Ideas Increíbles” For Cinco de Mayo!

Posted on 04.24.2012 by PartyAdmin

Cinco de Mayo. Those three words tend to conjure up thoughts of partying, Mexican-hat-dancing, and knockin’ back some tequilas and margaritas with some awesome compadres.

Many people throughout the nation think of Cinco de Mayo as Mexico’s Independence Day. Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t! Cinco de Mayo marks the day in which the smaller Mexican army claimed victory over the larger, more modern French army in 1862 at the Battle of Puebla. Cinco de Mayo is a commemoration and celebration of the victory and is celebrated throughout all of Mexico, especially in Puebla where the French were defeated. These days, it has become increasingly more common to find Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the United States and along the border of Mexico.

Now, we don’t know about you, but we think that that’s reason enough to throw a wild fiesta for your amigos!

Decorations – When it comes to giving off a fun fiesta feel, it’s all about the decorations and ambiance. The colors of the Mexican flag – red, white, and green -should be displayed throughout your home. Think balloons, tablecloths, napkins, cups, cutlery, and then some! Try adding some cute moon cacti to your tables as either decorations or place cards for your guests (hint, hint: they make GREAT party favors – inexpensive and easy to care for!).

Don’t forget to add in fun and silly props in your home! Try adding a life-sized cutout of a male or female Flamenco dancer and place it somewhere prominent in your home. This will make for a great conversation starter and an unusual photo op for your guests!

Music – You can’t have a proper fiesta without some music! Think mariachi-style music – upbeat and happy tunes with lots of trumpet, guitars, violins, bass, and of course, singing in Spanish. Compilation discs of mariachi music would be a great buy for your party. You could even keep some festive maracas on hand for people to play along with the music!

Food – Before the Spanish colonized Mexico, the people enjoyed corn-based dishes flavored with chilis, tomatoes, beans, and fresh herbs. The conquistadores from Spain added pork, chicken, beef, onions, and garlic to create the dishes we know and love today. So celebrate by including some genuine Mexican food on your menu. Include chili peppers, chips, and different salsas in your menu as well. Drink-wise? We’re thinking margaritas, beer, and tequila.

Games and Activities – There are so many different games you can play with your guests! If your guests are the type who like hot foods, try holding a hot pepper eating contest. See how many peppers your guests can eat without bursting into flames! You should probably buy mostly mildly hot peppers such as pimentos and banana peppers. For the more courageous guests, though, purchase some hot peppers like jalapeño, chili, and habanero peppers. Be sure to have lots of milk on hand for your guests to cleanse their palates afterward!

Dancing is another fun activity you can do with your guests. Teach everyone how to do the Macarena or the Mexican Hat Dance, and later hold a contest to see who is the best dancer (be sure to have fun prizes on hand for the winners!). You can even hold a Limbo contest while you’re at it. Last one standing gets a prize!

What legitimate Cinco de Mayo fiesta is complete without a piñata? Be sure to buy a piñata to set out as decoration and then later to hang somewhere (preferably somewhere with lots of room) so your guests can take turns trying to break it open with a bat – blindfolded!

Party Favors – Besides the cute little moon cacti we mentioned above, you can feel free to give your guests some fun fiesta beads, chili pepper bracelets, and perhaps a sombrero or two! Be sure that your guests take home all the treats that were in your once-whole piñata!

Need some party supplies? We can hook you up immediantemente! Come see us here at To Do’s, give us a call at (618) 656-8899 or visit us at our website at www.to-dos.com! Let us help you throw the perfect, “nacho average” Cinco de Mayo party!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Celebrate Spring By Throwing a Garden Party!

Posted on 04.09.2012 by PartyAdmin

Spring is finally here, and you know what THAT means – it’s time to kiss those winter blues good-bye and celebrate! What better way to commemorate the arrival of flowers, butterflies, birds, and warmer weather than with your very own garden party?

If this is your first time hosting a garden party, never fear. We’ve got all the tips you’ll need to have a fun and successful get-together!

Decorations – Decorations for a garden party are a snap! Think floral, floral, and more floral! You can include real or silk flowers in your garden party – just be aware of any guests that may have allergies or may be afraid of winged insects! Besides colorful flowers, you can also include fake bird’s nests, paper butterflies, and even a vintage birdcage full of flower petals. If this is a fancy affair, you might want to think about making rose napkins.

Also, just because you’re having a garden party doesn’t mean that it HAS to be fancy-schmancy. Feel free to throw a fancy, casual, or even a nighttime party! If your party is fancy, include tablecloths and break out the china. Shorts and flip-flops affair? Paper and plastic products will work out just fine. Dancing into the night? Include some soft white string of lights in your trees!

Eats and Drinks – Fruits, veggies, and easy-to-make foods are in order for your garden party! Serve finger sandwiches and a side of freshly cut fruit or a fun salad to your guests! Consider having a self-serve salad bar that includes vegetables, fruits, chicken, and dressings. Don’t forget to include freshly baked flower cookies!

As far as drinks go, try to have a good old-fashioned punch bowl out filled with a popular and colorful drink. You can also serve your guests fun alcoholic beverages like margaritas served chilled in a martini or a cocktail glass. Don’t forget the tea, peach mimosas, and sparkling wine!

Fun and Games – What’s a party without some fun games to play? Enjoy the beautiful, warm weather by playing croquet or badminton. If you have a smaller yard, play bocce ball, washers, or horseshoes. Just remember to be careful with those horseshoes! If your guests have green thumbs, you can even plant your own bulbs together!

Party Favors – At the end of the day, send your guests home with a clay pot with their name painted on it, a garden spade, and some seeds for them to get started on their own planting project. If they’re not the type to garden, you can simply present them with a small teacup full of flavored tea bags or with fun candies and sweet treats.

Plan B – The spring season is notorious for having capricious weather spotted with abrupt downpours, so keep your eye to the sky! If it threatens to rain on the day of your garden party, be sure to have a backup plan! Make it a moveable feast by housing your food inside or by having a canopy or two in your yard to party in.

Plan I-Don’t-Have-a-Garden-Let-Alone-a-Yard – Just because you don’t have a yard doesn’t mean you still can’t have a garden party! Bring those festivities indoors and party down inside! You can even start up a fun little garden bed to put on your windowsills and ask your guests to help you put it together. Be sure to have some fun dance music if you bring it indoors, though, and decorate your abode with flowers!

If you’re ready to get your garden party started, then come on over to To-Do’s! Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, we’re just a hop, skip, and a jump away from St. Louis and the surrounding communities! Visit us here, check out our website at www.to-dos.com, or call us at (618) 656-8899. We’ve got all that you’re looking for and more! See us today!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bird Is the Word at To Do’s – We Now Have Angry Birds Party Supplies!

Posted on 03.16.2012 by PartyAdmin

 

Angry Birds. Just saying those two words brings up images of colorful, round birds destroying the structures of equally round, green pigs. This popular smart phone game, which came out in 2009, has sold over 12 million copies in Apple’s App Store, and it has been praised for its successful combination of addictive gameplay, comedic style, and, of course, its low price.

More and more people are discovering and becoming more addicted to the game, young and old alike. Everywhere you go, you’ll find people playing the game on their smart phone or iPad, rejoicing when they destroy the evil pigs’ fortresses.

If your loved one is addicted to Angry Birds and has a birthday coming up, what better way to celebrate their birth than throwing an Angry Birds party? Here’s how you can throw the most fun Angry Birds birthday party for your loved one ever!

Décor – Décor is a must for every party out there, especially one as fun as this theme! Decorate your home with Angry Birds balloons! Place Angry Birds plushies around your home as an added touch. If you want, you can even dress as an Angry Bird for your loved one’s party!

Food – Mmmm, food. What good is a fun party without good food? Angry Birds in themselves are round, so you can implement them in many different sorts of foods! Make Angry Bird cupcakes, try your hand at Angry Birds sandwiches, or even give personal Angry Birds pan pizzas a shot!

The Cake – Like a wedding, cakes are one of the most important aspects of a party, so make sure you get the right cake! You can find cakes with Angry Birds characters “printed” on them, or you can even try your hand with baking your own cake and painting on your own Angry Birds (not with real paint, of course!). If you want to get REALLY creative, try making a playable cake like this. It’s bound to be a hit!

Games – Angry Birds weren’t made to simply sit around; they were made to play with! So if you have any plush angry birds sitting around your house, set up a fun, makeshift game for you and your guests to play! You can make it as small or big as you like. Go for a smaller version using cups and everyday plastic items or go big like Conan O’Brien did last year and use a life-sized game! If you’re worried about messing up your home or if you have a lot of expensive things inside, then feel free to take your game outside and make something like this!

Party Favors – Send your guests off with some fun Angry Birds party favors! You can feel free to give away small Angry Birds plushies, or you can gather typical, budget-friendly favors and a tiny Angry Birds plushy and bundle them together according to color! Your guests are bound to remember all the fun they had at your party with these favors in hand.

Are you ready to throw an Angry Birds party? Good news! We at To Do’s are now stocked with Angry Birds goods! Come see us for all of your party and Angry Birds needs – we’ve got balloons, paper plates, paper cups, napkins, and more! Call us here at (618) 656-8899, check out our website at www.to-dos.com, or stop by and pay us a visit!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Celebrate the Emerald Isle With These Great St. Patrick’s Day Party Ideas!

Posted on 02.23.2012 by PartyAdmin

 

What will you be doing on Saturday, March 17th this year? We hope you said, “Partying,” because any other response is WRONG! It’s St. Patrick’s Day, silly, and on St. Pat’s Day, EVERYONE is Irish!

St. Patricks’ Day, a public holiday in Ireland, is a religious holiday that’s named after Ireland’s patron saint – St. Patrick. It had started as a Catholic holiday, but over the years, the holiday has transformed into a celebration of the Emerald Isle’s culture. In America, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by attending parades (even dyeing some rivers green!), celebrating with our friends and families, wearing lots and lots of green, and, of course, eating corned beef and cabbage and drinking beer.

And as always, St. Patty’s Day ain’t a proper celebration without a party! No need to panic – we at To Do’s have some awesome ideas for your St. Patty’s Day celebration. So get your friends together and prepare to party like the Irish do!

Decorations: The colors of choice that you should be playing with this holiday are green (of course), white, and orange – the colors of the Republic of Ireland’s flag. You know what that means – you should have green, white, and orange in your tableware! You can either go all out and use green in all of your place settings, or you could mix it up a little bit and have a green tablecloth to cover your table while using white plates and orange napkins to better represent the Irish flag. Don’t forget the green balloons, streamers, and four-leaf clovers! You can also sprinkle your table with fun St. Patrick’s Day confetti!

For a fun twist, set out a Blarney Stone at the entrance of your home. You can request your guests to kiss the stone for good luck, just like they do in Ireland! It’s bound to start up a conversation!

Food: It’s not a party without some authentic food! Serve your guests some typical Irish food like the classic corn beef & cabbage, shepherd’s pie, and Irish soda bread. Drink-wise, you can serve lime-flavored lemonade, or alcoholic beverages like draft beer tinted with harmless green food coloring, green beer, or cocktails that use green liqueurs like Midori or serve Irish Cream. For dessert, be sure to break out the shamrock cookies and cupcakes with green frosting, and leave out a big black pot of gold chocolate coins!

Music: Your guests will really begin to feel as if they somehow wound up on the Emerald Isle itself when you play some Irish tunes! You can include classic Irish songs like “Danny Boy,” or you can even newer groups like Afro Celt Sound System, Flogging Molly, and the Dropkick Murphys. Don’t forget to include The Irish Tenors, the Irish Rovers, and lots and lots of Irish jigs to get your friends dancing!

Fun Adult Games: Musical Shamrocks is a fun adult game you and your guests can play! Cut out shamrocks from green construction paper and tape them within stepping distance throughout the designated party area. Have each guest stand on a shamrock and start playing an Irish jig. The person not standing on a shamrock pad is out, and another shamrock pad is also taken out. The last person standing receives a prize of chocolate, St. Patty’s Day memorabilia, or alcohol.

Entertainment = If you feel like playing an Irish movie, then you just can’t beat the classic The Quiet Man, featuring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. You can follow up with episodes of “Father Ted,” a hilarious Irish television comedy that features the antics and adventures of three Irish priests and their days on the Emerald Isle.

PARTY FAVORS: Give your guests something to remember your party by with some fun St. Patricks’ Day party favors! You can put the favors in a cute green bag or inside of a cool green beer mug. Party favors can include green, white, or orange beads, gold chocolate coins, mini St. Patrick’s Day erasers, and/or noisemakers!

Oh, and by the way – be sure to wear green that day! Otherwise, your safety is not guaranteed from those who might pinch you!

Ready to get your Irish on? Do you need more St. Patrick’s Day decorations and party gear? Don’t hesitate another moment! Pick up the phone and call us here at To Do’s at (618) 656-8899, visit us at our website at www.to-dos.com, or stop by our store! We’ll get you set to party hard. Erin Go Bragh!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Make Your Mardi Gras Memorable With the Help of To Do’s!

Posted on 02.19.2012 by PartyAdmin

Mardis Gras 2021Mardi Gras this year is coming up very quickly – Tuesday, February 21! That means it’s time to get ready to have a party that would even make New Orleans itself jealous!

But hey, where did Mardi Gras come from anyway? It’s kinda random to have a holiday pop up sometime in February or March, don’t you think?

Mardi Gras, which is French for Fat Tuesday, occurs the day before Ash Wednesday every year. It’s a time of happiness, celebration, and food, and three colors are used throughout Mardi Gras – purple, which represents justice; green, which represents faith; and gold, which represents power.

Ash Wednesday signifies the beginning of a 40-day period (not counting Sundays) of repentance that occurs before Easter. So of course, it only makes sense to party hearty before Lent begins! Here’s how you can throw a MARVELOUS Mardi Gras party!

In the realm of partying, decorations are everything! When you think of Mardi Gras, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? That’s right – beads. So use them! Wear beads, decorate with them, hang them from a ceiling fan, off of furniture, anywhere! You can also choose to incorporate all three of the Mardi Gras colors in your decorations, or you can choose one of the three as your main color and implement the other two colors as accents. There’s no wrong way!

For extra fun with your decorations, you can also include colorful streamers, balloons, and party poppers. Giant props (say, of a Mardi Gras jester) would be a hit at your party. You can even get extra creative and either purchase or create replicas of legitimate famous streets in New Orleans like French Quarter, Canal, and Rue D’Orleans and place them all over your house! Finally, cover your entryway with a fun doorway curtain of green, purple, and gold, and your guests are sure to feel the Mardi Gras love instantly!

Now it just wouldn’t be Mardi Gras without any music, now would it? Jazz up your shindig by playing some peppy jazz tunes or even some carnival music! Think in the style of “When The Saints Go Marching In” if you need any help figuring out what to play.

When your guests arrive, great them heartily, and give them a strand or two (or three) of beads to wear around their necks. This should help all of your guests get into the Mardi Gras spirit as soon as they cross the threshold! You can also give each of your guests a feather mask (or ask them to bring their own). It’s always fun to try to see who’s who with masks on!

For a perfect Mardi Gras party, you’ve got to have the perfect food. Think New Orleans’ style food – Jambalaya, Cajun food, shrimp and crawfish, and of course, the famous King Bread, which is sweet bread colored with green, purple, and gold. You can even decorate your table with a purple, gold, or green tablecloth and provide your guests with Mardi Gras paper plates, cups, and napkins!

Besides a playful atmosphere, your party should also include some fun games for you and your guests to play. If you have trivia lovers on your hands, you can always make up a trivia game about Mardi Gras and New Orleans. To get up and moving around (and for a round of good laughs), Carnival Charades is always a fun game for everyone to play, too. If you ask your guests to come in costume, you can also have a party or a ball. At the end of the “ball,” you can give out awards for the most creative costume, the most spirited costume, and so on.

At the end of the night, give your guests something that they can remember the fun evening by – a feather mask, doubloons, a jester doll, or even more beads!

Need some decorations? Come to To Do’s! We have a SLEW of beads in the traditional Mardi Gras colors and in other colors as well! We also have all the Mardi Gras decorations you could possibly ever want. Stop by, visit our website at www.to-dos.com, or call us at 618-656-8899!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Celebrate “Love Your Pets Month” With To Do’s!

Posted on 02.10.2012 by PartyAdmin

 

February is finally here, and you know what THAT means! …Well, okay, it means that all the stores are going to be flooded with red and pink, hearts, stuffed animals, and all sorts of chocolate (Mmmmm, chocolate… Excuse us while we salivate for a moment.).

What you may not realize, though, is that February is also Love Your Pets Month. That’s right. A WHOLE MONTH dedicated to your pets and how much you love them! Who could ask for more?

Well, guess what? The deal keeps getting sweeter and sweeter. Here at To-Do’s, The Ultimate Party Store here in Edwardsville, we are holding a contest for all you animal lovers and owners out there. You could be the winner of our “My Favorite Valentine” contest! We just want to see pictures of you with your favorite pet valentine! Maybe you have a beloved dog, cat, fish, or reptile. Well, grab your cute ‘n’ cuddly pet for a minute and strike a pose with them!

Here’s what you need to do next – post your favorite picture with your “Valentine pet” on our Facebook wall. That’s it! You can do this anytime between now and Tuesday, February 14, 2012, at 6 p.m. The winning entry will be selected on February 14th, and that lucky person will receive a $25 gift certificate to To-Do’s!

If you still feel the need to celebrate Valentine’s Day (with or without your furry friend), may we humbly suggest these 3 party ideas?

Chocolate Tasting Party – Really, what Valentine’s Day celebration is complete without CHOCOLATE?! Show your love for chocolate by inviting your friends to have a chocolate tasting party! Decorate your home with rich colors like red and gold or go for a more feminine pink-and-brown combination. Set out an assortment of chocolates, ranging from white to milk to dark to novelty chocolates, and place them in heart-shaped dishes. Feel free to include chocolate truffles, cakes, pies, fondues, and, of course, chocolate covered strawberries and other fruits.

Love Is In the Air – Valentine’s Day may be a favorite for some and not so much for others, but you can change that with a fun way to celebrate! Invite all your friends, no matter what their status is currently, and party it up! Leave children’s valentines on tables along with a few pens and let your guests leave messages to you or to each other. Better yet, make an oversized Valentine’s Day card and have everyone sign it like a guestbook! Use those conversation hearts as confetti on your tables, and decorate your home with faux flowers. Be sure to munch on some Hershey’s Kisses and watch some romantic comedies!

Celebrate The Single Life – If the thought of Valentine’s Day and everything associated with the day grosses you out, then this party is for you! Get with a bunch of your best single friends and celebrate your singlehood! Go shopping at the mall closest to you, go bowling, and gorge on fast food and junk food from the candy store! At the end of the night, scoop up some ice cream and watch romance movies or, depending on your mood, action films like Die Hard, Rambo, or the Terminator to express your annoyance with the holiday!

If you’re ready to get your party on, then stop by to see us for all your party supply needs or visit us at our website at www.to-dos.com. But really, you should stop in to see us. Why?  ‘Cause every time you check-in at To-Do’s on your smart phone throughout the month of February, we’ll donate $1 to the Metro East Humane Society (MEHS). So be sure to stop by To-Do’s and check-in, and you can help those dogs and cats find someone who loves them this month!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Super Simple and Super Awesome Party Ideas for the Big Game Made Easy!

Posted on 01.16.2012 by PartyAdmin

Super Bowl XLVI, which is slated this year for Sun., February 5 in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, is like an unofficial holiday, which means it’s time to party hardy! Whether you’re stoked about which team will claim victory and bring home the trophy or you’re excited for the famously funny commercials (or a little bit of both!), it’s time to plan a fun party that will be remembered for Super Bowl years to come!

Before you shrug off the idea of having a football party, consider the facts. Last year, the Super Bowl attracted an audience of 111 million viewers, the most number of viewers in all Super Bowl history, and it’s expected to increase even more this year.

Usually, parties are all about the decorations, music, and fun games you play with your guests, but not this time! Super Bowl Sunday is an event in which nothing but football, food, and funny commercials are important, so you’ll only really need to shift your focus on the food and festivities at hand!

Appetizers and Finger Foods: While you’re watching the big game with your buddies, you definitely want to have something small and easy to eat! Try serving sliders, nachos, hot dogs and bratwursts, and even some chili cheese fries to your guests! If you want to be extra creative, you can set up a make-your-own pizza bar or hot dog bar; just be sure to provide a variety of toppings, cheeses, sauces, and buns!

Snacks and Desserts = Everyone loves snacks and fun desserts! Be sure to have nuts and party mixes in football-shaped bowls for your guests. Cookies and cupcakes iced and topped with football decorations and team colors are always a hit. Not everyone wants sweet or salty foods to munch on, though, so try to provide a fruit and vegetable tray for your guests. If you want to mix sweets and fruits, try something fun like these football strawberries.

Drinks: Drinks are a must for the big game! You should include both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for guests who have different tastes. For extra fun, try to rename your drinks to well-known football terms!

Food Themed Party: If you want to be a little more unconventional and don’t want to serve just finger foods and desserts, you can make meals based on the cities the two dueling teams hail from. Serve seafood and crab cakes if the Baltimore Ravens are playing. Get creative and serve an array of dishes, from seafood to Chinese food, if the San Francisco 49ers make it. Get fancy and serve lobster, crab, fish, and a number of seafood dishes if the New England Patriots play. And finally, keep thin-crust pizza and hot dogs on hand if the New York Giants play.

Battle of the Fans – If you’re inviting a large enough party over to celebrate, then you’re bound to have fans of either team. Have your guests wear their favorite team’s jersey, a team sweatshirt, or, if they don’t own jerseys, the colors of the team they’re rooting for. And yes, they can even wear face paint! Keep your guests entertained and rooting for their team with pom-poms and foam fingers. Leave out markers and blank poster boards so your guests can make their own signs to cheer on their team (as long as they don’t get in the way of the t.v., that is!). Heck, why not have the football players there with you while you’re watching them stomp each other? Order a few cardboard cutouts of your favorite players!

If you’re low on party supplies, don’t go anywhere other than To Do’s! We’ve got everything you could need for a Super Bowl party and more! Stop by our shop and check out our party gear, visit our website at www.to-dos.com, or give us a call at (618) 656-8899. Make your Super Bowl party one to remember for years to come!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Celebrate The Winter Season With a Wonderful Winter Party!

Posted on 01.09.2012 by PartyAdmin

 

The Christmas season is nearing its end, and the new year has already come and gone. So what exactly is there to do for the rest of the winter? The answer is clear – PARTY!

Hey, just because it’s January and it’s cold and the sky threatens to snow almost every day doesn’t mean that you can’t celebrate winter! In fact, we think you SHOULD celebrate the season! Not only will it take your mind off the cold, but you will also have a lot of fun and maybe, just maybe, learn to love the season!

So how can you throw an epic winter party to remember throughout the ages? Find out here!

Invitations – Every party needs an invitation to announce its appearance! Use popular winter images like snowflakes, penguins, snowmen, snowballs, and snow-covered trees. Print the information on a small rectangular piece of light-blue cardstock and use a rubber stamp of one of those images in white or silver ink to decorate your invitations!

Decorations – Keep those winter decorations up! Heck, you can even cheat a bit and use your Christmas tree decorations. Use twinkling white lights and regular white lights or ones that are shaped like snowflakes to give your party a soft mood. Build some snowmen out of white Styrofoam balls and place them around the party or use them as centerpieces. Decorate your home with white, silver, and blue balloons and scatter silver snowflake-shaped confetti on the tables. Tap into your inner child and make a lot of paper snowflakes. Hang them from your ceiling with clear fishing wire or string. Be sure to add some greenery like mistletoe and holly to your decorating!

And remember, you don’t have to feel tied to the color scheme of white and light blue. Feel free to throw in a mint green and red combination or some silver in your decorating!

Music – No party is complete without some background tunes! You can play Christmas-themed music during your party or even well-known winter tunes like “Let It Snow” or “Winter Wonderland.” You can even include songs that aren’t precisely Christmas-y that people might recognize. “Song for a Winter’s Night” by Sarah MacLachlan, soft jazz, or any Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack would work just fine. If you want to border on the air of Christmas tunes without feeling too Christmas-y, then Sufjan Stevens’ Songs For Christmas box set is right for you.

Food and Drinks – Food is essential at a party! Be sure to break out food that will match your white and light blue color scheme! Have a white chocolate fountain with strawberries to dip, white cheese fondue, white cupcakes with blue accents, and snow cookies for your guests! Get fancy by having white chili and a snowman cake ready for consumption. Your snowman cake can be tiered, free-standing, or just a regular cake with a snowman on it .

As for drinks, a hot chocolate bar is always a winner at a winter party! Complete the bar with cinnamon, marshmallows, and peppermint sticks to go with the hot chocolate. If you want to have some alcohol at your party, white Russians, white chocolate martinis, and champagne with white chocolate on the rims of the glasses are good options! Spiced or buttered rum and spiked eggnog would work well, too. Verdi is a cheap and tasty sparkling wine that tastes like champagne!

Also, a snow cone machine would wow your guests! You can choose to use flavored syrup or liquor like vodka, rum, or tequila in your snow cones. Heck, why not mix them? Just remember to drink responsibly!

Movies – At one point in the night, you may choose to throw in a winter-related movie (or even have several movies play throughout the night as back ground noise!). Luckily, there are several options that AREN’T related to Christmas! You can choose amongst several great movies such as comedies Home Alone, Ice Age, and Snow Cake to horror movies like The Shining, 30 Days of Night, and the Thing, to romantic “dramadies” like The Holiday and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Games – If there’s snow on the ground and your guests are good sports, then this is a no-brainer! Have a prize for the best or most innovative snowman or snow angel or have an epic snowball fight in the yard! If you prefer to stay indoors, you can always play a version of Hot Potato called Cold Snowman. All you need is a stuffed snowman! Whoever is caught with the snowman is not only out but also has to take a shot of liquor!

Party Favors – Before your guests leave, be sure to give them some party favors! An easy party favor to give is a bag of snowman soup, which includes hot chocolate mixes, marshmallows, and a candy cane. You could also hand out white tulle bags filled with a white votive candle or with soap beads for a nice hot bath!

Do you need any supplies for your epic winter party? Then stop by To-Do’s to stock up! Call us at (618) 656-8899 or visit our website at www.to-dos.com to see our supplies. Let us help you make your winter party an event that your friends will be talking about for years to come!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kiss 2011 Good-Bye and Ring in 2012 in Style with These Great Party Tips!

Posted on 12.22.2011 by PartyAdmin

Can you believe that 2011 is nearly over? It seems as if it started yesterday (well, okay, maybe a week or two ago)! Well, ready or not, 2012 is knocking on your door already, and in a little more than a week, you’ll have to kiss 2011 goodbye and welcome 2012 with open arms. You know what THAT means – it’s time to PARTY!

Maybe you’ve been busy lately with all the Christmas hubbub and haven’t had time to catch your breath and think about New Year’s Eve. After all, it’s very easy to do. You only get six days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve to recuperate from one holiday and gear up for the next.

And before you blow off New Year’s Eve with thinking that you don’t need to celebrate, consider this – New Year’s Eve is notorious for superstition and how the coming year will transpire for you. Even other countries feel the same way; for example, residents in Spain eat 12 grapes at midnight to ensure good luck for each month of the approaching year; those in Japan sweep all the dust out of their houses to rid themselves of bad luck, and people all around the world sound noisemakers at the stroke of midnight to ward off any evil spirits from entering into the new year.

Needless to say, you should definitely acknowledge the new year somehow, and what better way to do that than with a party? Check out some of our ideas for a fun New Year’s Eve bash!

Clocks Theme – The tradition of the ball drop to signify the coming of the new year originates from England’s Royal Observatory at Greenwich in 1833. These days, thousands and thousands of people keep their eyes on the big ball in New York City and other clocks around the world to drop all the way to the bottom when the new year arrives. Now you don’t have to – you can just keep clocks around your home! Find cheap, colorful clocks to put on your tables, your walls, ANYWHERE! Never again will anyone ask what time it is, and never again will you miss that magical midnight hour!

Superstitions Theme – New Year’s Eve is a superstitious time for many different cultures. Celebrate by employing New Year’s Eve superstitions in your home! Serve your guests fortune cookies. After midnight, each guest chooses a cookie and reads their fortune out loud to the group. You can also choose to eat 12 grapes to ensure good luck for the months of the new year.

Pajama Party – Make your party feel like a slumber party! Have pillows and blankets all over the room. Pop big bowls of popcorn! Heck, play Truth or Dare with your friends, or break out a bottle and play Spin the Bottle. Be sure to have a pillow fight, and end the night watching movies in your sleeping bags.

Hollywood Celebrity Party – Roll out the red carpet for your guests on New Year’s Eve! Have people dress their best or even as their favorite celebrity. Be sure to have director’s chairs, stars, movie clapperboards, Oscar style statues, cameras, and megaphones around your home. Play paparazzi and take lots of pictures of your guests and interview them! Give awards to the best dressed, the wildest kiss, the most outlandish behavior, and whatever else you can think of.

But wait! There’s more! Here are some other fun ideas to employ for your New Year’s Eve bash:

*Buy a few colored light bulbs and use them in your lamps and ceiling fixtures. You’d be amazed at how the room changes when certain colors are used!

*Leave pads of paper and pens for your guests to write down their New Year’s resolutions for 2012.

*Put together a time capsule with your guests! Ask them to put in something meaningful that they won’t miss and want to share in the future. Then set a time to reopen it, be it next year, five years in the future, ten years in the future, or more!

* Be sure to have noisemakers, hats, tiaras, boas, horns, bubbles, and confetti around for you and your guests to use to celebrate the new year at midnight!

*Did you know that kissing your significant other at midnight is meant to guarantee a good relationship and intimacy throughout the new year? If you have a significant other, be sure to give ‘em a kiss when the clock strikes midnight!

And as always, be sure to stock up on your decorations, party supplies, and more here at To Do’s! You can stop by our store or even avoid all the traffic and shop online at www.to-dos.com or give us a call at (618) 656-8899. Have a happy 2012!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment