Archive for the ‘Mardi Gras’ category

How to Throw the Best Mardi Gras Party Ever

February 2nd, 2010

Arguably the most outrageous holiday out there, Mardi Gras should not go by without a party.  Take the reins and throw the bash yourself, following these tips and tricks to make it the best ever.

  1. Think purple, gold and green.  Lots of them.  You cannot decorate TOO much for a Mardi Gras party, so don’t hold back.
  2. You’re going to need beads – and lots of them.  Meet your guests at the door with beads, drape them from every spot you can, wear them, toss them and create general mayhem with tons of beads.
  3. Award prizes for the wildest masks, hats and costumes.  How about the tallest party goer (watch for stilts) or tangent costumes (more than one person in a costume together)?  Be outrageous with your rewards and reward the outrageous.  It makes for a real Mardi Gras feel.
  4. Don’t forget the food.  Cajun food should abound – spicy, seafood and saucy.  For the sweet finale, try a bananas foster and king cake.  Have more food than you’ll need as Mardi Gras parties tend to swell beyond expectations.
  5. Be sure to plan a costume parade.  Plenty of music, dancing and a long, circuitous route will need to be a part of the party.  Don’t be afraid to go outside and gather people as you travel.  The atmosphere is contagious.
  6. Keep the Carnival Season going with non-stop music.  Horns should be blasting and toes should be tapping at all times.
  7. Find some jester dolls and hand them out or dress as a Court Jester yourself.  Encourage the notion of silliness and laughter with this classic Mardi Gras symbol.
  8. Plan for a blast!  You won’t be disappointed with a well planned Mardi Gras party, so let you hair down and let loose New Orleans style.  Feather masks, beads all around and Cajun food and drink will ensure a time to remember.

Ring in the Lenten season the right way by throwing your own Mardi Gras party.  But don’t be surprised when all of your friends look forward to it again next year.

How NOT to Throw a Costume Party

January 14th, 2010

Although they have the potential to be the best party in town, without some forethought costume parties can turn into a bore and bomb.  Follow these tips to be sure your costume carnival will be a huge success.

Don’t wait until the last minute to send your invites.  People need time to get their creative juices flowing (and to find and book a good costume).  By all means invite the people you forgot about or just connected with the day before, but the bulk of the guests need a few weeks notice.

Don’t make it a sit down dinner.  The whole point of costume parties is to be seen (and see what other people are wearing).  And the best way to encourage that is with mingling, not place cards.  If you must sit down for a meal, make sure there is plenty of time before and after for the guests to mix.

Go easy on your theme.  If you have a specific theme (like movie characters or something), try not to make it too restrictive.  Part of the gag is seeing what people come up with, so let their imaginations have room.

Don’t forget pictures and video.  What you want is to have people acting out of the ordinary (seeing as they’re dressed as someone or something else) and then catching that on film.  You’ll regret it if you don’t bring the digital camera out.

Don’t use this as a stage for your own diva complex.  If you only threw a costume party to show off, it’s going to blow up in your face.  Settle down and plan to share the spotlight will all of your guests.  Costume parties are a fabulous time for everyone to get dramatic.  Make sure to leave room on the stage beside you.

Plan your costume party well and have realistic (and unselfish) expectations.  Then you can be absolutely sure that your party will talked about for years to come.

The Party Must Go On!

February 25th, 2009

The Party Must Go On. That was the headline on CNN’s coverage of the financial crisis in Brazil yesterday. It’s not that Brazil isn’t experiencing the same economic hardships – they are. Their currency value has dropped by 35% since last year.

What crisis? It's time to party!

What crisis? It's time to party!

It’s Carnival time in Brazil  and some little thing like a worldwide economic disaster  wasn’t going to stop them from celebrating. And celebrate they did. Though they trimmed back a bit, and found ways to do things a little bit cheaper, they’re still having their biggest, wildest party of the year. What they are missing in money, they will make up with creativity!

If those crazy Brazilians can do it, so can you. Tough times are no good reason to stop having fun. In my opinion, finding ways to have fun in tough times is an absolute necessity. We can’t just sit around and fret and worry, and “woe is me.”

So plan that party, celebrate Mardi Gras, have some fun. You can find ways to trim your budget a bit and still have a great time. Buy costumes and accessories on sale, reuse your costumes, make them unique and fun by mixing and matching pieces, do more homemade stuff, and throw theme parties that rely more on accessories than expensive costumes.

My Mardi Gras Costume

February 21st, 2009
Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday is coming up on February 24th. Are you ready to celebrate? I am putting together a Mardi Gras outfit that includes:

1.  A brightly colored party wig -

Long Party Wig

Long Party Wig

 2. Dice Mardi Gras Beads -

Mardi Gras Beads

Mardi Gras Beads

3.  Gold Chains -

Gold Chains

Gold Chains

 4.  a Venetian Mask - (that still allows me to consume my fare share of King Cakes and Hurricanes)

Gold Venetian Mask

5. Feather Boas

6. Fishenet Stockings 

7. Favorite Party Shoes

The colors for your outfit can be anything, just think “over the top”. Not so creative? wear a complete costume. How about a Pink Gorilla  or the Burger King Costume ?

Want to wear something cute? a Leprechaun is always festive, add a Gold Half Mask ! That’s how I roll, let me know what you are doing.