Simple graduation party planning

Summer is the time for graduation parties. How do you plan a graduation party 15-Minute Party Planner style? By making it simple. Follow these steps and your party will be guaranteed an A+.

Great parties have great guest lists. Consider the right mix of people for your party. Your graduate will want to celebrate with everyone, but should you celebrate with everyone at the same time? Consider hosting back-to-back parties – a morning celebration for family and an afternoon bash for high school or college buddies – if you think your graduate would like the opportunity to mingle with family in one way and friends in another.  Two parties on one day is an easy way to save time, since you only have to set up once.

Make the sending of invitations easy by enlisting your graduate’s help. If you’re using fancy invitations from your child’s college, ask the guest of honor to help address them and pop them in the mail. If you’re going to e-mail invitations, choose a website that offers free invites and enlist your graduate and hitting “send”.

Since summer calls for laid-back styles like barbecue and sandwiches, keep the menu simple and call a caterer or pick up pre-made foods from a local grocery store. Even small grocery stores offer platters of cold cuts, tubs of macaroni salad, precut fruit, and desserts, saving you kitchen prep-time.

Keep drinks simple too; consider purchasing single-serve cans or bottles to prevent having to have cups on hand.  Be sure to offer plenty of water to fend off the heat, and provide plenty of ice.  If you're hosting a party for older grads, save your sanity by offering just one or two kinds of alcoholic drinks, or by asking people to bring their own.  Of course, if you're hosting a party for high schoolers, stay safe and skip the alcohol completely. 

Make decorating inexpensive and easy by raiding your local dollar store for graduation decorations. Display diplomas, degrees, yearbooks, and school paraphernalia for a personal touch that requires no prep work.

You may also enjoy...

• Electronic invites save time and money!
• Buying booze: Easy drink calculations
• 3 easy salads you can make in 3 minutes

There's still time to host a Cinco de Mayo fiesta!

Today is Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for “Fifth of May”), and across America, there will be parties.

Though Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely win against the French at the Battle of Puebla, Americans have adopted the holiday as a good excuse to indulge in Mexican food and margaritas. If you’re hoping to host your own last-minute Cinco de Mayo fiesta, here’s how to do it the 15-Minute Party Planner way.

When time is of the essence, send a quick invitation via e-mail. There are a handful of great electronic invitation sites with Cinco de Mayo designs. Even quicker than an e-invitation?  Sending a quick text or making a phone call.  While not the traditional way to invite folks to a party, no one will mind a last-minute invite to a Cinco de Mayo party!

For quick and easy atmosphere, turn up the speakers on your computer and listen to the timely “Cinco de Mayo Party” station on Pandora, a free online radio service. As for decorations, raid your home for tablecloths, napkins, and dishes that mimic the Mexican flag, which is primarily green, white, and red.

When it comes to food and drink try easy appetizers like chips and salsa or guacamole. Serve margaritas, Coronas, or Dos Equis and indulge in Mexican food for dinner. If you don’t have time to cook it yourself, consider calling a Mexican restaurant to preorder take-out for tonight’s festivities.

Olé!

How to host the world's easiest wine tasting

Few among us are expert wine tasters, but plenty among us are expert wine drinkers. To host a wine tasting party that is fuss-free, simply tell each of your guests to bring his or her favorite wine. For small gatherings, consider asking each guest to bring both a favorite red and a favorite white. For larger gatherings, consider asking people to bring two bottles of a single wine so that there is enough to go around. Ultimately, the point of this party is to have a good time with friends and try new wines, not to become Sommeliers.

“What is the definition of a good wine?
It should start and end with a smile.”
~William Sokolin

As hostess, you simply provide the party's food and enough glasses for each guest. You'll also want to provide a "dump bucket" so that guests can pour out any wines they don't like. Purists will tell you not to rinse the glasses with water in between tastings, but you may want to provide a pitcher of water for your guests. (If not, be sure to start with light wines and work your way up to darker wines so that you don't overwhelm the palate or your glasses!)

If possible, ask your friends to e-mail you before your party with the names of the wines they'll bringing. Then, simply copy and paste the names into one central document. If you're feeling fancy, split the document into two columns—one for whites and one for reds. By providing your guests with a list of the wines they're sampling, your friends will have a chance to take notes about why they liked or disliked certain wines. (Bonus: Even if your friends get tipsy and forget what they're drinking, they'll have the notes to refer back to the next time they're out wine shopping.)

Easy New Year's Eve party ideas

New Year's Eve is a great night for parties, but with the rush of Christmas, many folks forget about the New Year until the last minute!

If you're one of those folks, don't worry! There's still time to plan an informal gathering with friends. Here are some easy New Year's Eve party ideas that won't require much prep work.

• Host a board game night.
  With the TV on in the background (so you don't miss the dropping ball!), you and your guests can entertain yourselves with a variety of multi-player games. For game suggestions, check out two related articles: The best board games for a game-night party and The best card and tile games for a game night.
  
  
• Get a thumb workout with a video game party.
  Maybe you prefer a more 21st Century gaming get-together. Invite your friends over for a night of partying with the Playstation or working out with the Wii. Consider leaving out some handheld games as well, so that people can have some solo shots at games like 20Q, Hangman, and Simon.
  
  Another helpful hint? Ask friends to bring extra controllers with them so more people can play at once. And if you have access to more than one TV, you can even borrow another gaming console for twice the fun.
  
  
• Class up the joint with a cocktail party.
  Have your friends dress up in their finest and invite them over for cocktails. You can serve a signature cocktail or a variety of drinks and nosh on bite-sized treats. Party prep is easy with the 15-Minute Party Planner's guide to Buying booze: easy drink calculations.
  
  
• Extend Christmas with a "regifting" party.
  Maybe you got two copies of the same DVD this Christmas and your vegan friend received a sausage and cheese gift basket. Tell guests to re-wrap a present that was less than a perfect match; when they bring the gifts to the party, everyone can participate in a Yankee Swap. Who knows? You may receive a new treasure!
  
  
• Get funky with a crazy hat/ugly sweater/color-themed party.
  It's easy to host a bash with a wacky, but simple theme. Have your guests come wearing their favorite (or most outlandish) hats, ugly holiday sweaters, or all black (or other color of choice). Set up a corner with a fun backdrop, themed-props, and encourage people to document their goofy outfits on camera.