We are entering my favorite time of
year, full of pumpkins and pots of soup, spice candles and cozy blankets,
holiday dishes and special gatherings.
If your idea of a social season revolves around more of the indoors than
out, you’re in luck. Here are 7 party
concepts you could try this season.
Comfort
Food Potluck
– Put together an easy weeknight gathering by dividing the work load. Invite a group of friends to bring and share
one of their favorite dishes at a comfort food potluck. You provide a buffet table setting and enjoy
the chatting over samplings of gooey mac ‘n cheese, lasagna, pot roast and
mashed potatoes, and family recipe casseroles.
Apples
and Appetizers
– Invite some friends over for a night of apples and appetizers when you set up
hot candy and caramel apple dipping stations and provide other bite sized
treats. Dip apples and roll them in a
selection of nuts, sprinkles, and pretzel pieces, plus an optional chocolate
drizzle. While they set, snack on small
portions of sweet and salty appetizers.
Wrap up guests’ creations to go in plastic sandwich baggies and ribbon.
Pumpkin
Painting
– A series of craft paints, sponge brushes, stencils, decorative tape, and
craft paper strips and decoupage glue sets a nice scene for a pumpkin painting
gallery. Invite your group to bring a
pumpkin and decorate it in their own style, making it perfect for their front
door display. No carving needed, which
helps your artwork last longer.
The
Exchange
– Set up an exchange party catering to the girls, the kids, or a family
group. Usually popular with cookies,
exchange parties can also be held so that recipes, prepared food dishes,
kitchen accessories, fall decorations, or another creative item can change
hands. Guests bring an item or boxed
serving ready for exchange. Swapping is
just half the fun.
Cookies
and Cupcakes
– Perfect for a younger crowd, a cookie and cupcake party can be tailored for
mixing or just decorating. Provide a base
cookie dough and let the kids add their own mix-ins from a buffet of choices
like nuts, chocolate chunks, and dried cranberries. Let the grownups handle the use of the
oven. Or have baked cookies and cupcakes
ready to go and offer icing choices and tiny toppings like candy corn, gummies,
and seasonal selections of mainstream candy for edible masterpieces.
Big
Game Buffet
– A Sunday afternoon is a great time to invite the gang over for a football
game with an emphasis on the big game buffet.
Mix game day staples with fall themed bites to enjoy things like
football cake pops, homemade caramel popcorn, sweet potato boats, and a pumpkin
cream cheese dip.
Sip
‘n Cider
– a Sip ‘n See is an opportunity to introduce a newborn baby in a baby shower
setting. A Sip ‘n Cider can be all about
a kids-free girls’ night in while the flavored apple cider keeps on
pouring. Create a coffee bar style cider
selection with different flavors of cider and syrups (look online for options). Coffee mugs, stir sticks, and pretty fall
cocktail napkins can complement the juicy conversation.
These party concepts can get you
started on being the host everyone wants an invite from this fall. A fun theme, yummy food, and a home with a
welcoming front door can usher in a good time being had by all.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 15th.
