Summer is Here – Plan a Garden Party They’ll Never Forget

Say good-bye to winter blues and hello to spring time. In the cooler corners of the US, frigid temperatures and those snowy days are giving way to blooming flower trees and a bit of warmness. As spring gives way to the early summer days, our thoughts turn to outdoor activities. Today is when you put dusting off and buffing up the barbecue grill on your short list of things to do. Get the garden in shape for guests. Plant some annuals. It’s getting to be time to put on summer wear and host a garden party to welcome the new season.

You want to do something new and different, not just a repeat of last year’s garden parties. Let’s  brainstorm and come up with some creative and fresh ideas.

Kick-off the season with Cinco de Mayo. This is the Mexican festival, celebrating Mexico’s independence, similar to the American July 4th holiday. You don’t have to be a Mexican citizen to get behind the Cinco de Mayo festivities. Most Americans have become big fans of Mexican cuisine. Why not join in the fun with a Cinco de Mayo themed  idea? Brightly colored decorations, streamers, paper lanterns, the pinata and a lavish buffet of traditional Mexican dishes fills the bill. Set the air alive with lively Mexican music and you’ve got a perfect party idea.

Coming after on the heels of Cinco de Mayo, we have the American version – July 4th. Red, white and blue is the central color them to this garden party idea. A sheet cake with white icing and stripes of fresh strawberries and blueberries sets the tone. Red, white and blue streamers put unmistakable accent on this holiday. This festive garden party idea is made even more celebratory with paper tablecloths of red, white and blue. Set out votive candles in this color scheme. Use heavy duty paper plates and plastic cups in the July 4th colors for a brilliant display of this summer favorite of American holidays. This party idea is naturally accompanied by burgers, hot dogs, sweet ears of corn and some potato salad, followed by the Apple pie, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The long winters some of us endure make early summer days a great excuse to host a party – we really don’t need a reason – other than a balmy day, a barbecue menu and friends to enjoy the bounty. Just about every party ideas are born out of thin air, but are nonetheless reason enough to scour through our boxes of decorations and recipe books. All the reason we need is a family member or neighbor’s birthday, a day warm enough for a swim party, a desire to host a lavish buffet spread, an itch to don the apron and light up the barbecue.

Now, there’s a more traditional sort of party idea to explore. This is the ladie’s luncheon sort. This garden party idea deviates from the more rowdy sort of holiday get-down. Here, we’re talking petit-fours and a buffet style assortment of platters from which the ladies can pick and choose, delicately skewering their choices in bite size morsels amidst a cacophony of gossip and tall glasses of iced tea or margaritas. The ladie’s garden party differs from the family get-together, in that women like to gossip, giggle and have a good chat without the men’s interference. “OK, the grill’s ready. Bring out the burgers! Say, Joe, hand me a plate, would you?” The ladies much prefer to snack at their leisure and dispense with the hup-two. They have a much better time just kicking back and going with the flow.

Another winning garden party idea is the costume party, which is enjoyed by men and women alike, so long as the men aren’t stretched beyond forbearance by outlandish costumes being the prerequisite. Men will generally go along with something on the order of Mardi Gras, or even Halloween. They’ll start to balk at Renaissance or Napoleonic costumes. Use your good judgment on this garden party. Cowboys? Maybe. Medieval knight in shining armor? Better. For this garden party idea, you need to think carefully before making out the invitations. You want enthusiastic guests who are into the theme and looking for a good time.

O.T. Chuong is a online consultant and writer specializing in articles pertaining to home & garden, family lifestyles, and automotive. Want to save money on your water and utility bill? Click here to learn more about how to: buy water heater north bay, and gas water heater north bay.