Excuses to Get Together

Setting the scene:

Silver and gold are the colors for tonight. Don’t overdo it of course…but who doesn’t love glitter? Make the night shine!

Your friends should be dressed to the nines. Make sure that they have accessories to match. Put extras on a cute board so it can double as décor.

For an extra pop of color, add some red flowers (or confetti…or both) to your setup. They’ll match the famous carpet and make everything else stand out.

Refreshments:

Keep it simple and sweet. Finger foods will make it easier to pay attention to the ceremony while making sure your guests don’t mess up their evening wear.

Turn fancier appetizers into bite-size treats. Loving these caprese skewers with balsamic dip in a Glad® food container – it’s the perfect size!

Don’t forget fresh veggies! Something light will be perfect to snack on during the show and will add bright colors to your spread for the party! Leave individual Hidden Valley® packets out for your glam guests to season to their liking.

The Extra Mile:

Whether it’s finding a small red carpet for your friends to walk down or adding edible glitter to your ice cubes (use with water filtered in a Brita® pitcher for best taste!) there are little things to make the night award-winning.

Use spray adhesive and glitter to take your champagne flutes (and bottles!) from OK to WOW.

Extra Books – JIC, you know there will be that one person who forgets.

Bookmarks – Perfect to give as favors to your guests. Props if you make them.

Pillows – Lounge where you want. Reading should be comfy.

Carrots & Hidden Valley® Ranch – Good for the eyes and delicious! You can’t ask for better.

Green Works® All Purpose Spray – Every artist starts with a clean canvas. Give your work surface a quick wipe down to avoid unwanted dust and crumbs on your masterpiece.

Old Clothes – When you’re done they’ll be like new. We love this dress, but a shirt or even jeans would work.

Fabric Paint – Make sure it’s for fabric or it will wash off later!

Brushes – The foam kind works best, just make sure to put a layer between the fabric so it doesn’t go through to the back when you’re “stamping”.

Sunday’s game is right around the corner. Kick off the your get-together with delectable dips and some scrumptious soup.

Setting the scene:

Show your spirit and use team colors to divide up your space. Separate the seating and foods, making your friends choose carefully where they watch the game.

Be minimal for this get-together. We’ve all had a busy night. Don’t make your setup a pain – and it will end up looking great after all that extravagance.

Get crafty and set your table up with some yard lines. It can be as simple as some tape and numbers, or all out with a special tablecloth, either way you’re sure to score points with your guests.

Refreshments:

This is the game, which means you need to bring big flavors! Fire up the grill and char the meats for your entrées for that delicious smoky flavor. (Kingsford® charcoal can lend a helpful hand for that.)

Everyone’s fave chicken can be the star today. Chicken nachos and chicken tortilla soup are two tasty, but different options for your friends to choose from. Which will be the Most Valuable Party Snack?

Dips never seem to get enough love – time to fix that. Mix together sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions and Hidden Valley® Ranch powder for a winning dip.

The Extra Mile:

From streamers to a food vs food scoreboard, there are plenty of easy ways to make your game day party record-breaking.

Keep the stains to a minimum with football BINGO placemats. Helpful for you, and fun for everyone. Win-win.

Slow Cooker – Let your taco filling (ground beef, pulled pork, and beans

are some of our favorites), cook during the day, so it’s ready as soon as you get home and your place will smell amaze.

Hidden Valley® Ranch Packet – Trust us. Add this to your taco filling for an extra burst of flavor.

Margaritas – Do you really need a reason?

Bright Centerpiece – Lighten up the mood with a beautiful (maybe floral?) centerpiece.

Setting the scene:

Vibrant yellows and clean whites will keep it all popcorn-themed, while brightening up the space and making everything seem less cluttered.

Simple serving bowls and trays will bring everything together and keep it all in place when things get started. Be strategic with your placement.

We’re loving this “Bar” marquee for our table. The contrast of color makes it really pop and it brings home the whole popcorn bar.

Refreshments:

Air popped is best (you just need a pot with a lid, heat, shake, enjoy) but even the microwave stuff will do. Make a popcorn bar and put out Glad® containers, your guests can season & shake their own popcorn, saving you some work!

Think outside the saltshaker for your toppings. Everything bagel, parmesan & rosemary and Hidden Valley® Ranch are our faves to help you get started

Popcorn doesn’t have to be savory. For dessert we mixed popcorn with melted marshmallows and rainbow sprinkles, then served in ice cream cones because: cute!

The Extra Mile:

Cute serving trays lined with sprinkles for extra color. Movie theater styled shakers. The little things you can add to your table will turn the night into something everyone will remember.

Let’s talk drink stirrers! Who says they can’t be insta-cute and have popcorn on them?

Smartphone  – Huddle up to keep warm and watch some vids for a laugh.

Hot Cocoa – No matter how old you get, hot cocoa is the ultimate cold weather drink.

Cinnamon Stick – This will as a little spice to your cocoa as you stir.

Comfy Blanket – Cozy is the best way to be.

Setting the scene:

Use fresh and bright colors to wake up and energize your guests. Oranges, pinks, gold, and even greens will be perfect.

Be minimal for this get-together. We’ve all had a busy night. Don’t make your setup a pain – and it will end up looking great after all that extravagance.

Set up a space for your guests to write down their resolutions. If they’re not sure what to write, lend a hand.

Refreshments:

You’ll want something light this morning, so take it nice and easy. If you plan it right, everything can be made ahead of time.

Start the year right with some Brita® filtered water served with fresh fruit slices. Wake up and taste the citrus!

Have a citrus frenzy, tbh. It’s light on the stomach and is proven to help you wake up and concentrate. Perfect for starting out on the right foot.

The Extra Mile:

Even an elegant garnish in your drinks will bring the whole thing to the next level. And trust us, it really can be super simple to put together (loving rosemary as a skewer right now).

For a little something to do, we suggest some grown-up color books. Let everyone relax and get they’re colored pencil (or crayon) on.

Setting the scene:

Soft greens are great for wintertime get-togethers. They add some brightness to the room and will help remind you of warmer weather.

We love our bouquet of eucalyptus for the table. It’s festive, looks great, and smells even better!

Rosemary is another great plant to spruce up your table. Add to trays or even your drinks for that little something extra.

Refreshments:

This is a cookie baking party, but let’s be real…some may go “missing”. Don’t forget to bake a few extras for testing!

Nothing goes better with cookies than milk. Serve in mini bottles with straws for that added layer of cute.

Try and have a few things that aren’t cookies. I know it sounds ridiculous, but there is such a thing as too many cookies. A few mints, or even marshmallows will be good to change things up.

The Extra Mile:

It’s pretty common to give cookies to family & friends as a gift, but let’s do something different this year. Find a retirement home or shelter and share the <3.

Gift tags are a simple way to add extra well wishes to your giftees – and it’s so easy to make them look great! Make your own or find a design online.