Entertaining the Family in an Educational Way

Many families mimic the situational comedies on TV or their families act as if they are on survivor trying to throw each other off the island using primate politics and Machiavellian schemes. This detracts from the family unit and it is indeed unfortunate, but it does not have to be that way. For instance, the family could just as easily entertain themselves in healthy and fun competition thru educational trivia games. Luckily these things are catching on and more and more families are engaging in trivial pursuit type activities.

Not long ago, we were invited to a family's home for dinner, it was a wonderful dinner and delicious and after the dinner was winding down and while desert was served, one of the younger kids asked a question. Name the 13 original colonies? Sounds simple right, well it is not too difficult, but it is not always so easy to ask answer these questions out of the blue, when you only have 10 fingers to keep track of the answers. Eventually within a minute or two, we got them all using our collective memories and then onto the next question.

Nearly an hour had passed and the questions got tougher and tougher and each time everyone learned something new, it was amazing how smart everyone was and especially the abilities of some of the kids. It should not be surprising that all three of their children were at the top of their classes, and had a thirst for knowledge. Which made me wonder; What if all families spent time playing such educational games with their children.

Addicted To Funny Aprons

Funny aprons make all the difference when you are holding a barbecue or picnic. You can set an upbeat tone when you sport an apron with a wacky saying or humorous cartoon.

There are many great uses for funny aprons beyond just wearing them at home. Here are three favorite uses:

1. At An Office Barbecue Or Charity Event

If your office barbecue is going to be fairly small, having the cook or chef wear a funny apron can really lighten the mood. Work parties can be tough to lighten up sometimes, since usually everybody is so serious with focused all day. Even better than the chef wearing an apron, is having the Boss wear one. If you can get him to, that is! Having the Boss sporting a funny apron will let everybody know that it's okay to laugh and have a good time!

2. For A Children's Birthday Party

Children love to laugh and have a good time. If you are planning a party of any kind for kids, you will want them to feel at ease around adults. Short of wearing a clown costume, what other options do you have? Wear a funny apron! For kids, an apron with a cartoon on it is much more effective than one with a humorous saying. Getting kids to laugh at adults is a fun way to a rollicking party.

3. At A Halloween Or Costume Party

A lot of people don't really enjoy shopping for Halloween costumes every year. Trying to find something new each year can become a chore that you dread. Just throwing on a funny apron and showing up can really get you out of a jam. Pick up one or two, keep them in your closet, and you will always have the perfect solution, even if a friend decides to have an impromptu costume party in the middle of the year.

Technology Togetherness

We all have special recollections from our childhoods of special times spent with our families - making forts, cooking together, playing board games. Some memories are quirky, some silly, and some sentimental. Although those moments are long past, the memories linger. And now that we're parents ourselves, we want to create the same kinds of memories for our kids.

Unfortunately, the easy and carefree days we remember from our own youth seem to have transformed into busy and chaotic ones for our children. Not only do kids today seem to be involved in more after-school activities like sports and music, even when everybody does happen to be home at the same time, the lure of the television, video games, iPods and computer command our attention. Needless to say, attempting to create special memories like the ones we had as kids seems futile.

But all hope is not lost! The world may indeed be faster-paced than it used to be, but the age of technology actually provides many fresh and exciting opportunities for memory-making moments. Maybe one of the following ideas will appeal to you and your kids:

1. Capture the Moment. Break out that digital camera and start snapping. Be silly, make faces or be serious. Once you've finished your photo session, upload the pictures to your computer and create a photo album, slideshow, or other inventive keepsake to look at time and time again.

2. Movie Making Moments. My kids love making movies with our video recorder and I have to say they do a great job behind and in front of the camera. Assign each person a role - writer, director, actors - or make every aspect a group effort. If you come up with something to really be proud of, why not post it on You-Tube or God-Tube to showcase your movie making talents to the world?

3. Let the games begin! So maybe monopoly just doesn't do it for your kids but a competitive game of Guitar Hero gets their adrenaline pumping. Show your kids you've still "got it" by jamming to those rock songs you used to love. Be sure to sing along, too - admit it...you still know every word to Joan Jett's, "I Love Rock 'n Roll."

No Guitar Hero? Any video game will do. To make it fair, go to the video store and rent a game no one has played before. Who will emerge the champion?

4. Have a Dance-Off. Pop in the latest CD and put on your dancing shoes. Show your kids the old style and let them demonstrate a move or two for you. Better yet, try your hand (make that, feet) at Dance, Dance Revolution. An added bonus - you'll be getting in shape while making those memories! See who can go the longest without collapsing on the couch.

5. Family Movie Night. Remember how much you looked forward to the Disney Sunday Night Movie? Now, with so many DVD options, movie night can be any night of the week. Don't forget to load up on popcorn, candy and soda of your choice. Hey - at least all that sugar and caffeine will keep you awake! Consider setting aside one movie night per month. Afterward, discuss your thoughts over old-fashioned ice cream sundaes. (Not everything has to include electronic devices.)

So the age of technology offers many opportunities for memory-making moments. Just remember, when it comes to family fun, one thing will never change. It's not so much what you do that counts, but only that you're doing it together.

Christmas Party Entertaining Tips

Love to entertain but hate the hassle? These holiday and Christmas party entertaining tips will make your next celebration a snap.

With the holiday season just around the corner, chances are you're already planning your annual festivities and Christmas party menus. Whether it's for a small family get-together or a large gala affair, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all there is to do - even if you love to entertain.

I believe holiday parties should be fun and festive, not stressful. So take it easy this year with these five Christmas party entertaining tips - and discover how easy your holiday parties can be.

1. Embrace the imperfections. Sure, a flawless party sounds fantastic. But if you want to enjoy yourself, too, this might be the most important of our Christmas party entertaining tips. By trying too hard to make everything just so, you might just make yourself crazy! So relax - a batch of burnt cookies or a glass of spilled wine won't ruin the night, but getting anxious or angry just might.
2. Prep wisely. Made In Napa Valley products make it easy to prepare your meal in advance, so you're not slaving away in the kitchen during your whole event. For Christmas party menus you can make ahead of time, try cold hors d'oeuvres like cheese platters with fresh fruit and herb-rubbed nuts, easy-to-make appetizers like smoked turkey wraps, or even an impressive puff pastry tart.
3. Get a little help from your friends. Invite a few close friends over early to help put the finishing touches on the decorations and hors d'oeuvres. With a couple of helpers, a bottle of wine and some good friends, setting the table and rolling out puff pastry won't feel like a chore.
4. Make your meals festive, not fussy. Holiday and Christmas party menus needn't be seven-course feasts to be delicious. Instead of trying to impress your guests with fancy recipes, plan a menu that embraces everyday gourmet. With fresh flavors, seasonal ingredients and complementary spices, even a simple dish will taste divine. For example, instead of slaving all day over a French leg of lamb recipe, cook yours the Made In Napa Valley way - rub it with a mixture of Raspberry Balsamic with Lemon, extra-virgin olive oil and a, marinate for a couple hours and roast. What could be simpler?
5. Don't go overboard. There are thousands of incredible holiday recipes out there, but let's face it: you just can't cook them all (at least not all at once)! One of the most important holiday and Christmas party entertaining tips is to limit your menu to a manageable number of recipes - it will save time and make each one more memorable. If you're serving dinner, stick to one main course and just two to three side dishes. For cocktail parties, seven or eight types of treats may be just right. But whatever you do, don't forget dessert!

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Valentine's Day Dinner Entertaining

The key to a successful dinner party is to stay organized by breaking down the work of planning, shopping, and cooking into manageable, do-ahead tasks. Use the following tips as a starting point, and you'll master the skills to hosting a Valentine's Day dinner party with confidence and ease.

The Occasion

Begin by choosing a Valentine's Day theme that will tie the entire party together. Take you cue from the season and the guest list, creating an elegant soiree.

Where and When

Next, choose a day and a location that will fit your desired theme. Look for creative ways to use your space that make the most of its best features, perhaps staging your party in the kitchen, family room, or on the deck. A 7:00pm starting time works well for most dinners. Allow an hour for cocktails and mingling before the meal.

Guest List and Invitations

Jot down a list of guests to invite, and round it out by adding people with complementary interests and backgrounds. Add a few extra names in case you need to invite more people.

For casual get-togethers, an e-mailed invitation or a phone call is appropriate. More formal parties call for invitations sent through the mail. Don't forget to include all the details, including RSVP information. Allow four to six weeks' advance notice for formal occasions, less for informal ones.

Hosting and Serving Tips

* As the guests arrive, pass flutes of chilled Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) on a napkin-lined tray.

* Set the table with good-quality linens and silverware and plain white plates that showcase the food.

* Use slender white candles at varying heights to create a warm, welcoming mood.

* If you have a fireplace, build a fire and consider serving drinks and appetizers or dessert and coffee beside the hearth.

10 Ways to Stretch Your Family Entertainment Fund

No matter how strapped for cash you may be, families require fun diversions. The key is to think creatively. A fun diversion doesn't require an expensive day at an amusement park. Following are ways to stretch your family entertainment fund:

1. Find free factory tours, visit a historic site, see a play at a local community college, a high school musical, and find free concerts offered at many churches.
2. Head to the library for books and DVDs. Many libraries also offer free passes or discounted passes to local museums, zoos and aquariums.
3. Sign up for restaurant birthday clubs which offer free meals on birthdays.
4. Start fun family traditions, such as a weekly game night (find slightly used board games at thrift shops), family movie night (rent movies from dollar kiosks found in supermarkets), or pizza night (have the children help you make your own pizza).
5. Check out recipes online to learn how to make your favorite dishes from popular restaurants.
6. Try silent auctions to find discounted gift certificates or baskets of household items at well below their value.
7. Share a large entrée with your spouse or children when dining out, as well as any appetizers or desserts.
8. Go for a walk. Enjoy a walk around the neighborhood or through a park. Give the kids a list of nature items to collect along the way, such as three pinecones and two different leaves.
9. Have a car picnic. Pack a picnic and park the car at a scenic overlook, where you can watch planes take off, or where you can watch wildlife amble by. Play some music, a book on tape, or just talk to one another.
10. Swap babysitting duties with friends at no charge and escape for a night out!

Games To Keep All Entertained At Your New Year Party

Here are a few fabulous New Year Party game ideas to turn your Christmas party into a memorable affair.

Guess Whose Resolution

Give a piece of white paper to each of your guest and ask them to write 5 New Year resolutions. Collect all the paper slips and place them in a small basket. Now call the guests one by one and make them take out a piece of paper and read aloud the resolutions written on them. Next ask all the other guests to make a guess as to who could have written the resolution. When all the resolutions are read out, calculate who made the maximum number of right guesses and give that person a nice and elegant Christmas present.

Guess Who

You will need old magazines and safety pins or selotape for this game. Before the party, cut out pictures of celebrities known to the group of people that will be at the party. Each guest gets an identity pinned to his back so that everyone but him can see it. By asking yes or no questions of his fellow spies, each child must figure out who he is.

You can also do this using celebrity couples and the party members have to find their match. You could use Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Prince Charles and Camilia etc

Shadows

For this game you will need props, a large roll of paper, posable lamp and a marker
Before the party, gather some props, these could be some hats, a trench coat and a pipe, (anything that would be noticeable in a shadow), a large roll of paper to mount on the wall (found in art supply stores), a posable lamp and a marker.

One at a time, usher guests into a separate room, where they can select items for striking a pose.
Stand each person in profile in front of a section of paper and turn on the light. Trace each person's outline, then write her name on the back. When all suspects have been traced, gather everyone together in one room and see if they can guess which shadow belongs to who.

Bubble Wrap Stomp

This is a very cheap way to entertain kids for the countdown to the New Year.

Pick up several yards of large Bubble Wrap (or recycle Bubble Wrap that comes with holiday gifts). Just before midnight, unroll it on a hard surface, such as a wooden floor or driveway, and when the countdown concludes, begin "the Bubble Wrap Stomp." Be sure to buy large bubbles, because the small ones just don't have the same result.

Traveling With the Family This Holiday Season? Keep Kids Entertained and Patience Level Maintained

The holiday season is upon us. And so are the usual hustle-bustle accompaniments of the busiest travel time of the year...road trips, traffic jams, airport lines, late flights. So while you're busy dealing with luggage and fuel fill-ups, manage the noise level in the backseat with an array of kids' activities.

Top 10 Ways to Keep Kids Entertained While Traveling During the Holidays:

Road Trip 101 says: "Never leave empty handed."

Print out a stack of coloring sheets before you leave. Whether it's Holly Hobbie™, Care Bears™ or fun-filled holiday pages, kids will love the creativity involved. All you need to do is grab a box of crayons and you're ready to go.

Classic car games.

The classic License Plate Game is always a crowd-pleaser. Check off each state as you spot the plate - winner takes all. Don't know how to play? Check out this video for a wacky explanation. Or try counting cows, whoever counts the most at the end of the trip wins.

To grandmother's house we go.

Wherever you're headed for the holidays, why not decorate the table on the way. Create place cards and napkin rings, perfect for a festive table. Let the kids plan the table's theme and encourage them to help set up once you arrive.

Cultivate generosity.

Custom coupon books let kids get creative with their gifts, just print out the templates, and help younger kids write out their coupon surprises. One easy way to let little ones be in control of the gifts they give; make them funny, make them cute, what dad wouldn't love a free back scratch?

Traveling far and away?

Printable postcards will let kids keep in touch with loved ones back home. Or, try sending one back to your own house so kids will look forward to returning home after being away. Just don't forget the stamps.

All I want...

Turn holiday wish lists into keepsakes and pieces of art with seasonal stationery. Let children draw exactly what they want this year. (Explanations may be necessary.)

Say "cheese."

A picture is worth a thousand words. Let the little ones play photographer with an inexpensive disposable camera. Then create lasting memories with personalized and printable scrapbook pages and festive photo frame mats.

Surprise!

Who doesn't like surprises? Excite kids with their own travel-treasure bags. Fill with snacks, goodies, travel games and little toys, or let them pick a small treat every so often while on the road. (It's a sure-fire way to ensure good behavior.)

Nurture Creativity.

Hand written cards never go out of style. Encourage self-expression by creating homemade holiday cards for friends and family visited throughout the holidays. Stock up on holiday stickers and accessories to give custom cards some personal flare.

"Jingle Bells, Batman Smells..."

Turn travel into a party with festive party hats and garland. Get goofy and celebrate the season with holiday songs and stories to set a seasonal mood. (Good for family car rides, but not suggested if traveling by airplane

Find more fun-filled ideas for keeping the kids at bay at americangreetings.com, and don't leave home without them. Let the kids pack their fun in their own small bag and add other items so they're comfortable the whole trip through. Happy Travels!

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Tis' the Season for Holiday Entertaining

The holidays are a great time to entertain and bring family and friends together. This holiday, share the warmth and love of your household with everyone you hold dear by holding your own holiday party. With just a little "know how" your can be well on your way a holiday party friends and family will remember for years to come. Keep this spirit of the season and keep reading for holiday party tips you can't do without.


* Plan Ahead: The holidays are a very busy time, especially when it comes to parties and social gatherings. You will want to plan well in advance and get your invitations out more than a month ahead. Generally speaking, it's a good idea to send invitations for a mid to late December party at least 5 weeks in advance; anything to early can get lost in the chaos, but anything to late can leave you entertaining an empty room.
* Simple Serving: Unless you have the time, money, and patience for an elaborate sit down dinner, stick with a simple menu consisting of finger foods or easily prepared/eaten dishes. Holiday parties are typically held to socialize and gather together with family and friends; the latter meal plan is more appropriate for this type of gathering. If you're really stretched for time, consider having a potluck holiday party and asking friends to bring their favorite dish.
* Set the Mood: Winter and its corresponding holiday's offers a great time to appeal to the senses. The warms scents of cinnamon, apple and pumpkin pies, and pine cones are rich, cozy, and comforting. Set the mood for your party by lighting a few of your favorite scented candles or strategically placing potpourri. Complete the mood with your favorite collection of Christmas carols, and holiday decorations like strings of lights and garland or holiday themed centerpieces.
* Keep it Size Appropriate: Do you have a huge house or a cozy apartment? When deciding how big your party should be, it's important to consider the amount of space you have available. If you have a ton of room, invite as many as you feel necessary, but if you have a small apartment or home you may want to keep the gathering intimate. Inviting too many people will leave your guests unhappy and cramped and you stressed.
* Make Room: One of the best things you can do to ensure the comfort of your guests is to make some space. Clear the room of unnecessary furniture that won't be utilized during your gathering and make standing room or add some chairs for seating. It's a good idea to leave coffee tables and end tables in the room so guests can set their food or drinks down.
* Party Favors: What is a holiday party without a party favor? Give your guests a little holiday treat to take home with them. There are endless possibilities for your gift and it really depends on your budget and personal style. For something that is moderately simple and low in cost give some homemade cookies or potpourri satchels.

Getting Your Home Ready for the Peak Entertaining Season

The last three months of the year are statistically the busiest months for entertaining. Many people would like to host a gathering but shy away from doing so because they feel their homes aren't up to par. With a simple guideline, anyone can get their home in the best entertaining shape prior to an event.

Set small goals for each day (no slacking!). Make a list and stick it on your refrigerator if you have to. Seeing tasks checked off as "done" will motivate you to keep going. Do your windows need cleaning? Tackle one or two standard sized windows each day. This takes no time at all. Start with the insides and move to the outside windows on nice, cool days. If you really hate doing windows, consider hiring a window cleaning contractor. This could be money well spent, freeing you up to move on to the next task on your list. Which ever way you go, any smudged windows can be freshened up the week prior to an event and the task is no longer overwhelming!

Clean out the clutter and unused "stuff" around your home. Again, break your tasks down into small increments. And getting this major task accomplished early will make you feel more capable of planning a party. One night, instead of watching TV (such a time-waster) get rid of the paper blizzard (we all have it). Keep it under control on a weekly basis and you won't have to stuff it under the bed an hour before your guests arrive. Less clutter will definitely increase your self confidence in inviting guests over.

Is your furniture looking a bit tired? No, you don't need to run out and buy new. If you did that, you wouldn't have any money left over to have a party! Look into having a service come in and professionally steam clean the upholstery and rugs/carpet. Watch for sales and purchase some new throw pillows and see what a difference this will make to the freshness of your rooms.

If you really feel like a new coat of paint is needed to get your rooms looking festive, get this task done as early as possible. I know I've been guilty of deciding on this must-have like the week before guests are due and adding greatly to my stress factor, not to mention the inescapable "fresh paint" smell.

The kitchen and baths are usually the rooms that need the most continuous upkeep. Tidy up a drawer or two each night. Recycle or toss out excess plastic containers. One task that is often neglected is to de-grime the kitchen cabinets. You know what I'm talking about! That layer that coats particularly the upper cabinets. Get this job done early (say late October) and you won't have to deal with it for several months (long enough to get you through the holiday season). It will make a huge difference in the freshness of your kitchen - again encouraging you to want to have people over. It will require some elbow-grease on your part and the better part of a Saturday afternoon, but it's so worth it.

Strive to keep the bathroom that is available to guests as tidy as possible now. Simple tidying up on a daily basis will result in just a quick freshening up on the day of your party. In fact, why not carry this practice over to all the bathrooms!

If you can afford it, consider hiring a cleaning service for the next few months. A visit once or twice a month will keep these larger tasks in order and will save you a lot of time. This time-saved can then be used to plan a party.

However you manage these clean-up jobs, the goal is to get them done early with only light maintenance needed for the next few months. A clean, fresh home is essential in encouraging you to go ahead with that party you want to host! So get moving! Start your organization plans early and break them down into manageable increments. And remember, have fun!