Housewarming party help??!
Housewarming party help??
1st,
My party will be of mixed company - co-workers, family, friends, current & ex bosses, black ,white, young old. How do I manage this???
2nd... I wanted to have a BBQ, but can't BBQ (ok, I could and done so before)and I don't own a grill- & don't want to buy 1 for 1x. A cousin told me not to have it catered, b/c it defeats the purpose (if I can go all out, no use in having a registry - skip the party and buy my own stuff - her words, not mine). So if it's not BBQ, would like red beans & rice, jambalaya, chicken wings, finger sandwiches, fruit trays, baked mac and cheexe, rum punch and some other booze do?
2nd - what type of entertainment? Music? Maybe I should save the hip hop for later - and just mix it, or mix old school, pop, and hip hop that's clean (I don't do shoot em up stuff - mostly party & old school). Do you play games- if so, like dominoes, spades, taboo,etc?
I need to rent tables and chairs, too... Oh dear... $300-400 is the budget... that's it.
Answers:
Well, definitely sounds like everything corresponding with the party should be neutral. I would say catering would be an A+, but you can always go for the finger foods too (such as chicken wings, chicken strips, fries, Lil Smokey's with BBQ sauce and little tooth picks sticking out of them, pickle halves on the vegetable tray, pineapple, oranges and so on.)
For entertainment purposes, maybe go rent a PG movie (PG being suitable for anyone) and let it run during your party. You can hire DJ's to play music during your party if you want to, and they might know suitable music for your party, and you could even call a local radio station for advice on that matter.
For the games, how about twister? I personally like the game where you draw a simple picture, and people try to figure out what it is your getting at. And trivia games are fun too.
Your party will be jammin'! Don't worry and just have loads of fun. :)
i think you mean third, cause last time i checked it doesn't go 1, 2, 2, jk, sorry... anyways, i don't see how the mixed company is a problem...unless you have a hateful group of racists. you could borrow someone's grill-a neighbor's or a friend's. and i have no idea about the music/games-i've never been to or had a housewarming party before, sorry. and for the chairs and tables-check around at rental places or something for the best price...unless you happen to have a friend who just happens to have a bunch of chairs and tables. do you go to church? if you just want a bunch of those folding metal chairs and tables, you might be able to borrow them from a church or something-that's what my grandparents did one time for a family reunion thing.
first of all your work should have some tables you could borrow.
IF not get some sheets of CDX plywood and put on saw horses or something high enough to stand and eat on....YOu could always put a nail or two in them so they would stay...get a roll of white plastic table cloth.
Get a DJ and let him plan the music...he knows.
Make you a fire pit outside in the yard and put a pig on it. You can always cover it back up...just save the grass and dirt.
It is fun to watch it turn over the fire and the older kids would love turning it.
Get some wash tubs and fill with Ice for the kids drinks...have close frinds bring some kids bring some drinks the kids like.
The kids love to play in the cooler and get the ice...this way they can without seeing the beer.
Have a kids area and growups area.
Your food sounds good to me, but have some sticks for hot dogs so the kids can roast them with the pig.
Games: Lembo is a good one...hoola hoop is a good one how long and how low can you go!!!
A housewarming party doesn't need games, it is mostly for company and conversation. It is to show off your new home. You could do an "Open House" where you list a time range (say 6pm - 10pm) and people can come and go between that time range. That way, no one feels obligated to stay the whole time and you don't feel like you have to entertain them with games. You can have snacky finger foods, or the foods you listed would also work well in warming trays. Just play a mix of music (if you have an iPod or music player, you can set it to "random") in the background so people can still talk and get to know each other. You don't want to piss off the new neighbors with a loud, raucous party.
With the coming and going of guests, you will also need fewer chairs or tables. Most people can stand and eat the foods on your list.
If the group is small enough, and they are all sticking around for the duration, you could do games that can be done in teams, such as Trivial Pursuit or Pictionary.
Good luck and have fun!
tricky just a lot of nibble and salads and frankfurts etc what about alchol limbo everyone that pass under the limbo stick gets a shot and so fourth im sure ur worring about nothing u will have fun the food usually we all make to much and it doesnt get eaten just relax and enjoy
My suggestion would be to have an open house or drop in house warming. Friends and or family do not feel obligated to stay for the duration of the party.
Put out a nice buffet with deli meat and cheeses, a variety of bread, with condiments, a vegetable tray, a fruit tray and assorted beverages. Having alcohol or not is up to you, but to save on expenses I would not have the alcohol. A nice mix of music in the background, and your conversation should be all the entertainment needed. If you have done any renovation to your new home, you could have pictures of before and after. If the home is recently built you could have pictures of the construction of the home. Display these through out the home and they will be sure conversation starters.
If you wish to serve a heavier buffet you could use, BBQ you can use a crock pot or cook beef or pork in the oven, pull it apart and have different sauces, with baked bean, potato salad, fresh fruit and veggies. You can buy disposable chaffing dishes at Sam's, Wal mart, Big Lots etc. they come with the rack, the aluminum pans and the Sterno for about 10.00 each. That will keep your food hot through out the party. Just be sure that you put a little water in the bottom pan or the food will burn.
fried chicken shrimp baq chicken baked beans
Well, for our housewarming party, we had finger foods, like sandwiches. You dont need to go all out on the food, especially if theres alot of people! Just put deli meats out, chips, soda, whatever and people will go for em! Fruit trays are also good. Also, its not bad that many different ethnic backgrounds will be attending your party! That will be no prob!..
For the entertainment, you dont really need to supply anything. At ours, every one just talked, ate, talked more...lol. and it was still fun! Its not like a birthday party or anything, just a place to socialize pretty much!!! Also wanted to make sure you knew that you DONT open gifts while the guest are there!!! Wait till everyone leaves then open them!
Well good luck with your party! Just provide the food, tables, chairs and you've got a party!!
:)
Hope that helped!
Can't comment on a lot of the stuff you mention, but as a lover of social gaming, I'd heartily recommend some of the following...
If you have a PS2 or can borrow one, rent or buy a copy of "Singstar"...basically a karaoke simulator... they also have a great game called "Buzz!" that is like a gameshow. Four people, or four teams can play at once as there's four buzzers to go around. The first one was all about music, but they've released a few different question packs. I'm sure a local video store would have this stuff to rent...
If that's all a bit too "Sit around the TV," for you, there's a wonderful boardgame called cranium, that exercises a range of skills, and is wonderfully silly to boot. You'll be asked to draw sketches, hum songs, mime, model clay, answer general knowledge, whistle... all kinds of stuff.
Foodwise, I'd recommend dips, Hummous, Tahini, Salsa, Guac, Sour Cream and Chive, Taramasolata, Raitha etc and flatbreads cut into strips, or dipping veggies.
Hope you have a great party.
You will do so graciously! Have a come and go event. That way if there are any issues - people wont feel obligated to stay.
You CAN have BBQ if you have a crockpot. Allrecipes.com with have a slow cooker recipe that you can use...then before the party shread the meat and set out buns...or toasted breads for open faced BBQ sandwiches. throw in a Veggie platter with some dips.
If you want to get lots of easy inexpensive finger foods (including your wings) I suggest Sams Club or Costco...they sell them in the freezer section in large quantities. Make a few dips to go with it and veggie and fruit tray and you are all set. Most grocery store delis will throw a tray together for you at next to nothing if you decide that way.
A punch or sangria is a great and inexpensive way to supply alcohol to the masses. Also - make sure you have cofee going too. Some of your coworkers will appreciate it! ;)
I think the games are a great idea - especially if you are going to have some younger people there - but try to put out games that call for social interaction...pictionary or scattergories or something that uses teams of people.
Music...playing softly in the background for the beginning of the party. It can always get turned up as the crowd gets rowdy!