Fall weather means sweaters and jeans and cheerful gatherings. Get your backyard ready to host the next neighborhood bash and consider a few suggestions that will help make it one for the books.
-
It’s All in the Presentation
Unique and colorful decorations make for a memorable event. While not a necessity for a good party, jazzy decorating and clever details can be the difference between an average or outstanding party. Consider a harvest party theme. Decorate with gourds, pumpkins and straw that you pick up from a visit to your local pumpkin patch. Draw attention to the entrance of the party with a festive display. Provide proper lighting in the party zone with traditional string lights or add flair with lit up, carved jack-o-lanterns to set the mood.
-
Casual and Comfy Atmosphere
Keep the atmosphere casual so guests will feel at ease. Serve the food buffet style so friends can help themselves without the awkward need to explain why they don’t like squash or are allergic to nuts. Offer a dessert table with a do-it-yourself sundae bar or caramel apple dips and toppings. Start a fire in your fire pit and have enough firewood to keep it going throughout the party. Have all the fixings for s’mores available for when guests are ready to toast them up. Gather enough blankets to share as the temps drop when the night falls.
-
Interactive and Fun Entertainment
A good party often has interesting entertainment available. If your group likes interactive games, provide a big chalkboard so you can easily keep score. Prior to the games, the chalkboard can serve as a menu board or a place for kids to draw and leave messages. Always have a deck of cards and dice handy for those competitive guests wanting to play a game of euchre or Ship, Captain, Crew. If your party includes lots of kids, set aside a table to paint pumpkins or a pile of leaves for them to hide and jump in.
-
Create Seasonal Sips
Fall is the best time to make cocktails filled with pumpkin and spice and everything nice. Get your Martha Stewart on and core out apples to use as cups when serving cider filled with cinnamon, clove, lemon, pomegranate or ginger. Pumpkins can also be hollowed out and used to serve pumpkin tea or punch.
Read how to put out the welcome mat for fall to welcome your party guests.