Holidays and Celebrations

Non Alcoholic New Years Eve Party Planning

For many people New Years Eve and alcohol are synonymous. Many people simply cannot image a New Years Eve party without alcohol but each year many people opt to host a non alcoholic New Years Eve party. There are number of reasons why an individual or group might decide to host a non alcoholic New Years Eve party. These reasons might include a large number of minors at the party, religious preferences, previous tragedies involving alcohol or simply lifestyle preferences. Whatever the reason for hosting a non alcoholic New Years Eve party, it is important to plan your party carefully to ensure it is a great deal of fun for everyone who attends.

Shopping the stores for holiday gifts can be a real hassle what with the stores being so crowded, and shopping online you really don’t get to “see” what you are getting.

Home parties have come a long way since the Tupperware Party days and they are no longer something you “have to go to and buy something” because your sister-in-law is hosting it - they are a great gift buying venue. Whatever you are looking for there is probably a home party that will provide it. No crowds to fight they bring the product right to you in the comfort of your own home where you can see exactly what you are buying, they deliver your order to you and best of all you can pick up several items at little or no cost to you!

Hosting a home party is simplicity itself. You can contact any company online or by phone and they will give you the name of a representative in your area or you can go to parties demonstrating the kinds of products you are interested in and let the representative know that you are interested in hosting your own party. The latter has the added benefit of giving your host credit for a booking, which usually results in their being eligible for free, or discounted items. Once you have picked a date for your booking the representative will either give you invitations that you can send out or some will just take your guest list and they will send the invitations out for you.

Is your husband a NASCAR fanatic? Does your girlfriend count the days until it’s time for the Daytona 500? When your child hears the numbers 8, 24 and 48 does he automatically think Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson? Are more than half the products in your home sponsors of a NASCAR team? Are you looking for the perfect gift but just don’t want to buy another T-Shirt, hat or 1/24th scale car?

Give your race fan the thrill of a lifetime with a gift certificate to any one of a dozen race schools. For as little as $100.00 to several thousand dollars you will give a gift that will never be forgotten. Not even Santa could do better!

For the NASCAR fan there is the Richard Petty Driving Experience and the Dale Jarrett Driving Racing Adventure among others. These classes are held on real racetracks in real Cup cars. The Richard Petty Driving Experience holds their classes at tracks like Charlotte, Atlanta, Las Vegas and many others.

Gifts of food, whether home made or store bought are always appreciated. You can buy decorative boxes, all sizes and shapes of baskets, or use bottles ranging from empty liquor bottles to the standard Mason jar. Visit your local resale shops or check on-line auction sites for great deals on baskets, bottles and boxes.

For those of you who love to bake, whipping up a couple dozen of five or six different types of cookies and boxing them with a pretty bow make a delicious holiday gift for friends, family or even your child’s teacher. Kick the gift up a notch by adding some homemade candies.

Need a gift for people who love being outdoors, pick up a nice inexpensive picnic basket and add a bottle of wine, some cheeses and crackers with a small cheese cutting board and a couple of pretty wine glasses for a classic gift. They’ll remember you for years to come each time they use it.

Craft gifts are available just about everywhere, from small craft shops to large malls, to state fair craft booths. You can buy them, you can make them yourself or you can give a craft kit and open up a whole new hobby for the people for whom you are buying. There are specific “holiday” themed crafts such as wreaths for Christmas or Halloween, straw scarecrows and corn husk wreaths for Thanksgiving or more general crafts like birdhouses and dollhouses complete with miniature everything, which can also make great holiday gifts.

Ceramics is a relaxing hobby that allows for great creativity and personalization. There is enough in the way of simple projects that even the beginner can put together a beautiful array of holiday gifts. You can start from scratch using poured pieces (green ware); cleaning, painting, firing, glazing and firing again or you can buy pieces that are already cleaned and fired (bisque) paint and glaze them. There are an almost infinite number of different pieces to choose from. You can make statues, candy dishes, lamps or chess sets. You are really only limited by your imagination. Children love painting on bisque (much easier for a child to work with as it isn’t as easily broken as green ware) Check your local phone book for ceramic shops to find the ones that offer lessons and in no time you’ll be making gifts people will cherish. You can find Santas and pumpkins, turkey platters and figurines of Uncle Sam. You can put together a base topped with several figurines and make it into a night-light or dresser lamp. In fact you can find something for just about any holiday as well as for other gifting like showers and birthdays or anniversaries.