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Many married couples say their first anniversary (symbolized by paper) is the most exciting and most memorable. A first wedding anniversary is a great time to plan a celebration that gives the newlyweds many heartfelt memories for years to come. Paper Anniversary wedding parties are usually casual and inexpensive; after all, you have to save up for when you make it to your silver and gold anniversaries!

Paper Anniversary Party Tips

If you are hosting your own paper anniversary party or are hosting for a friend or family member, here are some tips to help make your paper anniversary party a huge success:

• After deciding on your guest list, order your anniversary invitations from PaperDirect way ahead of the date of the party, so you have plenty of time to get them organized, addressed and mailed out. For a special added touch, include a wedding photo or a fun photo from your honeymoon or any experience in your first year (maybe a picture of your child or children?). In the invitation, include all the pertinent information the guests will need: reason for the event, location, time, attire (if it’s even necessary to mention this), and remind guests that the theme is “paper anniversary.” Include information in the invitation such as whether or not children and/or pets are welcome, if no alcohol will be served may guests bring their own and items of that nature.
• If the party is outdoors, be sure the area is clean and safe; if there is a pool present, hire a trained lifeguard to protect your guests. While parents should always watch their children while at a pool party, you need a trained professional on hand because parents will look away, and tragic accidents can happen in a split second. If there is a pool that is off limits, be sure a gate or barrier of some sort surrounds the pool and that there is no way a child could get close enough to the pool to fall in.
• Help your guests by including fun and inexpensive gift ideas related to paper such as paper products for house (e.g. paper towels, paper napkins, toilet tissue, paper plates and other practical gifts any new couple could certainly use).
• Choose festive decorations that match the theme of the party if you have a theme in addition to the obvious “paper anniversary” theme. So, if you’re doing a Mardi Gras theme, order decorations from PaperDirect that will make your theme obvious to the guests. PaperDirect has a huge selection of vinyl party banners to choose from, so we’re sure you’ll find all the decorations you need at the best one-stop online shopping source for event planning and hosting–PaperDirect.com.
• Plan the menu and beverages. Are you going to have it catered? Are you going to cook the food yourself or have friends and family help? As you plan your menu, consider food safety and how long certain foods can sit out in the sun (such as mayonnaise-based salads and desserts with cream/milk in them). Be sure to have enough food and be sensitive to food allergies your guests may have. Many people do not eat meat, foods with gluten or shellfish (due to allergies), so in the invitation, you can include a note asking your guests to please let you know about special food requests they have. Strategically place plenty of trash bins around the party venue, so your guests are not stuck holding dirty plates, cups and napkins.
• Make sure restrooms are available, clean and well stocked.
• If alcohol is served, be sure no one drives home after drinking. Either provide transportation via cab or sober driver or insist the intoxicated guest spend the night at your home or nearby hotel. You can be held legally responsible if someone is injured or killed in a car accident after drinking at your home.

If you are throwing a party, any type of party, PaperDirect not only has a lot of the supplies you’ll need, but the blog includes an entire section devoted strictly to all types of event planning. Here are just a few PaperDirect blogs that offer tips on throwing a really great party!

• How to Throw a Great Surprise Party
• Hosting an Outdoor Party
• Anniversary Party Planning Suggestions
• Birthday Party Tips for Baby’s First Birthday
• Event Planning Tips for the Beginner
• More Great Birthday Party Tips–This Time for Kids

Baby shower games are a traditional part of any baby shower, and while they are often silly and childish, they are fun, nonetheless. If you are hosting a baby shower, you may be struggling to come up with some baby shower game ideas that are not your run-of-the-mill, decades-old boring baby shower games.

Baby shower games at the shower can be one of the most memorable experiences for the mom-to-be. Part of making the experience a huge success is by thoughtful party planning and hosting fun baby shower games. Before starting the games, it’s good practice to go around the room as an ice breaker and have everyone introduce themselves and explain how they know the mother-to-be.

Now, let’s jump right into some popular baby shower ideas that will keep your guests entertained and involved!

“Never Say ‘Baby'” 

Materials: Baby safety pins you can place on a string for each guest and string or yarn, enough for each guest to wear as a necklace.

Have each guest place the necklace with the baby safety pins around their neck when they arrive at the baby shower. The rules for this baby shower game are given out at the beginning of the baby shower. Whenever someone says the word “baby” during the shower, anyone who calls it out gets a pin from the other guest who said the word. At the end of the baby shower, the guest with the most safety pins wins!

Name the Most Baby Items

Materials: Pad of paper and pen for each guest.

Have everyone write down as many baby products as they can name (bottle, blanket, pacifier, etc) within 5 minutes. Sure it is easy at the beginning, but towards the last few minutes, the women will start racking their brains for more. A prize goes to the guest with the most baby items listed.

Guess How Many Safety Pins (or Diapers)

Materials: Safety pins, jar, diapers, large container to house diapers. Pass around a jar full of baby safety pins. The one who guesses the closest wins a baby shower prize. Do the same with a large container of small diapers and at the end of the game, the mommy-to-be gets the containers!

Baby Trivia Game

Check out this blog for some great ideas for this baby shower game–Play Baby Trivia!

PaperDirect has everything you need for your baby shower from invitations to thank you cards and announcements.   Shop PaperDirect’s online store today for all your baby shower planning needs.

The PaperDirect blog is your information headquarters for information about everything from planning your next party to branding your new business. Make reading the PaperDirect blog part of your regular schedule. We offer fresh ideas and suggestions on many topics that are realistic and relevant to your life.

Are you knee deep in anniversary party planning and don’t know know what to do next or even where to begin? If you’re hosting an anniversary party for your parents, children or even a friend or co-worker, these partying planning suggestions will help you take on this daunting task and host an anniversary party that will be remembered fondly for years to come.

Traditionally, many couples celebrate their 25th anniversary (silver) and their 50th anniversary (gold) in a big way. However, it is also very common and acceptable to have a party on any of the five-year milestones of a marriage (5th, 10th, 15th and so on) on a smaller scale. These anniversary party ideas can be applied to virtually any type of celebration you can think of.

1. First, try to establish some sort of planning committee. Enlist the help of anyone capable who offers; it may not seem like you need that much help in the early stages, but once you get going, a handful (or more) of people helping out will be much appreciated.
2. Establish your budget and then from there, you can create your guest list. Whether you’re hosting a huge anniversary bash for two hundred or a small intimate dinner party for ten, it’s important to stay within your budget and not over spend. It’s also a good idea to leave some funds set aside for those last-minute expected problems that could turn your bash into a bust. Caterers not showing up, bartenders being late and an unpredicted rain storm can all force you to make last-minute changes that will cost you money. Be sure to have a little bit set aside to cover these costs.
3. As you develop the guest list, it’s important to keep in mind the comfort level of the anniversary couple and what they would want if they were planning their own party. Are they comfortable around large groups and a festive atmosphere, or do they prefer smaller more intimate gatherings? As you create the guest list, it’s always important to keep in mind the wishes of the anniversary couple. Only invite friends and family you know they will be comfortable around.
4. Order your anniversary invitations online from PaperDirect today!
5. If the party is not going to be at your home, then you need to decide on a venue and make reservations. This is all dependent upon the number of guests you’re inviting and the size of your party. You may be able to reserve a small room in the couple’s favorite restaurant, or you may need a larger space like an old community theatre, recital hall or the like. You absolutely must know how many people will be attending before you can reserve the venue. What if you reserve a huge space, but only half of the invitees respond they’re coming? The space will feel empty and cold instead of warm and inviting.
6. When deciding on the day and time, try to get the party date as close to the actual anniversary date as possible. But you must almost keep in mind your guests’ work schedules and travel plans. You certainly don’t want to have a party in the middle of the week if most of the guests are still working full time and have to get up early. If most of the guests are at retirement age, then you can be a little more flexible with the day of week and time.
7. Plan your party theme and menu (if you are doing the food yourself). Hiring a caterer or having the party at a restaurant eliminates this huge task, and you can rest easy knowing the food and drinks will be provided. If you are doing the cooking yourself, be sure you have everything you need well in advance and some helping hands. Prepare as many dishes before the day of the party as you can. This will prevent a lot of rushing around the big day. Why not just hire a caterer so you don’t have to worry about any of this and you can relax a bit more?
8. Send out your invitations and then start getting all the decorations and other supplies ready for the big day. If you’re hosting the party at your home, you’ll probably have a lot more work to do than if you hired a party planner, but in the long run, it will all have been worth it. The happy couple will have wonderful memories of this special event that you hosted in their hearts and minds forever.

PaperDirect has everything you need for your anniversary party from invitations to thank you notes. Need some more party planning tips? Check out these PaperDirect blogs:

• Event Planning Tips for the Beginner
• How to Throw a Surprise Party
• Party Planning Tips..

Mother’s Day is a very big deal for many men and women around the country, as it’s a day to honor the woman who brought us into this world and make her day as special as possible. Whether you want to honor a biological mother, stepmother, adoptive mother, grandmother or just someone who has been like a “mom” to you your whole life, what better way to say I Love You, Mom than with a Mother’s Day Party.

Some mothers will prefer a more low-key type of celebration–maybe just a quiet family dinner at home or in mom’s favorite restaurant. But for those moms who like a good party, why not use these Mother’s Day party ideas to throw mom a bash she’ll never forget!

When considering throwing a party for someone, it never hurts to find out how they feel about parties. If you know your mother is shy and prefers the company of family and maybe a few close friends instead of hundreds of acquaintances, then you should nix the idea of a Mother’s Day party altogether. But if you know the special woman in your life enjoys a good party and likes being the center of attention, check out these Mother’s Day party ideas to get your creative juices flowing. After all, Mother’s Day, which is always observed on the second Sunday of May (May 13, 2012) is right around the corner.

Mother’s Day party tips:

1. For a surprise party:Create a list of all invitees and send a spring themed invitation that clearly states it is a surprise party. PaperDirect has an extensive line of party invitations for all occasions and tastes.
2. Party decorations are a very important part of any celebration. Decoration should always be according to the taste of the person for whom the party is being thrown. Decorate the venue, be it a home or anyother place with flowers of your mother’s choice. If the party is at home, then change the look of home by putting up some beautiful family photos. PaperDirect also has a variety of vinyl banners on which you can personalize special messages to mom.
3. If you want to be really creative, you can choose a specific theme for your Mother’s Day party such as the 50’s or whatever decade will bring back fond memories to your mother or grandmother. You can do a Hawaiian theme party or an all white party. You can host a pool party (as long as a lifeguard is provided), or any number of other themes. Just make sure your mom would enjoy and approve of the theme you choose.
4. Food is one of the most important aspects of every party, and you want to be clear on the invitation what type of food will be served (appetizers only, full dinner, buffet, desserts, etc.) People don’t want to show up hungry expecting to eat only to find cheese and crackers and other light snacks. If you serve food, you must estimate how much food will be necessary to adequately feed all of your guests. Drinks are important, too. You must provide non-alcoholic drinks for those who don’t drink at all and you must be able to monitor alcohol consumption in case someone becomes too intoxicated to drive. It is your responsibility as host to ensure your guests get home safely. You can either have a designated driver to get your guests home or call them a cab.
5. Choose music that will be pleasurable to the majority of the guests. If your guest of honor and guests are senior citizens (or even if they’re not) you need to keep the volume to a comfortable level at which people can easily hold  a conversation without having to raise their voices. Be sure to provide an area to dance and dance music in case people want to boogie.
6. Hire a photographer and/or videographer to capture the party so it can be remembered for years to come. If you don’t have pictures and videos of this special event, you may regret it when Mom’s no longer with you.

PaperDirect is your one-stop online shopping source for many party items including personalized napkins, place cards, and thank you notes.  Looking for more party ideas and tips? Check out these PaperDirect blogs:

Party Planning Tips for the Novice Host

More Great Party Tips!

Online Invitation Printing for Last Minute Flyers

One of the most memorable events of a young couple’s life is their baby’s first birthday party, so if you’re getting ready to plan your little one’s first birthday party, you may need some birthday party tips for kids’ parties. While many young parents have visions of throwing an elaborate party that will be unforgettable for all those who attend (except, probably, for the guest of honor and all of her one-year-old guests), you must keep in mind that because your baby is only one year old, he may not be able to handle all the excitement you have planned. As much as you want to make this day unforgettable, you have to keep your guests’ comfort in mind as you plan. PaperDirect offers these birthday party tips for your little one’s big day:

Keep the guest list fairly small. You can invite just a few relatives, friends and their kids, and grandparents. Most party planning experts recommend no more than five kids (accompanied by a parent) at a baby’ first birthday party, but if you feel you can handle a larger crowd (and have plenty of help to do so), then, of course, feel free to invite as many little guys and gals as you like. Just remember that huge crowds may overwhelm the guest of honor.

Choose a baby-friendly venue. Your backyard or a local, familiar park is ideal so the kids can crawl and toddle around in the grass, and when things get spilled, no one will care since you’re in the great outdoors. But if you don’t want to gamble on the weather, or if you’re looking for a place away from home, you may want to consider fun places like a family-entertainment activity center, a kid-oriented gym, a kid-oriented pizza place, or even your own daycare center. These places are familiar to your child, and the staff at these locations know how to entertain children.

Pick a time for the party that matches your baby’s schedule. The best time of day for a party is when your child is most alert and calm–usually in the morning after a nap. Most experts say that 1.5 hours is long enough for a child’s first birthday party. Long parties and those held late in the afternoon or in the evening will find all the young guests low on energy, patience and attention.

Don’t go overboard with the entertainment. Loud music, performances and other types of shows may scare your child and his guests. Keep the activities fun but not too loud and rambunctious as your little guests will be scared if too much is going on at once. Here are some ideas for appropriate “entertainment” for a one-year-old’s birthday party: a short sing- and clap-along session with some of your child’s favorite songs and other age appropriate games. For a backyard party, supply push toys, tents, or tunnels, and if possible, a sandbox or digging area. Indoors, create a safe play area by removing breakable, dangerous items and setting out plenty of toys appropriate for the age group.

Offer food that caters to kids. For a morning party, the only food you’ll really need will be the cake and some juice. If you’re scheduling close to lunchtime, you can offer nutritious finger foods such as fruit slices, bread sticks, bite-sized treats and maybe some cooked pasta. Avoid any foods that may present a choking hazard, and of course, find out about any food allergies your young guests may have ahead of time.

Avoid opening presents during the party. Many experts say that opening gifts often turns into a grabbing “free for all,” and that it’s best to put the gifts out of sight and explain that they’ll be opened later.

Take plenty of pictures and video, so you can look back on one of the most important milestones in your child’s life. Not only will you, the parents, be able to relive your baby’s first birthday, but with pictures and video, this wondrous occasion will be preserved for generations to come. Imagine what it will feel like when you and your child watch this video with your grandchildren. Years later, when it comes time to watch this special event with family and friends, the effort will have been well worth it.

PaperDirect has an extensive line of party supplies including banners, invitations, place cards and thank you notes. Shop online and get everything you need at our one-stop online party shopping headquarters.

The key to throwing a surprise party is keeping the guest of honor from ever finding out, which is not easy. Another challenge throwing a surprise party presents is making sure the guest of honor actually shows up, and while many people say the only way to ensure this will happen is to hold the party at the guest of honor’s home, this can be very difficult to pull off. While you may know the schedule of the guest of honor and have help from his/her family members, something may come up that will make the guest of honor come home and catch everyone in the act of organizing the party.

Once you decide where you’re going to hold the surprise party, you must enlist the help of several friends and family members to make sure the party goes off without a hitch. There is nothing worse than the guest of honor finding out ahead of time that there is a “surprise” party in their honor. Then they’re forced to act surprised so as not to hurt the host’s feelings. Before you decide to host a surprise party, be sure the guest of honor will enjoy the occasion. Some people hate surprises so much that they may not even appreciate the gesture, which is the party host’s worst nightmare. Here are some suggestions on how to throw a surprise party in which your guest of honor will truly be surprised.

If the party is being thrown for someone in your household, ask a neighbor if you can store all the party supplies at his/her house, and make sure your neighbor keeps them well hidden just in case your guest of honor decides to stop by the neighbor’s house unannounced. If the celebrant does not live with you, then you can decorate your house in advance and just make sure the guest of honor does not stop by. Be sure that the people you ask for assistance can keep a secret because some people just cannot keep something this juicy to themselves.

Another suggestion on how to throw a suprise party is to have the the party held at a location the celebrant won’t consider suspicious. If you’re not having it in someone’s home, then choose a restaurant or bar that is familiar to the guest of honor. If you suggest going to someplace you’ve never been and don’t have a good excuse for going there, he/she may become suspicious.

Make sure all the guests park their cars far enough away from the party site so as not to arouse suspicion. If the guest of honor shows up at a house with twenty cars, he will surely figure out what is going on.

Another great trick to surprise your birthday guy or gal is to take them to a birthday dinner and let them think that is the gift or the party. Then, after dinner you can suggest stopping by another establishment for dessert or even a friend’s house to pick up a gift and that is where the actual surprise party will be.

If you are thinking about throwing a surprise party for a friend or a loved one, you must carefully plan and also plan for the unexpected. PaperDirect is your online source for party invitations, banners, and all the party event accessories you will need. The PaperDirect blog offers some great party planning tips.