Party planning or muddling through? What do you do when the responsibility of producing a party is dropped on your lap? It’s not as if anyone was born knowing how to plan a party. With the exception of professionals in the parties and special events industry, most people muddle on their own.

Here you will find party tips, tricks, and my observations and adventures as a party performer with over 15 years of experience and owner of Faces & Fortunes, a party entertainment provider offering caricature and fortunetelling entertainment  in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Enjoy!

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Philadelphia has been deluged by the equivalent of a month’s worth of rain in just four days.

I look at the calendar, and , no, it’s not April. But it is the Ides of March. Today is a New Moon and Spring is around the corner. Both are signals to think ahead and plan for the coming season.

The recession certainly took its toll on celebrations, but don’t think for a minute that they aren’t happening. This afternoon, for example, I was booked to draw caricatures for a Sweet 16 in May.

What’s the trend? Many people have scaled back, but they are still celebrating milestone events like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, Bar Mitzvahs and the like. Business considerations aside, I don’t think that scaling back is a bad thing. It forces you to discern what is most important and restrain some of the keeping-up-with-the-Joneses  type pressures that many clients felt subjected to. And I think both hosts and guests are enjoying themselves more.

Nonetheless, May and June are typically busy months for Faces & Fortunes and I see that pattern continuing. If you are considering hosting a party or other kind of event for the coming season it is not too soon to get your arrangements in place.

If caricature or fortunetelling entertainment in the Philadelphia tri-state region is what you have in mind for your event, consider us here at  Faces & Fortunes.

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Bringing in a psychic or fortune teller to a party to provide light-hearted fun is a highly popular form of entertainment.

In this environment, readers generally use a tool such as Tarot cards or palm reading to give short, pithy readings for the enjoyment of party guests.

Generally, the reader is sequestered in a corner or separate room and guests sit down individually for readings that last approximately five to ten minutes.

Guests, being people with real lives, often bring their real life problems to the reader. And, even in the brief five-to-ten minute window of a typical party reading, the guests often receive valuable information that gives them a real insight into the issue at hand.

It is common for clients to raise concerns that the party readings are not too heavy – and a good party reader will give valuable information without crossing that line so that guests have a great time.

But, occasionally, a client wants to go very deep.

If that client is you, it is best to set up a one-to-one private session.

Certain types of readers and certain types of readings do not work well in a fast-paced party environment.

One example is when you wish to make contact with a dead loved-one. That is done through a medium. Mediums work by providing a clear channel between the living and the spirit world.

It takes a great deal of emotional energy for the medium to do this type of work. It is even harder on the medium to do a rapid series of readings in succession which is exactly what is required in a party setting and few mediums would be able to handle the demand physically.

Another problem in using mediumship for party readings is that most party attendees carry an expectation that a medium can just summon up ‘Uncle Joe’ at will. And now that they heard from ‘Uncle Joe’ they would like to hear from ‘Grandma Millie.’

No medium can compel any spirit to appear and, just as in our physical world, Uncle Joe and Grandma Millie may not be available or willing.

It is a no-win situation for the medium and a recipe for frustration to guests and the host.

I know and hire many gifted psychics and mediums through Faces & Fortunes, my party entertainment business. Those who choose to offer party work leave their mediumship at home. Yet they still offer excellent readings that makes them hugely popular with clients and guests. That is because they have learned through experience not to cross the line between entertainment and deep spiritual work.

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There are lots of reasons to get together for parties in the winter; couples still marry, people still have birthdays…

In other words, life goes on during all four seasons.

Nonetheless, the winter of 2009/2010 has to be the strangest that I’ve ever seen. Here in Philadelphia, we have had the snowiest winter on record. February is not even halfway gone and this region has already had over 72″ of snow.

When Philadelphia’s snow totals top Buffalo, NY, it’s time to shake your head.

One local meteorologist, Glen “Hurricane” Schwartz points out that 80% of the major storms occur during a weekend-prime time for party-time. So far, I’ve been booked during both of this year’s major Saturday storms and I’m proud to say that I managed to get to both events. And both events went on.

I had to drive in the middle of the December blizzard (and started to have second thoughts about my line of work). And then last Saturday, I drove 60 miles from Philadelphia to New Brunswick. Fortunately, the snow had stopped by then and, kudos to the PA and NJ Departments of Transportation… both turnpikes were spotless.

But that’s the thing about hiring professionals; when you need them to come through for you, they do.

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The right kind of party entertainment will make your party. Guests will remember the party and they will remember you.

Choose wisely and a little can go a long way.

Here are some examples:

A magician’s 45-minute show entertains the audience and becomes a focal point to the event.

Caricatures work well at family events. A caricature artist can produce a focus of attention as guests come to watch the artist draw. They’re popular with all age groups. And the caricature drawings themselves will carry more sentimental value as time goes by.

Clowns, face painting and balloons are popular with kids (although some small children find clowns frightening).

Sometimes it is fun to twist generational expectations.  What is generally seen as entertainment designed for children such as face painting and clowns can be fun for adults who want to let down their hair and be grown-up kids. Find acts that are comfortable with your target group–some clowns do entertain adults as do magicians and caricature artists.

A cool party entertainment idea that is particularly popular with women is bringing in a fortuneteller or Tarot reader to your event. I had recently performed Astrology mini-readings at a tea for a wonderful woman who had just turned 60.

(A ladies tea, by the way, is a great idea for a low key birthday party)!

But I have been invited to read astrology charts at a sleep-over party for a 10 year-old girl and her friends. And Mom got a reading, too.

Birthday parties can vary from the very small and intimate to large and elaborate. The size of the event will be governed by a number of factors.

What are the preferences of the guest of honor? Does the guest of honor have definite ideas about what he or she wants the birthday party to have? Does he or she like to be the center of attention?

For that person, consider a high energy environment with, perhaps a roast, or a cabaret about that person’s life. For someone who is not so comfortable being in the spotlight, a low key, elegant brunch might be more in keeping with his personality.

Other considerations:

Do you want your entertainment to be low-key or do you want it to be a show? A magician can stroll among the guests or set up to entertain an audience.

Do you want your live entertainment to double as a party favor? Then, live caricature or silhouettes would fill the bill.

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The typical American Bar Mitzvah celebration proceeds as follows: First there is a cocktail hour for approximately an hour. Butlered hor d’eurves are often served as guests circulate.

Then guests are ushered into a room where the main celebration takes place. The guest of honor’s family is presented and the candle-lighting ceremony begins.

The candle-lighting ceremony is an innovation developed by the DJ community; not part of Jewish religious tradition, as some  believe.

Its function is for the Bar Mitzvah child to pay tribute to the friends and family that shaped him or her into the young man or woman that she has now become. The guest of honor reads a tribute and asks significant people in his or her life to come up and light one of 13 candles. As they come up they are accompanied by appropriate music played by the DJ or band. This is followed by the all of the guests joining in circle dancing to traditional tunes.

A meal is served, either sit-down or buffet. This is interspersed by dancing for all and games for the children. Often there is additional entertainment such as a caricature artist or two as well as favors for the children. Bar Mitzvah celebrations in this format generally last 4-5 hours.

There are other variations. Some families choose to hold two separate celebrations. One is a shorter luncheon oriented towards family and adult guests. Later there is a separate gathering of the Bar Mitzvah age guests in a more casual location (and a higher decibel level). The latter boasts louder dance music generally provided by a DJ. It is chaperoned by the Bar Mitzvah parents perhaps assisted by a small group of adults.

The advantage here is that each event is oriented more closely to the needs of each group.

Occasionally a Bar Mitzvah celebration will take another tack altogether. One of the most charming celebrations I attended was a Bat Mitzvah for a girl held in her Temple following her Shabbat service. A sit-down luncheon was served. The girls numbered approximately two dozen.

They were provided with a separate table with quilting squares and asked to design their own squares. I provided caricature entertainment. The guests had a wonderful time. The girls were absolutely charming. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves and were well behaved.

In summary, the Bar Mitzvah celebration marks the time that the Jewish boy or girl becomes an adult in the eyes of Jewish law. The religious component is observed in the rituals performed at the Bar Mitzvah’s Shabbat service. The reception afterwards is a thoroughly secular affair and gives the guest of honor’s family and friends a chance to come together and celebrate the happy occasion.

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Birthday parties can be as simple or elaborate as you choose. And they can be as individual as the person whom you are honoring.

But most important, birthday parties are fun!

Before planning your birthday party, decide on its focus.

When planning your birthday party it’s useful to know if it is adult centered, child centered or family centered. And sometimes your party will have elements from more than one category.

Deciding on the focus will guide you when selecting your theme, pacing, food, and entertainment.

Children’s birthday parties may be either child centered or family centered.

Inviting a dozen four year olds over to your home (with a couple adults on-hand to keep things runnning smoothly) is an example of a child centered birthday party.

A birthday party for a one-year old whose guest list is made up of immediate and extended family members of all ages is a family centered event.

Likewise the guest list of an adult’s birthday party may consist of his or her friends (adult centered) or extended family (family centered). Or a mix of both.

As with any event focused on a single guest of honor, you’ll want to keep his or her preferences in mind. But, you’ll also want to plan the party with consideration of the age groups of the guests.

At family birthday parties you’ll be accommodating a variety of age groups. (What do the little ones do while the grownups sit around and catch up on conversation?) How about a table with arts and crafts supplies set up? Even simple crayons and paper will do.

But the charm of a family centered event is the opportunity for people to interact across generational lines.

Consider the food when planning your birthday party. Socializing while eating is often a focal point of the event.

Food can set the theme. Have Caribbean food for a Caribbean themed event.

But do know your guests’ preferences and needs. Not everyone likes or can tolerate spicy fare, for example. Have alternatives available for those people. These days having a vegetarian option will appeal to many.

If alcohol is served, have a provision for a designated driver or spare bed for someone who drinks more than they should.

Games and activities that includes everyone will make everyone feel included.

Consider entertainment in your birthday party planning.

Well-chosen entertainment can add color and focus to your event. And a little can go a long way.

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If you live in a Jewish community or have Jewish friends, then sooner or later you will be invited to attend a Bar Mitzvah.

The Bar Mitzvah is a ceremony that marks a rite of passage for Jewish children. According to Jewish law, this is when a child becomes an adult in the eyes of Jewish law and becomes a full-fledged member of the Jewish community.

As part of the ceremony, the child is called upon to read from the Torah, say prayers, and read passages during the Shabbat service.

The term “Bar Mitzvah,” applied to boys means son of the commandment. (“Bat Mitzvah,” applied to girls means daughter of the commandment).

Up until the beginning of the twentieth century, only boys received their Bar Mitzvah. As European and American society opened up for women and girls, they, too, wanted to participate in this rite of passage. Now it is commonplace for Jewish girls to participate in this ceremony.

This is a time of great rejoicing. Afterwards, it is traditional to have a celebration marked by the coming together of friends and family at which food is served.

There is no religious component to the celebration afterwards – only to the service.

This is good news for you if you are planning a Bar Mitzvah celebration for your child. Because it means you can arrange it any way you want.

Bar Mitzvah celebrations range from the very simple to the very elaborate. Most fall in between. In the past 30 years, as social pressures and expectations have increased, celebrations have become larger and more elaborate although the current economic downturn has slowed that trend.

Another trend is that Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations are becoming more theme based and child focused.

Centerpieces and other decor often reflect favorite hobbies and interests of the Bar Mitzvah child.

Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations most often take place in the synagogue or temple where the service was held, or a banquet hall in a hotel, restaurant, or country club.

Sometimes they can take place in at home. They usually take place on a Saturday afternoon just following the service or the Saturday evening. Occasionally it may take place on a Sunday.

Invitees are immediate and extended family members, friends of the family, and friends of the Bar Mitzvah child.

In the 1980’s the DJ community targeted Bar Mitzvah celebrations as a market for their services. In so doing they shaped the celebration into what we often see today .

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Book a Caribbean cruise during January and you’ll quickly learn the meaning of the term “peak season.”

Like the travel industry, the party and special events industry has its own peak times. And keeping these in mind is handy when planning your event.

Just like making the decision whether to book a Caribbean cruise in January or October, you’ll find you have greater availability and flexibility engaging events services if you can avoid times of peak demand.

Late Spring, early Autumn, and the December holiday season tend to be peak times for most special events providers in moderate climates. Weekends, particularly Saturdays tend to be in highest demand throughout the year. Mondays are in less demand than Fridays for weekday events.

Being aware of booking patterns has real consequences for your planning and you pocketbook. Book during times of high demand and your costs will be higher and choices will be fewer.

For example, a lovely venue in suburban Philadelphia will charge you double if your wedding takes place on a Saturday evening in June rather than a Sunday afternoon in April. And yet the grounds in late April are lovely, with trees in blossom and flowers in bloom.

But the reason for the rate disparity is obvious. The facility turns away many Saturday June clients and is anxious to fill openings on April Sundays.

Other services have their own peculiar booking patterns, but you get the idea.

Performers rates are unlikely to skyrocket for peak time bookings (New Year’s Eve is a notable exception). But their minimums may increase and desired dates are snatched quickly.

Some dates are peak only to certain specialized segments of the events industry. For example, my company is challenged to fill all of the requests for Tarot readers for the Saturday evening preceding Halloween.

And then there is the odd date that seems to be very popular for no apparent reason. There are just some random weekends when it just seems that everyone is planning a party.

So what is the most in-demand time for most vendors? Saturday evenings in December before Christmas when holiday parties for families and businesses are extremely popular.

If your event must be held then, plan early and expect to pay a premium … just as you would if you were traveling to a resort during its peak travel season.

Or postpone the event until January and have greater flexibility and more reasonable rates.

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Creating a children’s tea party is easy and fun. And, it is a great way to teach children etiquette as well as creating lasting memories.

Here are some ideas to get you started so you will be ready for the little ladies and gentlemen. But do not limit yourself to these. Use your imagination and creativity, and most of all, have fun!

Invitations
Cut out the shape of a teapot in white or light colored construction paper. Write the invitation details.

Or take a small rectangle of card stock or construction paper, write your invitation details on it, and glue to an actual tea bag.

Perhaps your little ladies may want to invite Teddy Bear, Dolly, and Grandma as well.

Children’s Tea Party Decor
Set a table with a tablecloth and napkins.

If you are having a large party, put everything on two or three tables near where you will make the tea. Then set up smaller tables and chairs around the room.

Paper doilies on the serving plates, bouquets of fresh flowers for your centerpieces add to the tone.

And, of course, you’ll want a teapot; preferably ceramic. If you don’t have one, they can be had inexpensively from garage sales and thrift shops.

Activities and Games
For young guests, asking everyone to join in singing I’m a Little Tea Pot is a must.

And reading a favorite whimsical story will go over well. Some recommendations are books by Beatrix Potter, Alice In Wonderland, and Winnie-the-Pooh.

Arts and crafts activities work well also.

By their nature, children’s tea parties lend themselves to playing dress-up. To get suitable clothes (formal, the bigger the better) clean out your closet and ask friends to contribute. Afterwards the clothes can be returned or donated to charity.

Include lots of scarves and jewelry. Long Mardi Gras beads work especially well for this purpose.

Get lots of inexpensive make-up.

Food and Drink
This is the heart of a tea party. Why, the beverage would be tea, of course. But if the children are too young to handle the hot liquid, you can substitute punch or other cold beverage.

Serve food in small bite sized portions. Some examples? Think bite-sized sandwiches filled with egg salad, peanut butter and jelly, or other yummy fillings the kids would like. You can use cookie cutters to make them into unusual shapes.

You’ll also want to serve small cookies and cakes.

Need party supplies? Makeagreatparty.com has great all-in-one packages that generally include coordinated plates, cups, utensils, invitations, balloons, streamers, etc. for this and other party themes.

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The next best thing to going to Hawaii is having a Hawaiian party.

Palm trees, the big surf and sand beaches of Waikiki, Hula girls, floral leis… Hawaii holds a great attraction for many-and makes a great theme for a fun children’s party.

This post assumes that you are planning to hold your party at home (of course if Hawaii is your home, you have a leg up on the rest of us:)

Use the ideas below as a springboard for your imagination. They are intended as suggestions only.

Most supplies can be made at home or purchased nearby inexpensively.

Below are links to reputable online suppliers if you’d rather your keyboard ‘do the walking’.

If you don’t have the time or inclination to do it all yourself, there are wonderful resources online which will provide you with complete party packages.

So feel free to use as few or as many as you want and modify them as you wish.

Or you can make an ‘airline ticket’ to Hawaii. Cut oak tag or white card stock or construction paper into oblong shapes. On one end draw or cut out a square. draw or paste a picture of a palm tree or Hawaiian scene. On the other end, write in big black letters, ‘Airline Ticket to Hawaiian getaway.

On the back write the invitation detail (you can do this on your computer if that is handy).

Decor
You can purchase leis, paper plates and napkins, cups with tropical designs, balloons, etc. at your local party store and turn your back yard or your rec room into Oahu.

Draw, then cut out palm trees from construction paper. String fishnet across the room (also works for pirate and tropical fish themes).

Travel posters, posters showing surfers, Hula girls, etc. add to the effect. If you don’t have any readily available, AllPosters is an excellent source.

Music
There is so much wonderful Hawaiian music that it is easy to add it to the festivities to evoke the mood. Here is a source for Hawaiian music.

Food
What to drink? Why, Hawaiian or tropical punch, of course!

Order a pu-pu platter from your local Chinese restaurant.

If the event is outdoors, then fire up the grill and serve the old favorites such as bar-be-cued hot dogs and hamburgers.

Fish, coconuts, macadamia nuts and tropical fruits such as pineapple are also associated with the Islands.

Bite-sized pieces of tropical fruit in a bowl are colorful and tasty.

Pretzels or potato chips can be served in a Beachcomber hat turned upside down. Line it with colorful napkins or plastic wrap first.

Whole pineapples and coconuts are not only tasty, but make great centerpieces.

Games and Activities:

Have a hula contest. Or watch a theme related movie. Elvis in Blue Hawaii and South Pacific are two that come to mind. This idea is particularly good for slumber or sleepover parties.

Kids can make drawings or cutouts of Hawaiian related themes such as tropical fish, palm trees, pineapples, hula girls.

Pool games are great if it is summer and a backyard pool is available.

And what Island or Hawaiian themed party could be complete without the Limbo?

ShindigZ offers limbo sets and more. Some twists they recommend are turning off the lights and using a flashlight as a limbo stick, or (if it is hot and guests are wearing bathing suits), using the garden hose as a limbo stick.

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