St. Patrick's Day Party Ideas

Whoop it up this St. Patrick's Day with fun ideas for party-goers of all ages who want to celebrate their Irish heritage or who just want to be Irish for a day! Below, find the fixin's for favorite party foods, drinks, decorating, games and activities, with related St. Paddy's Day party resources from around the Web ....

Irish Food & Fixin's

Boil up the traditional corned beef and cabbage with sides of potatoes, carrots (and lots of butter) or head off the main road to serve an old-fashioned Irish Lamb Stew, or Colcannon (in the UK it's called "bubble and squeak'). If you're really feeling your oats, how about a traditional Shepherd's Pie made with chunks of lamb and vegetables?

Goin' Green

A splash o' green on party streamers, tableclothes and tableware will get guests in the mood for some serious St. Patrick's Day partyin'! Have plenty of green food dye to color the beer and other St. Patrick's Day party drinks (and don't forget a mug of Irish coffee for dessert!)

And what would St. Patrick's Day be without an authentic recipe for Irish soda bread?

St. Patrick's Day Songs, Games and Activities

Get them rolling in the aisles with an Irish Jig Dance Off with prizes for the best, most creative or funniest interpretation set to traditional Irish music on the CD player.

A round of Irish trivia is always fun, or get your guests moving at a St. Patrick's Day scavenger hunt with Irish-themed items hidden about the house. Of course, for a real authentic party atmosphere, decorate a part of the house to look like an Irish pub and let the darts game tournament begin!

Meanwhile, you can keep the little ones busy with downloadable St. Patrick's Day coloring pages, puzzles and craft activities. Just for laughs, also get the adults involved in constructing a Leprechaun trap that's easily made with a cardboard box and an old shoe!

Send guests home extra happy with party goodie bags filled with a combination of treats to take with them including shamrock plants, gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins, green mint candies, shamrock stickers, or "Kiss Me I'm Irish" pins.

Have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

More about St. Patrick's Day party ideas around the Web:

St. Patrick's Day Party Ideas

St. Patrick's Day Party Ideas from Evite

New Year's Eve Family Night Activities

Although New Year's Eve is most often reserved for adult partying, the night can also be filled with fun and entertainment for the whole family fun at home with just a little planning.

Keep food easy and appealing for everyone, i.e., chips and dip, a veggie platter, chicken fingers, deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, or simply order in a pizza! Also have plenty of champagne ready for the adults, and fixings for 'mocktails" for the kids such as Virgin Pina Coladas or Shirley Temples.

In addition, follow these tips and suggestions for a New Year's Eve party game & activity ideas that will have family and younger guests cozying up to loved ones and family friends as they welcome in the New Year ....

New Year's Eve Predictions

For older teens and adults familiar with how to play, break out the Ouija board or tarot cards for a spooky night of fortune telling.

Introduce the younger kids to "Magic 8 Ball" and stand back for the giggle-producing results as the classic novelty toy mysteriously answers their questions about the future.

New Year's Eve Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are a great ice breaker, and usually result in lots of laughs - as holiday revelers compete to find items hidden throughout the house, in the backyard, or around the entire neighborhood. (Tip: alert the neighbors so they don’t think there are intruders in their backyard!)

Depending on how well you’ve hidden your ‘treasure”, items in a New Year's scavenger hunt can be awarded separate points for ease, or difficulty. The party contestants who amass the most points are named the winners, so be sure to have prizes ready for the highest scorers.

Suggestions for items to hide for a New Year scavenger hunt might include: a party hat, streamers, noise makers, plastic champagne glass, a clock, Happy New Year card, Happy New Year balloon, drink stirrers, coasters, chocolate coins, a calendar, or silver bells to ring in the New Year.

New Year's Eve Pinanta

Who doesn't love a pinata? No reason not to have one on New Year's Eve for a fun kid competition.

Make your own homemade pinata using 1. a large shopping bag, 2. New Year's Eve clip art 3. paper glue 4. stapler.

Instructions: download and print out a picture of a New Year's Eve party hat, Father Time, or other holiday clip art and glue it to the shopping bag. Further decorate as you please with tinsel or glitter. Fill your decorated shopping bag with candy and staple the bag closed. String up from the ceiling using heavy cord. Provide a pinata stick or plastic baseball bat, line up the contestants - and stand back!

Happy New Year!

More about New Year's Eve family night games & activities around the Web:

New Year's Fun and Games - Family Fun

Best Mocktails Recipes

Printable New Year's Eve Party Games

New Year Coloring Pages

Memorial Day Party Ideas

First observed in 1868 to commemorate fallen solidiers following the Civil War, Memorial Day evolved into a holiday that remembers all in the military who gave their lives in service to the USA.

Although today Memorial Day is mostly about a three-day weekend and the unofficial start of summer cookouts, here are some great ways to incorporate the true meaning of the day into your Memorial Day festivities:

Decorations

Use plenty of red, white and blue, of course! Decorate with the patriotic color theme with colored carnations and balloons. Mix and match tableware by using red napkins, blue plates and white plastic knives and forks. For a lovely effect at dusk,  backyard lights in patriotic colors will set the mood even as the sun goes down.

Food

Nothing says Memorial Day like an outdoor barbecue of grilled chicken and steaks, shish kebab, hot dogs or burgers alongside fresh macaroni or potato salad. Wash it all down with fresh homemade lemonade or ice tea. And  don't forget the other cool treats of the season with generous slices of watermelon or a heaping bowl of fruit salad.

For dessert, serve cupcakes frosted white with red strawberries and blueberries, or use the same ingredients to make an American flag sheet cake.

Fun Memorial Day Activities

Backyard party games like horseshoes or volley ball are the order of the day, or go fly a kite! (and et Dad take the reigns and show the kids how it's done.) 

And what would Memorial Day be without the music? Load up the iPod or CD player with these Top 10 favorite patriotic tunes:

1. Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen
   
2. American Pie - Don McLean
   
3. Stars and Stripes Forever - John Phillips Sousa
   
4. The Star-Spangled Banner - Francis Scott Key
   
5. Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John
   
6. Only In America - Brooks And Dunn
   
7. This Land Is Your Land - Woody Guthrie
   
8. God Bless the USA - Lee Greenwood
   
9. Some Gave All - Billy Ray Cyrus
   
10. Arlington - Trace Adkins
    

More Memorial Day party ideas around the Web:

Barbecue and Outdoor Entertaining

How to Host a Memorial Day Barbecue

Summer party ideas for kids

Fun Pool Party Games & Activites

Besides the food and music, what's a pool party without the games? Here are some of our favorites for making a big splash with guests this summer. Be sure to have the camera ready!

Rubber Ducky Race

Provide a floating bathtub toy for each guest before they arrive to arrange this giggle-producing game for kids of all ages. It sounds simple as each player must push their duck to the other end of the pool. However, how they do it is up to you. For added difficulty, tell players they must only use head butts, their noses, their pinkies (or use your imagination). The first one to push their duck across the pool is declared the winner! 

Watermelon Slushy

Players push a watermelon from one end of the pool to the other without touching the bottom of the pool with their feet! Make it more fun by planning it as relay race for individuals or teams.  

Pool Party Treasure Hunt

Small plastic toys that are suitable for this game, just make sure they're sinkable to have players vie for a chance to find them at the bottom of the pool. The player with the most toys wins!

Cannonball Splash

Who can make the biggest splash?

Tug-O-War

Just like regular tug-o-war, only the rope is extended across the pool with teams on either side. The losing team is all wet as they get pulled into the pool by the opposing team!

Have fun ...

More about pool party games around the Web:

• Coolest Kid Pool Party Games
  
  
• Water Games | Pool Party Games
  
  
• Fun Pool Party Games - Associated Content