by Kathleen Lynn

Created on: March 03, 2009

Spring brings us sunshine, flowers, and the excitement of having survived the winter blues. So now your ready to celebrate with your friends and family, but what are some ideas for get togethers and parties?

1. Have a Kite Party - Invite everyone to bring their kites and meet you at the local park. Tell them to bring a covered dish and a lawn chair if there are no picnic spots available. Throw some hot dogs on the outdoor grill at the park and spend the afternoon playing with kites.

2. Host a Mother's Tea Party- Mother's Day appears in May. Plan a tea party with your mommy friends and their daughters. If they do not have little girls, tell them to come anyway. Get some of your friends that have multiple daughters to volunteer to share their daughter for the afternoon. This will give the child a chance to interact with another adult, and may cheer up the mother who has raised rough and rowdy, yet precious, little boys. Have your daughters help you prepare for the tea party. Calligraphy the invitations or handwrite with cursive penmanship. If you need more space than just your dining table, set up a few card tables as well. Throw a lacy or pretty tablecloth over the tables. Provide teacups and saucers, fresh baked snacks, and napkins. Invite guests to dress up in their Sunday best for the event. What fun a group of ladies and little girls can have for an afternoon. And think of all the opportunities to laugh and gently teach the younger girls etiquette. For snacks, serve scones, pastries, light cakes and cookies. Reflect upon those regency romance novels you have read and get creative.

3. Host an Easter Egg Hunt - This can be a great family tradition as well as fun! Invite your family and friends to bring eggs to share. Involve your husbands in the event by giving them the eggs to hide in the backyard. If you know of a particularly daring male, dare him to come dressed as an Easter bunny for laughs. Take pictures of the kids with the Easter Bunny and cam-cord the event. Let the Easter Bunny start the egg hunt. If you would like and have the space in your yard, serve everyone sandwiches and chips and let the children continue to play games in the backyard.

4. Throw a BBQ - Get the grill smoking. Throw some meat on the grill and invite your neighbors to bring a lawn chair. Let them bring a side dish or dessert if they ask to bring something. If children will be present, toss up a volleyball net or make sure there is an activity well away from the grill to keep their attention.

5. Throw a Mayday Celebration - Let the children make flower necklaces, throw some music on and dance. Perhaps you or one of your friends is a dance instructor. Invite them to come spend an afternoon sharing the knowledge with the children. It might even spark one of the child's interests in further dance lessons.

6. Throw a gardening party - Does the thought of planting your garden by yourself fill you with dread? Throw a garden party! Invite those green thumbs in your life to come spend an afternoon helping you get your garden growing. As a reward promise them a batch of home made jam, pie, or other result. The afternoon of planting will pass much quicker with friends to visit and laugh as you work. Offer them each a starter plant to carry home. During harvest time, many wives used to gather together and help do the canning and baking of the goods.

What are you waiting for? Help yourself and those around you snap right out of the winter blues! Start planning your party today.

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