5 Fantastic Ideas For Hosting A St. Patrick's Day Bash

InkPixi customers having a grand time at their get-together!

Having a party can be overwhelming. Just thinking about it is sounds expensive and exhausting. InkPixi has some tips to help you throw a fun, family-friendly party and save you money in the process.

Tip #1 Planning – Thoughtful planning will help make your party run more smoothly.
• Don’t try to do everything yourself, enlist the help of your family. If friends offer to assist with food or manpower – let them. (This can save time and money.)
• Make a playlist. Your family can help with this task. You don’t want to host a party without music. Think fun and kid-friendly.
• When setting up, think about the flow of the party and rearrange the furniture accordingly. Remember, you don’t need to provide seating for everyone unless you are hosting a sit down meal.
• Adjust the thermostat. You may want to turn the temperature down a few degrees, especially if you will have a full house. (This will also save on your gas/electric bill.)
• Plan make-ahead food and games, then on party day you can focus on having fun!
• Make a list of people you plan to ask. Allow your family to choose some guests. Set a limit on the number of invitees and stick to it. (We suggest inviting approximately 10 additional people than you expect.) Send out your invitations early – two to three weeks in advance.

Tip #2 Invitations – Invitations need not be expensive.
• There are plenty of free printables on the web.
• Get the family involved and make your own. Have your kids cut shamrocks from green paper and hand-write your party info.
• Hand out as many invitations as you can to save money on postage.
• You can send charming and fun email invitations.

Tip #3 Food – Host your party after lunch or dinner to avoid serving a full meal. Plan to have appetizers and beverages. Appetizers should be festive, here are a few ideas:
• Create green punch (combine Lemon Lime soda and Ginger Ale, add Lime Sherbet).
• Make a fruit tray that looks like a rainbow with gold foiled candy (pot o’ gold) at one end and marshmallows (clouds) at the opposite end.
• Construct a vegetable tray that looks like the Irish Flag. Assemble orange vegetables (carrots and orange peppers), white vegetables (cauliflower), and green vegetables (broccoli, green peppers, celery) on a serving tray.
• Tint cookie dough with green food coloring.
• Fill bowls with orange and green candies.

Tip #4 Decorations – Think green, orange, and white.
You can purchase streamers, ribbon, balloons, and construction paper from a dollar store. Use your imagination. Get the kids involved and be creative. This is a great family activity.
Don’t forget the centerpiece. Some suggestions are Pots of Gold (black pot filled with gold foiled candies), green tinted carnations in a vase, or a balloon display.

Tip #5 Games – There are a plethora of ideas on the Internet for family friendly games.
o Look for minute-to-win-it game ideas. They are fun and will keep everyone entertained.
o Have a Luck of the Irish Treasure Hunt for the kids.
o Photo booths are very popular, entertaining, and a lot of fun. You can easily set up a photo booth. For the backdrop, use streamers made to look like a rainbow and grab some cheap props from the dollar store.

A little cutie sporting a personalized InkPixi tee, Irish glasses, and leprechaun hat!

Now that you are party savvy, get started planning your entertaining, economical, and family-friendly St. Patrick’s Day Party. Don’t forget to relax and enjoy!