It’s the summer and what’s the best party for your birthday? A beach party, of course! But no worries. You don’t have to be at the beach to have a beach party. You can do it from the comfort of your own home.

Invitations

Try to be as creative with your invitations as much as possible, to get your guests really excited for the big day. Write down all the information in a small paper, frayed at the edges if possible, and insert it in a bottle. Cut your paper into the shape of a palm tree or sea shell. Put the invitation in a plastic bucket with a plastic trowel. The list is endless!

Decorations

It’s best to have this outdoors as much as possible. Place sand around the edges of the venue. Buy inflatable palm trees and place them all over the venue. Separate the venue from the rest of the place with tiki curtains. Provide flipflops or leis for all the guests.

Food and Drinks

Serve grilled everything. Burgers, corn, mushroom, hotdogs, basically any food that can be eaten with just the hands. Prepare beach blankets so people can sit on them while munching their food. Or maybe patio chairs. Hand out drinks in colorful tumblers, preferably with little umbrellas on it.

Costume

You can if you want to. Have the girls come in swimsuits, sarongs, sundresses, shirts, shorts and flipflops or sandals. Have the men come in shirts, sandals and Hawaiian-themed shirts perhaps?

Games

Have a pinata and fill it with candies or anything else you can think of. Do the newspaper dance with beach blankets. But start off with smaller blankets or the game will take forever to finish. Hide seashells all over the venue and have a seashell scavenger hunt.

When it comes to beach parties, just be as creative and imaginative as possible. But most importantly, make sure you’re having a lot of fun.

“[M]ost people are just plain scared to entertain,” says Denise Vivaldo, author of Do It for Less! Parties. Her book, and another I recently discovered, The Surreal Gourmet Entertains by Bob Blumer, go head to head with many of the common fears that keep us from giving parties. The two books are very different in style, but they both contain plenty of solid advice, and leave you with the feeling that entertaining might not be so bad after all.

If you’re afraid that . . .

• you’ll forget something really important — Do It For Less! tells you exactly what lists you need to make to ensure everything’s covered.
• your house just isn’t up to it, The Surreal Gourmet says, “Overcoming the shortcomings of your surroundings will add to the pleasure and spontaneity of the party.” If you only have two chairs, he says, put them away, seat everyone on the floor, and eat Japanese.
• you’ll miscalculate how much food/drink/table space you need, Do It for Less!, written by a professional caterer, has charts and estimates for everything.
• people won’t get there on time, The Surreal Gourmet has a trick that will work once: Pretend to be someone else, giving a surprise party for you.
• you won’t be able to think of a theme, or you’ll pick the wrong theme: The two books disagree here, to a point. Do It for Less! finds themes inspiring; The Surreal Gourmet says they’re risky. “Half-baked themes tend to die slow and miserable deaths.” He goes on to suggest some, nonetheless. You can read some suggested themes and make up your own mind — it’s your party.

Both books have tons more tips for the party-phobic, as well as plenty of recipes that’ll feed small or large crowds. If you want to get over your fears of entertaining, either one is a great place to start.

Maybe you’re thinking of getting out the punchbowl for your next party this summer. It’s a touch more elegant than a cooler full of juice boxes and soda cans, and if you make your own soft drinks you can use natural ingredients and adjust the taste to your liking.

Some flavors seem naturally cooling. Mint and lemon are two of them, so why not try them together? People in the Middle East have been enjoying mint lemonade for years.

After experimenting with several mint lemonade recipes, each with its different way of combining the ingredients, I found this to be best:

Boil 2/3 cup of fresh mint leaves in three cups of water for five minutes. (It’s handy if you have mint in your garden — if not, you can make mint tea from teabags.) Remove from heat and carefully mix in 1/2 cup of sugar. It’ll dissolve more easily while the liquid is hot. Cool completely and strain out the mint leaves. Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

Mint goes well with other flavors, too. Here’s a recipe for non-alcoholic mint juleps (yes, the original kind are great, but some of us have to drive home). This came from an undated vintage cookbook from the Woman’s Institute Library of Cookery, with a couple of changes by me.

Make the mint, water, and sugar mixture as for mint lemonade. Then add:

• 1 cup mixed berry juice (the original recipe calls for cherry, but that’s not so common anymore)
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• enough green food coloring to make it an appetizing color (the all-natural ingredients, sadly, don’t do this on their own)

Makes eight servings.

If you serve this in glasses, you can garnish them with mint sprigs, or cherries for a color contrast.

August 21 marks the 2010 Woodward Dream Cruise. What started out as a small fundraiser for a soccer field evolved into the world’s largest one-day automotive event that draws in 1.5 million people from around the world, including New Zealand, Japan and Australia.

The event started, in August 1995, as a tribute to the 50s and 60s and Woodward Avenue, America’s first highway. Everybody went to Woodward Avenue and supported the local establishments located along the highway mostly because these were the places to see and be seen. These were Ted’s, Totem Pole and the Varsity, Hollywood, Wigwam and Suzie Q’s and Big Boy.

These were the drive-in restaurants that everybody went to show off their muscle cars, convertibles with their over-sized cars, open tops and custom-painted flames. If you wanted to show off your car, make sure you’re at one of these establishments and everybody will see you.

Woodward Avenue became so influential that the Big Three (GM, Ford and Chrysler) used the highway to test their prototypes. Some of these cars included the Mustang GT, Chevy Camaro and Dodge Charger. The Woodward Dream Cruise continues to operate for free through the help of its corporate sponsors. Visit the Auto Showroom, which features exhibitors that include auto dealers, car clubs and auto accessories shops.

Woodward Dream Cruise will take place on Saturday, August 21, 2010, between 9am and 9pm through the 16-mile stretch of Woodward Avenue in Southeast Michigan. It continues to be a family-friendly, alcohol-free event with police department nearby on foot, horse and vehicle to ensure the safety of the people attending the event. If you’re coming from out-of-state, be sure to book your hotel early.

This Labor Day, cap off your summer with a pleasant picnic party.  Its the perfect excuse to head outdoors, and enjoy nature! You can keep this party on the small side or make it as large as you want. Setting up a picnic is pretty simple as the theme is nature, giving you the choice of holding the party at a local park or in the comfort of your backyard. Read on for more ideas on how to create the perfect Labor Day Picnic.

1- Make It A Pot Luck Picnic

Save yourself from extra work and ask everyone to bring a little something to the picnic. You can make a bunch of sandwiches or barbeque chicken and ask your friends to bring side dishes, desserts, or even beverages.

2- Keep All Decor Simple

The only things you really need are tablecloths, paper plates, plastic forks and knives, paper napkins, and plastic cups.

3- Prepare To Battle Bugs

To ward off any unwanted visitors, bring citronella candles to light up during the picnic.  Citronella is a natural bug repellent that is harmless to humans.

4- Extend Your Afternoon With Games For All

Make your Labor Day picnic more than just about food, extend the summer fun with games that everyone can enjoy. Think frisbee tournaments, softball games, bingo, and the classic potato sack race.

5- Keep Everyone Hydrated

Make sure the pitchers of fruit punch and lemonade are full at all times. You could also just keep a large supply of water bottles and diet sodas on hand.

6- Cap Off The Party With A Fantastic Desert.

No party is ever complete without a big treat so spoil your guests with an ice cream cake or a cookie tray.

A barbecue doesn’t have to mean burgers, chicken, or ribs. A pizza party doesn’t have to mean heating up the kitchen, either. You can combine two American traditions and make pizza on your barbecue.

Here’s how:

• Use your favorite fresh — not frozen –  pizza dough for the crust. It can be homemade or ready made.
• Heat the barbecue to about 350, using an oven thermometer to measure. “Try to recreate an oven,” says IdeaOffer reader JAC.
• Put the toppings on the crust before you begin cooking. Some people like to grill both sides of the crust, then put on toppings, but we found this didn’t improve the taste.
• Put the crust on a well-greased pan or piece of foil.
• Raise it off the grill, and close the lid. Reader Diana Smith recommends bricks for this; we had better luck with a large empty coffee can. It was just the right size for a one-person pizza, and the cheese browned just right.  (I got the tin can  idea from the Urban Griller.) You can put the pan or foil right on the grill, but the pizza is much more likely to burn that way, we found. A barbecue grill’s not the most evenly heated surface.
• Grill the pizza for roughly as long as you would bake it, but be more watchful than you would if it were in the oven. JAC says, “Keep an eye on the temperature and the flames at all times in relation to the dough.”
• When the pizza is done and cooling, you may want to put more cheese on. In fact, we made two that had only cheddar cheese as toppings — one with the cheese put on the crust before grilling, one with it put on after — and they came out pretty much the same.

Think about making your next barbecue a pizza party.

If you can’t make it to Hawaii this summer then bring the Luau home this summer with a fun summer party! Its so easy and fun, all you need to host a luau style party is a yard, tiki decor, chilled cocktails,  summer music, and, of course, friends.  Read on for the essential luau party blueprint plans.

1- Decor and Music

Think kitschy with palm trees, tikis, flowers, and paper lanterns. You can set the scene with a few bamboo torches and faux palm trees. Keep the decor minimal and add a little bit color. If you can afford it, buy real flowers (like orchids) and place them in a clear vase for a centerpiece.  If not, then decorate the area with faux flowers or flower garlands.   Have fun with decorating but don’t overdo it!

Next up is the music! You can buy summer or beach party music on compact discs at any party shop, or you can download a bunch of great songs and put them on your iPod, which you can connect to a speaker set to amplify the music. You can find these iPod accessories at the iStore.

2- Food and Drinks

A summer party isn’t complete without margaritas or some other frozen drink.  Since a full bar costs to much, select one (or two) drinks to serve at the party. All you need is several drink mixes,  a frozen drink maker to and plastic margarita glasses. Keep the food choices just as simple: chips, fresh cut veggies, salsa, guacamole, and ranch dressing. You could also stop by the deli and pick up sandwiches and pasta salad for a  light meal. Don’t forget to serve popsicles or ice cream for dessert!

3- Party Fun

Keep the people entertained with games like bocce ball, ring toss, or volleyball.  If you’ve got young children, set up a small play pool for them to splash in  and cool off.  Remember there is no need to buy a lot of games and toys to entertain everyone, because almost everyone will be too busy catching up with their friends.

On the fourth Sunday of every July, we gather to recognize and commemorate the most overworked and underpaid workers who don’t mind doing it, 24/7/365: our parents.

This year, 2010, Parents’ Day falls on July 25. What will you do to honor your parents on this day?

1. Lazy Days

Do not let them do anything. Anything they want, get it for them. Need something at the store? No problem. You’ll get it. Need to do something around the house? Do it for them. Do the chores without them having to tell you. They’ll appreciate the day off.

2. Gifts

It’s not enough to give them gifts you made yourself. You have to give them gifts they will be able to use and actually need or want. Don’t make a mug for them if they already have a hundred in the cabinets. If your mom has been debating whether to grow a garden or not, go the extra mile and buy the tools and seeds she needs. If you want to go even further, plant them already ahead of time. If your dad needs to practice his golf swing, get him membership at a local driving range. Making the gifts as personal as possible (and not for your convenience) makes them appreciate the gesture more and feel your love even more.

3. Meals

Cook all their meals for them. And if you can’t do that, order the food ahead of time and prepare them at home. Going to restaurant may be convenient but sometimes trying to make it to a reservation and dealing with all the people there is more stressful than cooking a meal. Oh, and be sure to get their favorite foods. It is, after all, their day and it should be what they want.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter what you do, as long as you do it together. After all, that’s the whole point of Parents’ Day, to show your love and appreciation for them with them.

Enjoy Parents’ Day with your parents!

So you’ve decided to throw a 4th of July barbecue party, with complete families from the grandparents to the folks to the kids. Good luck.

But if you need help, here are some suggestions to keep everyone occupied while you tend the grill and wait for the fireworks.

Note: All these activities can be done by anyone in the family. Best to have teams with all groups (kids, parents, grandparents) represented.

United States Puzzle

Note: This takes some time to prepare as you will need a pre-drawn map of the US, as well as pre-cut figures of the US states.

Arrange the materials beforehand, number of materials will be dependent on the number of teams you plan to have. Pin the maps to the wall, in front of the teams. Remember to pin, not tape, because taping it might cause the map to fall when the game starts. Give the pre-cut states to the teams and tell them to arrange all the states on the map. First one to put all the states correctly wins.

Flag Tag Relay

Divide into two or three groups. Have the team members line up to form a line. Place a bucket (or box or container) of sand filled with flags. One by one, the members must march (not run) to the bucket and retrieve one flag. They march back to their team and tag the next member. First team to have all members with a flag wins. Make it more fun by mixing other flags from other countries in the bucket.

4th of July Pictionary

We all know how Pictionary works. But, instead of using the board, just use a big sketchpad and a marker for the teams. Arrange the topics according to Action, Person/Place, etc and include only topics about US history and/or the 4th of July.

Don’t forget to decorate the place with flags and other 4th of July-appropriate decor, including fireworks-shaped decorations and stars and stripes banners.

It’s time for the annual jokes about giving your father a tie — so I thought it would be a good time to find out what Father’s Day gifts dads have actually enjoyed getting over the years.

There were some surprises. Matthew Smith, a new father, says “I honestly love ties.” Maybe your dad does, too — you should know.

Most people’s suggestions fell into one of two categories: Spending time with your father doing something he likes, or high quality gifts based on his interests.

Chris Beem, for example, says, “The year before my dad died I gave him a deep sea fishing trip. He loved it because he hadn’t been in years. My dad, brother, and myself all went . . .”

The special activities don’t have to cost much. JAC remembers one year “I just took Father’s Day, and did everything he liked to do–we played volleyball with my aunts and uncles.” An all-request dinner and family bike ride followed. “It was just a really good day, and that happiness is something that is irreplaceable.”

When it comes to gifts you can wrap, Matthew Smith says, “I wouldn’t refuse an axe . . . something of heirloom quality. I am tired of disposable items.” He also suggests searching etsy.com for something locally made and useful, like bike baskets.

Bridget Delaney recalls about her late father: “He loved to make flies for fishing. The greatest thing we could get him was shiny tinsel stuff for his crafts or colorful dusters . . .”

Other good gifts, according to readers, were: matching leather jackets for the father and his only grandson, a handmade card that the father kept on his office wall for 20 years, golf or fishing gear, wine, and sports tickets.

It looks as if the best Father’s Day gifts are those that show you know — and care — what’s important to your father.