Small Party Archives - Costumes For All Occasions

New Year’s 2020 – 4 Ideas For A Rocking Smaller Event

New Year’s Eve 2020 is set to be much different than massive gatherings of the past. Crowds are being kept to a minimum and travel is limited in most places. As a result, you may be scrambling to plan an alternative event. New Year’s Eve parties tend to be the highlight of the year. Good ones will keep guests talking until the next one rolls around. If you are stumped for ideas amid the new restrictions, we can help. Costumes For All Occasions has put together a list of the top four New Year’s Eve rocking party ideas that you can host on a small scale.

New Year’s 2020 Around the World Dinner Party

Party For New Year's 2020 — Party Around The World

A lot of people take road trips or even travel the world at the end of the year. With these options no longer on the table, it’s time to get creative with your New Year’s 2020 dinner party. Host an around the world themed party where each guest or couple represents a different country. If the party is a potluck, you can ask each couple to bring a dish from their chosen location, or you can make or order dishes to match each selection represented at the party. Don’t forget to decorate your home or backyard with decor from all over the world to really bring the theme to life. We have a lot of themed house decorations here to help make your party a success.

Masquerade New Year’s Party Theme

Some of the best entertainment is experienced while being anonymous. Since we are all supposed to be wearing masks in a crowd anyway, why not turn your New Year’s 2020 party into a Masquerade event! Play up the mystery by decorating your venue in gold and black tones. You can offer masks for your guest or challenge them to create the most extravagant they can on their own. Pair your glitzy New Year’s mask with glamorous outfits and a swanky backdrop to capture memories. You can also add an open bar to light up the night. Your New Year’s 2020 party is sure to be the talk of the town for years to come.

New Year’s 2020 Dessert Party

New Year's 2020 With a Pop — New Year’s 2020 With a Pop

Sweets are always a good way to ease the soul and fill the mind with comfort. If you are looking for a New Year’s party idea, then you will love hosting a 2020 New Year’s dessert party. Ask your guest to dress up in candy colors and bring along their favorite sweet dish. Add a few of your own along with plenty of drinks and savory items to round out the feast table. Make sure to have 20 desserts to tie in with the 2020 theme, along with coffee or even 20 different adult libations. Decorate your home or venue in New Year’s decor that has a sweet undertone to complete the aesthetic.

New Year’s Fondue Party 2020

At the end of the year, the perfect way to warm up when it is cold outside is to load up in cheese. Yup, we said it, cheese. If you are looking for a unique party idea that is perfect for smaller crowds, a New Year’s 2020 fondue party is a perfect choice.

Dress Up Your Photos with a gltizy backdrop for New Year's 2020 — Make your New Year’s 2020 Beautiful

Set up a few different cheese stations each laden down with bread, fruits, meats, and vegetables for your guest to enjoy. As the clock counts down, bellies will fill up at your family-friendly New Year’s party. Decorate your home or venue in a bright color that gives off a sense of joy and hope. Instead of a photo booth, make a New Year’s holographic balloon backdrop where your guest can capture their memories for the year.

Proper Etiquette For Parties During The COVID- 19 Pandemic

Social distancing and smaller gatherings are going to be a part of life for the foreseeable future. As a result, pandemic etiquette is something we all must learn. People are social creatures by nature, so you can’t expect to stay in isolation forever. Larger parties are no longer allowed in most places, however, smaller more intimate affairs are still encouraged. Whether you are hosting a shindig or attending one as a guest, it is important to follow proper pandemic etiquette to help everyone around you stay safe. Costumes For All Occasions has created an easy to remember guide of good practices to follow at parties during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Pre-Event Health Check

Depending on the size and type of event you will be attending, it might be a good idea to get tested prior to the event date. If you will be around others who you know are at risk, taking the extra step can help save a life. Another way to check your health is to pay attention to the signs. If you are experiencing any type of symptoms linked with infection, graciously decline to attend. Checking temperatures at the door is also an option for hosts if they have small children, elderly, or other at-risk guests who will be in attendance. It never hurts to be extra careful especially during a pandemic.

Hand Washing & Sanitizing

Keeping your hands clean is the best way to reduce the spread of germs, viruses, and bacteria. As a host, you can set up a themed hand washing station in the restroom nearest your front door. Ask guests to wash their hands as they arrive and frequently during the event to maintain cleanliness. As a guest, it is a good idea to carry a personal sized hand sanitizer at all times. This will allow you to keep your hands clean even when you are not near a sink. If you cough or sneeze, make sure to wash your hands immediately. Not only is it a good habit, but it will also cut down on the spread of germs.

Don’t Share

Most people are taught to share from the moment they start preschool. Well, for the most part, that needs to stop. Avoid sharing food and drinks with others to help reduce the spread of germs. Make a point of not leaving your glass or your plate sitting out where someone may mistakenly consume it. The same goes for sharing napkins and anything else that may harbor hidden germs.

Maintain Your Distance

While seeming standoffish may seem counterproductive to attending a party, it is still a good idea to leave a reasonable distance between yourself and other guests. It may not be realistic to stand 6 feet apart in a house party, but you can leave a generous arm’s length between you when conducting a casual conversation. This will also help reduce the transmission of germs in the event that anyone is unknowingly sick.

Mind Your Seating Arrangements

Close seating arrangements may have been trendy in the past, but giving each person space at the table will make your event more manageable. Not only will guests be able to dine or relax in comfort, but a nice buffer zone will also be created to help maintain safety.

Avoid Extra Touching

Many people are very affectionate, especially with friends and family they happen to be close to. It is a good idea to limit the number of hugs and kisses that are passed around during parties to keep everyone safe. It is also a good idea as a guest to limit casual touches to prevent the spread of germs. While all these measures may seem extreme, if everyone plays their part, then the party will go off without a hitch.

Make The Most Of Your Christmas Holidays With These Small Event Hacks

Getting ready for the Christmas holiday usually means buying gifts for all of your family members and planning a least one large holiday party. With the current state of the world, large events are no longer possible. While big parties are not an option, most families are still planning to host small intimate events to celebrate the holidays. If you are planning on hosting a small event, Costumes For All Occasions has some simple small event hacks that will help you make the most of your small Christmas event.

Visually Upgrade Your Adult Libations For Your Small Event

Small Event Decorating — Bling Your Wine Display

Wine is a common staple at any Christmas party. Instead of serving the bottle on ice as a centerpiece, upgrade your display. Freeze whole cranberries in the ice you plant to use in your wine bucket. This will add an elegant pop of color to your table without increase your decorating cost. If you don’t want to use fresh cranberries, you can also purchase colored pearls or beads and use them instead. Not only will this add to the aesthetics of the space, but it will also put a unique touch on your celebrations.

Decoration Hacks

When you are hosting a small event, you should put more time and effort into creating memorable decorations. The holidays are already hectic, so simplifying your decorating plans can make your event stress free even while upgrading your final look. You can pick up some holiday-themed decorations from the Christmas section and pair them with your own handmade details for a highly curated look.

For smaller events that will feature mostly family or close friends, consider making garlands from photos of people who won’t be able to attend. You can make a photo garland using pictures of past parties or even just candid shots of any past event. Mount the photos on cardstock along with labels, make garlands out of a few pictures interspersed with seasonal props to finish off the look. You can place these above doorways or even on doors that your guest will pass by during the event.

Make Cookie Ball Blossoms For Christmas 2020

Cookie exchanges are a traditional activity during the holidays. While many people will host this as a separate party, you can add it to your small event. Alternatively, you can also send cookies instead of visiting your friends in person if you plan to stay in quarantine. Round cookies are cute and trees or snowflake-shaped cookies are creative. Take this idea to a whole new level by creating holiday blossom cookies. Make balls out of your cookie dough and then shape them into flowers before baking them to perfection. Present your friends and family with lovely holiday bouquets at the end of your party.

Disconnect the Cord and Give Your Guest Visual Entertainment

Turn Of The TV at Your Small Event — Cut The Cord For Guest Interaction

Small events will give you more time with your guest. Unplug the TV and cover it with a seasonal painting. If you don’t have a painting large enough, consider wrapping your TV like a present in wrapping paper that matches your decor. Instead of electronics, give your friends and family other things to occupy their sight. Spend extra time decorating your tree, skip the traditional tree skirt, and use a scarf or throw instead. Add lighting in unique places such as along the fireplace or under tables. You would be surprised at how much conversation is started by providing little details that tickle the imagination.

Celebrating Thanksgiving On A Small Scale

Thanksgiving is a time where families and friends come together to give thanks for everything good in their lives. They are also great opportunities for people to reconnect after long periods of time away. With the current state of the world, long-distance travel and large gatherings are no longer an option. While this may mean that many people will not get the chance to reconnect, that doesn’t mean that Thanksgiving has to be completely canceled. Hosting a small scale, Thanksgiving dinner for your immediate family is a great alternative to the large events of the past. If you are not sure how to get started, Costumes For All Occasions has some tips that may help.

Creative Thanksgiving Menus

Plenty of recipes have been passed down through the generations that families will serve every Thanksgiving. With fewer people to entertain, popping a giant turkey or ham into the oven is no longer cost-effective or budget-friendly. You can save on space and money by reinventing your menu to accommodate a smaller guest list. Consider buying a smaller turkey or even only turkey breast and making a new menu item. Instead of several large pies to feed a few families, consider making a cobbler Instead. Or, you can even small single person-sized pies to make your small Thanksgiving dinner more unique. You can ditch the traditional menu completely and move out of your comfort zone by creating a meal of exotic dishes instead. Since traveling is not an option for most, bring foreign cuisine to your dinner table this Thanksgiving holiday. With fewer people on the guest list, you can be much more daring in your menu choices than usual.

Outdoor Thanksgiving Potluck

Hosting events outdoors is one way to help reduce the risk of passing along pathogens to your guests. Unless you have a sprawling estate with a well lit outdoor dining setup, evening meals are out. Consider hosting an outdoor Thanksgiving potluck instead. Keep your guest list small and have each person or couple to bring a dish. Not only will this take the pressure off of everyone, but it will bring a sense of togetherness and sharing which is further highlighted during this holiday. When sending out invitations, make sure that you give a variety of menu options and have each guest RSVP with their planned entree. It is also important to follow proper coronavirus protocol when prepping dishes. This is also a great opportunity to dress up your space in comforting fall decor that adds a level of luxury to your Thanksgiving potluck.

Keep It Local With Holiday Meals In A Box

Order Your Thanksgiving Meal Locally — Buy Your Thanksgiving Dinner Locally

A lot of local businesses are suffering due to the slower foot traffic caused by closures and social distancing restrictions. With travel limited, there is also no need for Thanksgiving meals large enough to feed a small army. This holiday, you can reduce your workload and help support your community by purchasing a ready-made Thanksgiving meal to go. Spend time decorating your home and writing thoughtful letters to those who live far away while your local restaurant prepares a perfect Thanksgiving meal, which will also be more affordable than cooking at home from scratch.

Reduce Food Wastage This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has always been a holiday that revolves around opulent meals, excessive eating and overflowing dinner tables. Usually, there are plenty of family members and friends to prevent much food from being wasted, but with smaller events, there needs to be a limit on the excess. Consider cutting down your meals to a curated menu of five to seven items which includes desert. The main dish, bread, a couple of sides, and two dessert options. This will give your table a well-rounded look while appealing to everyone’s tastes. The best thing about a smaller feast is that while you still get those delicious leftovers, you won’t have so much that you end up tossing any in the trash.

Creative Thanksgiving Trends For 2020

Are you tired of being stuck in the house? Are you looking forward to attending or hosting a big get together this holiday? Chances are that when Thanksgiving rolls around there will still be a limitation of mass gatherings, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the season. Costumes For All Occasions has put together a list of creative Thanksgiving trends for 2020 that will help you to make the most of your smaller holiday celebrations.

Welcome To Thanksgiving 2020 — Come Home For Thanksgiving 2020

Enjoy The Virtual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Mayor Bill de Blasio has revealed that the annual parade will still happen but without the typical crowds. Instead of heading out to stand in the cold, consider decorating your home and hosting a parade brunch instead. With the famous parade being held virtually, you can share the spirit and the joy of that day together with a select number of your loved ones over a heartwarming meal at home.

Create Some Crafts With Your Kids – Thanksgiving Trends 2020

The meal crafting is for the adults, but you can still make this special holiday a treat for the kids. You can include the children in your Thanksgivingtrends and celebration by having them help craft the decorations. They can make jewel encrusted pumpkins with a little bit of hot glue and their imaginations to place in the hallways and on the front porch. You can even have them paint some mason jars in fall colors to use as candle holders for your Thanksgiving table. If the leaves have already started changing colors, have the little ones gather some brightly colored leaves to make leaf turkeys to decorate your abode. Don’t forget to add some homemade cornucopias to your festive decorations.

Enjoy Catering Of Locally Sourced Food

With the travel cut down to a minimum and most guest list being cut in half, catered meals are set to trend in 2020. For this Thanksgiving holiday, more families are thinking about supporting their local farms and restaurants while also reducing their workload. Not only will you and your family enjoy a tasty feast this holiday, but you also get to shed the stress that comes with days or even weeks of planning and preparation. There is something really special about farm-to-table locally sourced meals made to order for the holidays.

Thanksgiving Trends 2020- Outdoor Supper

The current health guidelines suggest hosting an event outdoors if the weather permits to help cut down on transmission. Depending on where you live, an outdoor Thanksgiving supper may be the perfect trend to follow. Choose a just before dusk dinner time and make sure that you have plenty of outdoor lighting. Leave some spaces between diners to make everyone comfortable while also creating an atmosphere of exclusivity.

Outdoor Thanksgiving — Take Your Thanksgiving Feast Outside

Prepare A Decorative Dessert Table

Desserts are almost as important as the turkey on Thanksgiving. From pumpkin pie to fall macaroons, the after-meal treat is what many will remember. With a smaller group to serve you can be more creative with your offerings. If you are looking for thanksgiving trends for 2020 that are sure to be a hit, your dessert table is a great place to start.

Thanksgiving Dessert — Make Yoru Guest Giggle With Fanciful Desserts

Add a brightly colored fruit salad to the table for a layered look and place your confections on tiered platters. This will give your event a touch of elegance while making each guest feel like they are attending an A-list event.

Safe Small Events – Host For The Holidays

Safe Small Events Can Keep You Connected

In most places, large gatherings are restricted, but instead of canceling your plans for the holiday completely, host a smaller event instead. By following social distancing rules and keeping your event low key, you can still share the holidays with your friends and family. Not sure where to get started or even how to host Safe Small Events? Costumes For All Occasions has an easy to follow guide that will help you get the most out of your smaller-scaled holiday gatherings.

Refine Your Guest List For Safe Small Events

One of the most anticipated times of the year is the holidays. Most years this means parties, gatherings, and office soirees that will go down in water cooler history. The holidays are a perfect time to gather with friends and family, or even with your coworkers to unwind reflect on everything wonderful in life. With the current restrictions on large gatherings, it is important to create a curated list of attendees that you really want to be there and who are likely to attend. It is a good idea to limit your parties to those who are not likely to bring additional guests, as well as those who are in generally good health.

Organize Properly

Staying organized is important even if you are having a smaller party than usual. With things how they are in the world, plans can change in the blink of an eye, so it is better to be over-prepared rather than underprepared. When you send out invitations, have your guest RSVP as well as sign up to Constant Contact. If this seems too complicated, you can also use Google Calendars for a no-fuss event tracking toil. Your guests easily update you if their availability changes and you can also create a schedule of things you need to complete before the big day. You can set your schedule for shopping, decorating, cooking, or even catering if that is what your event requires.

Focus on Creative Decorations

Champagne Decoration Dining Table Dish Dining Safe Small Events

There will be fewer people to take up space and hold attendees’ attention, so you can focus more on decor and personalized entertainment. Think about the theme of your event and take time to set things up in thoughtful, yet creative ways. We have a lot of decorations for just about every holiday and every occasion you can imagine. You can also check out some of our other posts for a birthday, Halloween, New Year’s, and Christmas party ideas for any size event.

Preserve Your Moments In Time At Safe Small Events

The moments you share with your friends and family this holiday should be remembered. One way to capture the moment is to offer disposable cameras to each guest. Another option is to hire a professional photographer to capture candid’s and group moments to share with your guest after your event is over. You can share them via social media, email, or even create a customized photo book keepsake to send out in the mail.

Pay Attention To Health & Handwashing

Safe Small Events Need Regular Handwashing

A day or two before the event it is a good idea to follow up with each of your guests. Ask them to perform a self checklist of common Covid-19 symptoms. If anyone suspects that are sick, or is just not feeling well, recommend that they skip the event but join the next one. You can also have one person in charge of live-streaming so those that are not able to attend in person can still join in on the fun. Hand washing should be a regular part of the evening. Ask your guest to wash their hands upon arrival and also several times during the event. This will help cut down on germ transmission and keep everyone at your holiday event safe.