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Becoming a bar mitzvah is an important event in a jewish young adult male's life that he will remember for years to come. The current trend is to throw a reception for family and friends to attend to celebrate this milestone. Choosing the right theme can add pizzazz to your party and make the planning process smoother. When considering the perfect theme, think of your child's interests and hobbies. Here are the top five themes for modern bar mitzvah celebrations.
1. Sports
If your son is an athlete or sports fanatic, having a sports themed bar mitzvah party will be the perfect way to tie his reception together. When creating the invitation or save the date, include all the party details in a ticket format. When each guest enters the party, he or she can give the invitation to the "ticket collector". Your sports themed bar mitzvah menu could include "game day" food like wings, pizza, pretzels and chips & salsa. For a unique decoration, set up a life-size cutout of your son as his favorite athlete near the party entrance. You can also group a variety of sports-shaped balloons for a floating centerpiece or tie one to each chair. To add more creativity, name each table after a famous athlete and have his or her picture instead of a table number. For entertainment, set up a photo booth with different sports themed props like a football helmet, baseball bat and foam finger. Guests will love gathering together for some goofy photos. To remember this special celebration, give your guests personalized hershey bar favors. Our design RBR07 He's Got Game is a great candy favor to match your theme.
2. Hollywood
Have your guests walk the red carpet and feel like a star at a hollywood themed bar mitzvah reception. Send out invitations shaped like a star or use a red, black and white color scheme to give your guests a preview of the evening. For your sophisticated menu, have a carving station with turkey or roast beef and traditional side dishes like garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley. Hire a photographer to snap pictures at the entrance for a star-studded celebrity affect and use Oscar-like statues and movie clappers as centerpieces. Instead of a table number, consider labeling each table with the photo or name of your son's favorite celebrities for extra flair. For entertainment, hire a caricaturist to sketch celeb-like pictures of your guests. Don't forget to give each guest a personalized bar mitzvah favor like our item RBR23 He's the Star.
3. Dance
A dance themed bar mitzvah is perfect for an outgoing and fun-loving group. To get everyone excited for your bar mitzvah party, send invitations featuring a turntable and music notes with bright, bold colors. At your event, serve a variety of finger foods like bruschetta, egg rolls and mini hamburger sliders. To set the tone for your dance party, rent out a large ballroom and hire a dj to be your emcee. Put a large disco ball over the dance floor to light up the night and hire professional dancers for an extra wow effect. Spice up each table by naming them after a famous dancer or dance style. If your son loves video games, you can set up dance dance revolution for the kids to put on a competition. End the evening by giving each guest a chocolate bar mitzvah party favor such as RBR15 Bar Mitzvah Dance.
4. Music
If your son plays a musical instrument, he will love hosting a music themed bar mitzvah reception. To make the bar mitzvah an exclusive event, send out invites that are "back stage passes" that each guest must have to get into the party. Serve fun food like pizza, chicken tenders and hamburgers that every guest will enjoy and hire a live band to make the guests feel like they are attending a private rock concert. To decorate your venue, hang music notes and a large poster of your son's photo inserted on the front of a music magazine. Each table can be named after a different musical style or song and feature different instruments as the centerpieces. To wrap up the night, pass out custom chocolate bar favors to match your theme like item RBR19 Rockin' Mitzvah.
5. Your Child
Since this bar mitzvah celebration is all about your son, why not make him the theme! Send out invitations featuring his initials or pictures from a professional photo shoot. You can prepare a menu of all his favorite snacks, foods and drinks to share with family and friends. To decorate the reception, put a cardboard cut-out of your son near the entry way for all the guests to see when they arrive. You can also hang a large, colorful banner for a special effect. Include different photos of your son growing up for the table's centerpieces. To entertain, create a trivia game all about your son and the winner who knows him best can receive a prize. For a unique keepsake, purchase personalized hershey's candy bars such as RBR14 Becoming a Man to remember such a sweet occasion.
After your child's baptism you will want to continue the celebration with family and friends during a reception after the ceremony. Whether formal or informal, spending time with everyone is a great way to make your child's special day complete. Three essentials to remember when planning a baptism party are food, entertainment and keepsakes.
Food
When deciding how you would like to feed your guests you have the options of making the food yourself, hiring a caterer or holding your reception at a restaurant. If you prefer to be the chef for your child's baptism celebration, a backyard cookout could be the perfect option for your event. Not only is grilling out a less stressful option, but it is sure to be a hit amongst your guests! You could grill hamburgers & hot dogs or provide pulled pork sandwiches. Plus, include a variety of side dishes like cole slaw, corn on the cob, potato salad, baked bean and fruit.
If you would like to host the party at your home, but don't want to cook, a caterer may be the best option for you. A caterer can make planning the food for your reception worry free and offer an assortment of buffet options. Popular catering options include pasta, mexican, sandwiches and pizza.
To make the dining experience stress-free, consider making reservations at a restaurant that will handle the meal for you. You can choose an informal buffet setting or have a formal affair where the food is served. Depending on the time of your baptism ceremony, you can choose to do brunch, lunch or dinner.
Activities & Entertainment
To keep your guests entertained, plan a few activites that will complement your location and still give your family and friends time to socialize. Whether you decide to hold your celebration at your home or at a restaurant, you can consider hiring entertainment that can be enjoyed by both children and adults like a juggler or magician.
If you host the party at home, you can set up sports in the backyard like volleyball, corn hole and badminton. Plan games like freeze tag or organize a scavenger hunt to keep the children active. If you have a group of children who love animals, you can hire a petting zoo to add an extra special touch to the event.
Don't forget about keeping the kids busy if you hold your party at a restaurant. Purchase coloring books, puzzles and other small games for the children while the adults are chatting.
Making Memories
After the celebration is over, you will want to have a few mementos to remember the baptism ceremony and party. Instead of a traditional guest book, have family and friends leave a small message by video. A video guest book creates a visual memory for your child to watch when he or she gets older. Each guest can say a short message to the family as a whole or the child specifically. You can even pose particular questions to each guest such as "What is your best piece of advice about life?" or "What would you suggest doing while you're still young?".
To remember this day for many years to come, purchase a favor that acts as an unforgettable keepsake. CARSON wrappedhersheys.com suggests giving each guest a personalized Hershey's bar to celebrate your child's baptism day. Choose from a variety of designs like RC51 Innocent Journey or RC25 Baptism Certificate. Not only are these delicious favors that everyone will enjoy, the personalized wrapper can be kept in your child's baptism scrapbook to be preserved as a memorable keepsake.
When most people think of a baby shower they envision games, food, gifts and a group of female friends and family. Although these types of showers are traditonal favorites, hostesses are beginning to put a new spin on baby showers. Here are a few of the new fads:
The Man Shower
To make a man shower all you need is beer, poker, grilling and... diapers. Expecting dads are inviting friends over for this "dad-chelor party" to enjoy tasty beverages and a manly grilled menu in exchange for diapers. There is no guessing in this gift idea, which makes it easier for the male guests. Since there is no time taken to open each gift and play baby games, the men can quickly move on to the male bonding aspect of the evening. This growing trend is becoming increasingly popular since women can't deny a little guy time for their husbands when it is for their expected new additions.
Bring-A-Book Baby Showers
The idea behind the "Bring a Book" baby shower is that every guest will bring her favorite children's book as a gift for the mother-to-be. Having each guest sign the inside cover with her name will make the book extra special for the new baby. This is a great way to increase the baby's library with a variety of books that add a personal touch to reading. Since books are usually brought instead of items like diapers and clothes, this may be a shower idea to consider for a mother that already has a lot of the baby supplies she needs from others showers or older children.
Gender Reveal Showers
Women are finding it more exciting to find out the sex of their baby with friends and family opposed to the ultra-sound room at the doctor's office. Often co-ed showers are held where the big gender reveal can be had in a creative way. Expecting moms can choose to have their doctor to write the sex of the baby on a piece of paper to be sealed in an envelope to pass onto the shower's hostess. Although the reveal can be done in a variety of ways, one of the popular trends is to serve cupcakes with tinted blue or pink icing on the inside. When guests take a bite, the gender will be revealed!
Baby Shower Brunch
Hosting a baby shower during brunch is a novelty that many guests will enjoy. Dainty decorations, sweet breakfast treats and coffee & tea are perfect elements to gets everyone excited for the expecting mother. You can serve a mix of savory breakfast dishes and healthy choices for a variety of appetites. Add a modern twist to the brunch experience by arranging glass milk bottles filled with orange juice and triangles of french toast over a shot of maple syrup. View more baby shower brunch recipe ideas at kitchendaily.com.
Each baby shower, whether traditional or novel, is a special time for the expecting mother and father. To remember this occasion, CARSON wrappedhersheys.com recommends choosing a favor that is a unique, timeless keepsake. With a choice of classic and one-of-a-kind personalized Hershey's chocolate bars, you are sure to find a baby shower favor that will wow the guests as well as the new mother and father.
It's back to school time again! Although this is a relief for many parents, it also creates a hefty to-do list to get your children prepared for their first day. Keep these helpful tips from usa.gov in mind as you organize for the new school year.
1. Before school starts, make physical and eye doctor appointments with your family doctor. Most schools require up-to-date immunzation shots and may require doctor approval for your child to participate in a sport.
2. Preparing for the new school year can be financially difficult for many families. Find out if your family qualifies for low cost lunches or affordable health insurance.
3. Make sure your children have a quiet place to do homework each night. Provide homework help to encourage your child to succeed in school. Benefits from doing homework include memory & comprehension improvement and increased study skills.
4. Shop for school supplies during the "sales tax holiday" in August. Check to see if your state participates to save money on certain back-to-school items at taxadmin.org.
5. Remember that nutrition is a big factor in how your child will perform at school. Provide breakfast and pack lunches that are healthy to help your child stay more alert throughout the day.
These five tips will help you get back into the swing of things as summer comes to an end. Don't forget to sweeten the teacher's day by sending your child with a Hershey's back-to-school gift on the first day.
Make your child's first birthday special by incorporating these ideas into the party.
1. Choose a theme that is young and fun. Barn yard animals, planes and butterflies are perfect for a first birthay party.
2. Purchase or decorate a t-shirt that says "My First Birthday". If you decide to get creative, you can use stamped-on letters and your child's handprint in paint.
3. Serve a unique birthday cake. You can buy a cake that matches your theme or bake one yourself. You may want to consider having a small cake just for the birthday boy or girl or decorative cupcakes.
4. Start a birthday tradition. Find something unique and budget friendly to do for your child each year. For example, fill your child's room with balloons the night before his or her birthday while he or she sleeps.
5. Give sweet party favors so your guests can remember your child's special day. CARSON wrappedhersheys.com has a variety of first birthday party favors to choose from. Match your animal themed party with item SB98 Zoo-Rific Birthday.
Find other first birthday tips and ideas at parents.com.
The numbers are in! According to the Social Security Administration's count, the top two baby names in 2011 were Sophia, meaning "wisdom", & Jacob, meaning "he who supplants". Although Sophia is the new number one this year, beating Isabella's two year streak, Jacob remains the most popular boy name for the 13th year in a row.
Sophia is the tenth name in U.S. history to be the most popular name for baby girls. Others include: Isabella, Emma, Emily, Jessica, Ashley, Jennifer, Lisa, Linda & Mary. There have only been six leading names for the boys, including Jacob, Michael, David, Robert, James & John.
Sophia's popularity could be attributed to parents' preference of strong feminine names and historic females like Sophia Vergara, Sophia Loren, Sophia Bush & Sofia Coppolla. Although Jacob has been a long time favorite, the character "Jacob" in the Twilight series has certainly helped in keeping the top spot.
Read more about popular 2011 baby names at huffingtonpost.com.
Celebrity influence in 2011 was evident by the spike in popularity of the names Mason, Kourtney Kardashian's baby boy, & Harper, The Beckham's little girl. Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck's daughter, Seraphina, also made an impact for parents who love unique names. Baby boy names Anderson & Cooper also made a rise on the chart after CNN's anchor, Anderson Cooper. View more celebrity trends at babycenter.com.
We also notice these baby name trends at CARSON wrappedhersheys.com. New parents love to display their newborn's name on our personalized Hershey's birth announcements like our item BB2 Classic HEREHEIS or BPG85 See HERESHEIS.
Celebrate a retiree's years of service by planning a memorable retirement party. This can be hosted by the retiree's family or can be held as an official company event. You could also create a get together that includes a mix of family, friends and co-workers.
Choosing a time and location should be based on the personality and interests of the retiree. Consider having a workday luncheon, an afterwork get together at a local restaurant or bar, or a more formal event on the weekend. You can send out invitations with the details through email or by mail for a formal party.
Add a personal touch to the venue by decorating with items that represent the retiree's life and accomplishments. These could include awards, trophies, photos or objects that focus on one of the retiree's interests like golf, gardening or music.
Many retirement parties include a "roast" of the retiree. This should be an enjoyable part of the evening for the retiree and guests. Make the presentation a way to thank the retiree for all his or her years of hard work and loyalty. In additon to a "roast", you can include speeches from the retiree's manager or a toast with a funny story and words of appreciation to the retiree.
A gift for the retiree should be given by the manager or be a gift from everyone. Individual gifts can also be given, but should not be required. Consider whether your retiree would enjoy a heartfelt or humorous gift. You could create a powerpoint of memorable photos from the workplace and home to display at the party and give the retiree a copy on a CD. Another option would be to purchase a t-shirt or hat with a quote or image that the retiree would find funny.
To tie the celebration together, give a personalized chocolate favor that both the retiree and guests will enjoy! CARSON wrappedhersheys.com has a variety of unique custom Hershey's bars to fit your theme. Choose a favor with the retiree's photo like item ST35 The Retiree Retirement Favors. These candy wrappers will be a special keepsake that the retiree will appreciate!
View more retirement party planning ideas at www.ehow.com.
In the United States, we celebrate many patriotic holidays throughout the year pausing to show that we are thankful for the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. Why not consider how you can incorporate a show of support for our Troops as part of your patriotic plans this summer? A donation can take many forms and are used to bring aid and comfort to our troops in the field and their families at home.
“I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.” —Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln would've been proud of Performance Health of Akron, Ohio, who, in April 2012, made a generous donation of Biofreeze Pain Reliever to SupportOurTroops.org. At a retail value of $212,000, this donation was large enough to reach 25,000 troops. Read more.
Where do you start as an individual? There are a variety of programs offering support to our troops by sending cards, letters, gifts, and care packages.
Support our Troops® is a non-partisan, non-political organization founded to directly help citizens and community-minded businesses find constructive ways to show their patriotism and appreciation for those that sacrifice so much to protect our country, our homes, and our families.
Anysoldier.com is a great place to start if you want to send your support to a Soldier, but have no idea of what to send, who to send it to, or how to send it.
Operation: Care and Comfort assembles and ships care packages to their adopted units every month until they return home, working with donations received in their community and from all over the country. Check out their article "Ten Simple, Inexpensive (Some Free!) And FUN ways To Support Our Troops"
Become a volunteer for Books For Soldiers.
The USO makes sure your help goes to those who need it the most: troops serving in combat, their families, our wounded warriors and their families, and families of the fallen.
In 2011, 593,535 service men and women have been served thanks to generous donations to Cell Phones For Soldiers whose mission is to provide deployed and returning troops cost-free methods to communicate with family while serving in the United States military.
Find more suggestions for organizations set up to help you and your family show your support at Military.com.
1. Beach or Nautical
Whether your location is near the ocean or in the city, a beach wedding theme will bring a peaceful and laid back atmosphere to your big day. Adding beach or ocean theme decorations to your reception venue will bring the beach anywhere you would like to have your wedding day. You can set the time of your ceremony at sunset to add a romantic touch to your wedding theme. Use navy, aqua and a light shade of green to create a sea based ambiance. Also include the beautiful colors of ocean fish and coral reefs to make your stationary and decorations stand out. CARSON wrappedhersheys.com has a variety of beach themed favors to fit your wedding day. Check out all of our popular personalized wrapped beach chocolate bars!
2. Roses
A rose themed wedding will bring romance into the decor. Choose your favorite colored rose or use them all to create a rainbow effect. These vibrant colors and fragrances are appropriate for a formal or casual wedding. Plus, roses are versatile and pair nicely with a variety of other flowers. Sprinkle rose petals on the tables at your reception venue, use rose bouquets as centerpieces and use these colors in your wedding party to tie your celebration together. Our custom rose themed wrappers will be the perfect favor for your guests. Check out our best seller, WT22 Timeless Bouquet.
3. Rustic Country
If you prefer relaxation and simplicity, a country style wedding may be perfect for your theme. Host an outdoor ceremony and enjoy your reception in a rustic barn. Use a blend of earthy yellows, golds, sage and cinnamon to coordinate with the old-fashioned setting of your event. Let the nature surrounding your venue inspire your decorations and attire. Have tall bottles or vases filled with branches and flowers as your centerpieces. Match your theme with our custom chocolate bar design, WT27 Slice of Happiness. View more rustic country wedding ideas at rusticweddingchic.com.
4. Spring
Choosing a spring wedding will allow you to easily create a bright and cheerful color scheme. From Easter pastels to bright yellows and reds of tulips, these spring inspired colors will align your special day with nature's beauty. Plan for light and airy attire for you and your wedding party and add garden themed elements to your bridesmaids' accessories. Include spring flowers in your decor like daffodils, lilacs and irises. Our design WP21 Growing Love, which features your photo, comes in a variety of pastel colors to match your theme. Check out more spring wedding ideas at marthastewartweddings.com.
5. Summer
Fill your wedding day with sunshine and happiness with a summer theme. Bold and bright colors such as yellow and gray, pink and green or blue and white will make your decor and wedding attire stand out. Use bright flowers in glass vases of various shapes and sizes as your centerpieces at your reception with candles to accent. Popular summertime flowers can include orchids, roses, sunflowers, calla lilies and delphiniums. Make your special day unique by including a signature summer cocktail to the menu or use fan programs to keep your guests cool during your ceremony. Add hanging lanterns to your decorations and match them with your wedding favors with our item WP29 Hanging Lanterns.
6. Christmas
Include Christmas decor to your December wedding to create a merry and bright theme. Christmas trees, angels, presents, wreaths, poinsettias and holly are perfect accents to decorate your reception venue. Your colors could include white, gold and silver or red and green. Carry a bouquet of red roses or red calla lilies down the aisle to accent your traditional white gown. Make your arrival magical by traveling in a horse drawn sleigh or an old time Rolls Royce. Tie your theme together with personalized Hershey's bar favors like item WH22 Gingerwed.
7. Starry Night
An evening ceremony and reception under a fading night sky will match your starry night theme perfectly. Use a midnight blue, black, gold and white color scheme for your wedding party, invitations and decorations. Light up each table at your reception with votive candles, white roses and orchids. Include sparklers at each table for guests and line your canopy with twinkle lights to brighten the evening further. Choose a sweet wedding favor to match your decor like WP24 Twinkling Lights.
8. Winter Wonderland
A winter wonderland themed wedding can feature delicate snowflakes and sparkling ice crystals. Use winter flowers and colors to inspire your decor and wedding attire. White roses, juniper boughs, minature calla lilies and white carnations are popular options for this time of year. A color palette of clear crystal, white and light blue will be easy to work with and can enhance your winter wedding theme. You can further decorate your reception venue with ice sculptures, shiny ornaments, glass vases and votive candles. Match your wedding favors with your theme using item WH48 Frosty Winds.
9. Fairytale
Feel like a true princess with a fairytale themed wedding inspired by love and magic. Have a charming outdoor wedding surrounded by flowers and doves or a traditional ceremony inside a large cathedral. Use pinks, lavenders and white to enhance your special day and add silver and gold to make your reception venue shine. Dress like royalty in a full ballgown with a sparkling tiara. Include a chocolate fondue fountain, tall wedding cake and small orchestra to make your wedding day dreams come true! Don't forget to give your guests a sweet and magical wedding favor like our WC16 In Your Eyes.
11. Hearts
Use a heart theme to bring all your wedding details together. Include hearts in your attire and decor in a unique way by having your bridesmaids wear heart shaped jewlery and add a large sequin heart to your tall white wedding cake to make it pop. Choose a color scheme of red, pink and white to fit a traditional wedding or select a bright color like aqua or yellow to make your decor stand out. Coordinate with your heart theme and color palette by adding red roses, gerbera daisies or lilies. Give your guests a sweet and edible wedding favor such as WL01 Away We Go. Find more ideas at www.brides.com.
12. Peacock
Tie your elegant celebration together with majestic peacock feathers and a color scheme of green, blue, teal, bronze and gold. Include peacock flair into your attire by wearing a peacock feathered hair piece or headband and have your bridesmaids wear green or blue dresses. You can even show off this theme before the big day by purchasing peacock feather save the dates and invitations. Further incorporate this theme by arranging peacock feathers into your bouquet. Consider white roses, orchids, hydrangeas, spider mums and carnations. Give your guests a favor to remember with our personalized wrapped chocolate design, WR19 Peacock Feathers.
See more wedding theme ideas at My Top 30 Wedding Theme Ideas blog.
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