Four Fun Party Favour Ideas

Throwing a party can be a stressful time for anyone, even a professional party planner that does it for a living. There are simply so many details to think of: venue, food, guests, entertainment, logistics and more. It’s easy to get lost in the details and forget one of the things that have the potential to make a lasting impression on your guests and to ensure that your occasion is one that they’ll remember: thoughtful and unique party favours.

The key to crafting a successful gift is thinking about what your guests might actually want to use and then finding a way to incorporate an element or reminder of your event into the items. There is no point of giving them a keepsake item that they’re not going to be particularly excited about or keen on keeping. You also want to purchase items from a website like InkHead.com, for example, where you can buy personalized items in bulk. Trying to buy from speciality shops may be very expensive and can drive your planning costs up higher than you want them to be.

Party favours make an impact on your guests. Whether it’s a 50th birthday party, a bat mitzvah, a wedding or a child’s birthday, you can help them remember the wonderful time they had at your event by giving them a small gesture or gift when they leave. The things you select need not be excessive or elaborate though. Sometimes small yet thoughtful is better than expensive but generic.
Here are some party favour ideas for unique, memorable and thoughtful gifts to give your guests.

• Picture frames

Personalised photo frames are a great way to thank your guest for attending your party. You can engrave them with the name and date of your event, and send guests pictures afterwards to put in their frame. In any case, a picture frame is something your guests are certain to use.

• Engraved lighters

Everyone, even those that do not smoke, can find uses for a lighter. From campfires to candles, your guests will most certainly find ways to use their present, and each time they do, it will remind them of your memorable occasion.

• Water bottles or mugs

Personalised water bottles or mugs will give your guests a fond memory each time they get thirsty. You can include a photo, a quote or the date and details of your party to remind your guests of what a great time they had.

• Candles

Candles are a great gift to give your guests, as it will add a special touch to their home or apartment. With a variety of colours and styles, you can be creative and create personalised candles that are sure to please your guests.

Samantha really enjoys writing about business. If you'd like to learn more about thoughtful and unique party favors, please visit http://www.inkhead.com/

Celebrate the Return of Autumn

After a couple of hot summer months (well, depending where you were...), the time has come for the autumn to come back and take us slowly in the winter and the festive season. Crispy cold mornings and early sunsets, nature changing colours from green to yellow and orange, warm flames in fireplace, what is not to like in the months of September, October and November? Everything seems quieter and homes are getting cosier, so let's celebrate this dramatic change of season.

Go out to the countryside

A walk on a Sunday morning in the cold countryside will do better than any exercise to make you feel better. Indeed, a bit of fresh air will get your blood circulate and will oxygenate your brain. You will be guaranteed to spend some quiet time after the agitation of the summer. Take the time to see how the nature is changing and how the wildlife is getting ready for the winter. An autumn walk has a certain charm and can be a very romantic time.

Eat seasonal

Forget the salads and other light meals you had during the summer, this is the season of pies and roast, perfect sustenance after a Sunday morning walk for example. Autumn food includes game such as venison and pheasant, as well root vegetables, mushrooms and of course pumpkins. Don't let the cold get to you, it gives you an excuse to eat richer meals than usual.

5 amazing ways to celebrate your anniversary

It’s important to always celebrate life’s special milestones, and in a relationship that means anniversaries.

Doing something special for your wedding or relationship anniversary is a great opportunity to take a break and show the special person in your life how much you appreciate them.

If you have an anniversary looming – whether it’s a paper right through to a gold – why not go the extra mile with something unique and romantic to really show your other half how much you care?

1.   Relive the honeymoon

No doubt we all loved our wedding, but it’s safe to assume that most people’s special day didn’t pass without a fair dose of planning and organisation. The stress-free part about getting married that we are all happy to relive, is in fact, the honeymoon.

Set off on a mini-break with your loved one and get away from the daily grind. You might retrace your footsteps from all those years ago, or perhaps discover a new part of the world entirely.

This is the perfect way to celebrate for couples who love and appreciate travel. If you’re looking to find people who share your passions, online dating is a great way to help you find highly compatible people.

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2.   Kick the bucket list into shape

Why not use your anniversary as an excuse to do something that the pair of you have always dreamt of? Bungee jumping, skydiving, rally car driving, taking a wine tour of New Zealand, dining at that fancy restaurant – the options really are endless. This is a great way to tailor the special day to your personal taste and really make the most it. 

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3.   Do something symbolic

Obviously wedding anniversaries are all about symbolism – a beautiful reminder of your first day as a married couple. So why not create something that acts as an enduring reminder of your time together?

Planting a garden together is a practical project to share together and one that continues to be rewarding as time goes by. Inner city couples could instead opt for a herb garden, or if you have less of a green thumb, why not take a class together or learn a new skill as a pair?

4.   Dine like a star

If you like the idea of a traditional ‘dinner date’ anniversary, then why not transform the meal into one that your partner will never forget? Every city has a renowned restaurant that you’re sure to have admired from afar. Bite the bullet and book two seats for a dinner experience they will cherish.

If you’re partner does the bulk of the cooking, why not read up on a delicious recipe and surprise them with your new found culinary skills and a delicious home prepared feast?

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5.   Make a romantic gesture

If you and your partner have been together for a long time, maybe it’s time to brush off the cobwebs and prove you’re still a romantic at heart.

Romantic gestures might seem a bit cheesy, but they’re a sure-fire way to show your loved one how much you care. For anyone dating in Australia, you can’t look past a romantic dinner by the beach or charter a sunrise hot-air balloon ride with champagne. 

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Plenty to Celebrate on the First Week of Olympics

The world have been watching plenty of sports that they would possibly never normally tend to watch; it turns out my father is now a Handball guru despite the fact that he’s never actually watched a game before this week. It just goes to demonstrate the influence of the Olympic Games and how it can hook a brand new audience into so many different sports.

London has had a lot to celebrate about; hosting the largest sporting event in the World, with public transport running smoothly and welcoming visitors from across the globe. 

Great Britain has a lot to celebrate; British fans have represented Team GB with so much pride & enthusiasm, whilst being great sports and supporting many athletes- not just British- such as Niger's Hamadou Djibo Issaka who received an overwhelming reception from the crowd after crossing the line 80 seconds after the winner.

The World has many reasons to celebrate; athletes have trained so hard for years and have finally been able to show their skill and athleticism to the World. All of these countries have – like The Beatles’ song – come together! We’ve watched USA’s Michael Phelps win his 20^th Olympic medal (which was his 16^th gold medal) and a 15 year old girl win Gold in swimming. USA and China have a lot to be proud of, as they’ve flown ahead in terms of total medals.

At times like this, it’s so nice to see the globe cheering on their nation’s top athletes with pride, passion and sportsmanship. The next week will most definitely be packed full of excitement, joy & despair. But if there’s one thing we can take out of these games, it’s the wonderful support and spirit the Olympics has carried not just in Great Britain, but around the World.

So cheer your nation.. Get behind them.. And celebrate!

End-of-year-trip

This is one of the most exciting moments in your life. You and your mates have just finished your long degree and now it’s time to spend a vacation far from home- you deserve it!!

As you are still a student you are probably broke, so it’s important that you focus on a cheap trip without taking too much away.

A really good option is to fly to Tunisia because it’s not so expensive if you contract a holiday package from any travel agency. The most usual is that they offer you a 4-days-package, which is enough to find some relax combined with nights of guaranteed fun.

In Tunisia you will find wonderful beaches with hot temperatures, which have nothing to envy compared to the Caribbean ones. I strongly recommend the beaches from Tunis and Melloula in which you will find a wide range of different beaches: rocky, white and fine sand and wild beaches.

Do not miss the opportunity to take a walk on the back of a camel on the hot dessert, it is quite funny!

If your holiday package doesn’t include a visit to the Termas of Saint Anthony in Cartago or the Amphitheater in Djem, ask for them because it’s definitely worthwhile.

The night life in Tunisia is quite entertaining; you will find numerous artistic and cultural spectacles. Musical gigs are habitual in cities such as Tunis, Yasmine, Hammamet or Djerba.

Celebrate your anniversary in Private Luxury in the City of Love

Going away for your anniversary is the perfect way to re-kindle romance in your relationship and to keep the fire of passion burning. It’s also a great way to spend time together away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and routine. Choosing where to stay for a romantic weekend can be challenging. It’s important to get the balance right between relaxation and romance. Choosing a hotel can be difficult, because many hotels are aimed at families and younger groups of travellers, meaning that it’s hard to get any peace and quiet on your own. Another down side to staying in a hotel is that you can sometimes be bound by rules and curfews, disrupted by housekeeping and would have to stick to pleasantries when bumping in to other guests.

One way to escape to an entirely un-disturbed break away and to still enjoy luxury surroundings is to find a house swap. Finding a property that the homeowner isn’t going to be using for a weekend or two allows you to have the entire apartment or house to yourselves as a couple. You can use the home facilities as much as you like and even cook your own romantic meals. Most luxury homes and apartments in a home swapping or house exchange scheme have romantic features like a hot tub, spa bath or beautiful views to enjoy in the privacy of your own (borrowed) home.

It’s not surprising that many couples looking to escape for a romantic break away choose Paris, the city of Love. Home exchange France is very popular, and the type of properties available to stay in for your anniversary range from city centre Penthouse apartments with views over the Eiffel Tower, to hideaway Châteaux and farm house cottages on the outskirts of the city. 

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If you do choose to celebrate your anniversary in France, there is plenty of regional wine and of course Champagne to enjoy. Fresh organic ingredients for a romantic meal for two are always nearby at a farmer’s market and the Belgian neighbours make some fantastic chocolates as well.

Choosing a private house to stay in over a hotel will allow you all the flexibility you need for your romantic anniversary. If it’s a long term relationship, and you are perhaps celebrating a Silver or Gold Wedding Anniversary, then you may choose to invite the family along to stay with you too. The benefit of house swapping is that it is completely flexible. There’s no nightly fee so you can stay as long as you like within the agreed time, or leave early if you please. There’s no reason why the two of you can’t arrive a few nights ahead of the family to enjoy the luxury property to yourselves, and then enjoy the extra space with all of the family around you to celebrate later in the week.

Experience the gift of a great weekend every month

Be honest with yourself, are you making enough of your weekends? Do you make time for yourself and your loved ones or do you secretly switch on your laptop and catch up on work related stuff whilst you wait for your laundry to be finished?

More and more people seem to forget what the weekend is all about. The end of the week should be a time to unwind and do whatever you want to do.  From experience we can tell you that a weekend well spent makes the working week a lot less stressful.  Take two off days to relax and unwind and forget your daily chores to replenish yourself.  If you think you have to wait with having fun until your vacation, think again.

From now on put your thinking cap on and start to celebrate the weekend, every weekend. These tips should help you to get some great ideas.

Become an adrenaline junky

Get out of your comfort zone and try something different. Sometimes it seems people only test their limits when on holiday or abroad. As if your sense for adventure has to be kept quiet for the rest of the year. Sounds ridiculous but is very true for most of us unfortunately. So go out and find your nearest place to go zorbing, rock climbing or skydiving.  

Immerse yourself in culture

Locate a nice museum and spend a day strolling around and admiring the art, history or sculptures within. Many art galleries and museums have special events and expositions during the weekend so it might be worth to check your local newspaper or city magazine for the best tips.  After the museum, enjoy a nice stroll through the park and a delicious meal before heading to the theatre for an evening performance.

Calm down, relax and unwind

Locate your nearest spa facility and book yourself a day, or an entire weekend, of pure relaxation. Visit a spa that offers beauty treatments, professional massages and holistic therapy instead of going to the local sauna for true relaxation.

Take a breath of fresh air

Enjoy the great outdoors, whether it rains or shines. Britain is home to lovely nature reserves and national parks that are worthy of a visit. Think of the gorgeous New Forest, the incredible Lake District and beautiful Dartmoor. These parks have some great recreational activities on offer such as cycling, horse riding, hiking and windsurfing. Explore the surroundings, adore the wild animals and enjoy a great home cooked meal in one of the countryside pubs these parks are rich of.   

And finally, relax

This should be the priority every single weekend. The term relaxing means something different to everyone. Some people like to sleep in whilst others like to rise early and make the most of the day. When planning how to spend your weekend always keep in mind how you want to relax. It has no use to get up early every week when that doesn’t float your boat. The purpose of the weekend is for you to unwind, relax and re-energise yourself. Motivate your friends and family to do the same by surprising them with experience gift packs instead of birthday or anniversary presents.