How To Spice Up Your Parties With Fun and Flavor

Last Updated on July 3, 2019 by Diane Hoffmaster

Hosting a house party can be a ton of fun, however, your party planning ideas may need a bit of an upgrade. Learn how to spice up your parties!  Here are some party tips and tricks to make it more memorable with more fun and loads of flavor. 

Simple Cheap Party Decorating Ideas Are Fine!

Hosting a house party that really rocks doesn't have to cost a fortune.  In fact, keeping the party decor simple will allow you to focus more on the FUN and less on the FLASH that will only end up in the trash can. Simple cheap party decorating ideas are better for your wallet and have a smaller carbon footprint.  Learn how to spice up your parties without wasting money with these simple tips:

• Get creative with decor. Want to focus on a particular theme?  Get creative with your decor.  You can head to the craft store for inexpensive supplies and search online for easy ways to spice up your house.  For example, a garland of dried chilies or a candle with an exotic scent are easy ways to create a little ambiance in your kitchen.
• Find some mood music.  Create your own playlist easily for your party and include music from whatever cultures you want.  Having a big Italian feast?  Add in some Italian music to make it seem like you are really in a villa in Italy.  Choosing some Mexican food?  How about something to get you in the mood to dance the mamba or salsa?
• Bring the inside OUT.  If the weather is nice, move your party outside.  Add tiki torches to the lawn or floating candles in the bird bath for a little bit of ambiance.

How do you keep people entertained?

Learning how to spice up your party means encouraging people to have FUN.  So, what sort of fun party ideas can you incorporate into your party planning?  Party games can be enjoyable but try to find ones with simple rules that don't take all night to play.  

How do you keep people entertained are your party? Make sure to invite a wide variety of people to your party, not necessarily ones that already know each other.  If you are inviting a bunch of people who don't know each other, check out Event Manager for some creative ice breaker ideas.  Scavenger hunts and other collaborative games allow people to really get to know one another.  

More Simple Party Tips

• Tips for Hosting an Awesome Game Day Party
• Simple Tips for Hosting a Wine and Cheese Party
• Christmas Party Planning Tips and Artichoke & Kale Bruschetta Topper Recipe

Liven up your party with story telling, games, and fun activities can help the time pass quickly and make for a more memorable evening.  What makes a party successful? A bit of planning!  So, think ahead to what your party guests will be doing before you send out invitations. 

Serve Spiced Up Party Food

I grew up in an average middle class suburban neighborhood in New England.  My mom loved to cook but none of what she made would be considered spicy, ethnic, or exciting.  Lots of casseroles, baked beans and pot roast. Not too many things to really make your taste buds jump up and say WOW!  Then, I moved down to Texas with my (now) husband and was introduced to an amazingly diverse selection of cultures.  Ever since, I have been much more open about trying new ethnic foods. Serve a few kicked up recipes as your next party!

• Invest in a good cookbook!  There are a lot of ethnic themed cookbooks out there to help you add a little bit of zing to your menu.  Don't pick recipes that are overly complicated...you are looking for flavor intensity, not difficulty.
• Embrace new foods.  Check out the ethnic section of your grocery store or find a grocery store that specializes in a certain type of food.  We are lucky that Atlanta is a melting pot of cultures.  I love shopping at the Indian grocery store for fresh Naan or the Mexican grocery dried peppers!
• Don't forget the drinks!  Whether you want to serve something adult oriented like a flavored margaritas, something warm like Indian tea, or you want to stick with kid friendly offerings, you can include drinks that match your party theme!
• Keep things simple!  I like recipe that can be made up ahead of time like Mexican 7 layer dip (shown above) or fresh spring rolls.  Then, when it is time for the party, you don't have to spend all your time in the kitchen.

Spiced Up Parties Need a Party Checklist

With a little planning, you can throw the best party ever! Start with a party checklist so you are organized and on task for your big event. What should you put on your party planning list?  Include everything from the party food you want to serve to the housekeeping chores you need to do before guests arrive.  Here are a few party checklists on Pinterest that you may want to print out and keep handy.

•  Free Printable Birthday Party Checklist will make sure you get everything that you need to make your special day a big success.
•  Birthday Party Planner with a shopping list, guests, activities, theme, budget etc.
•  Guest List Chart ~ To keep track of guests addresses and if they have rsvp’d.
•  Menu Planner ~ To plan your party meals. 

After your party, start a party journal!  Write down how much food was left over and which party games people enjoyed.  As a result,  planning your next party will be much easier.  It will help you remember little things like your boss's favorite cocktail and your niece's food allergies.  That way, you can spice up your next party a little easier!

Diane Hoffmaster

Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy.  She has two college aged kids, one husband and more pets than she will admit to. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire  but left her career in science to become a stay at home mom. Years of playing with LEGO and coloring with crayons had her craving a more grown up purpose to her life and she began blogging and freelance writing full time.  You can learn more about her HERE.