Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Labor Day Weekend Party Planning Decorations

Labor Day, as we all know, is a well-deserved holiday for hard working Americans. Those of us who know what it’s like to have a hard days night, fortunately, get a day to sit back, relax, and have some fun. In doing so, many of us like to throw a Labor Day party, but this requires several elements including invitations, decorations, food, and good friends.

To decorate for Labor Day weekend, there are different party themes you can try. As Labor Day is a national holiday, you can decorate according to a national theme. Try plastic flags to line your backyard for a BBQ, banners of stars and stripes to welcome your guests, and paper decorations with the colors red, white and blue to complete the look.

Though red, white, and blue go hand in hand with this holiday, don’t be afraid to add plenty of other color wherever you see fit. After all, Labor Day is the last holiday before the end of summer, so let in the vibrant colors of the season. Floral decorations are great for a Labor Day celebration. Bouquets of flowers can make beautiful and bright centerpieces to a table and can liven up the house for the holiday weekend. Fresh floral arrangements are welcoming and warm, ideal for this last holiday of the summer season.

Also, you can have an office themed party, to celebrate the working world. (Try using shredded office papers as a unique form of confetti!), or you can focus on other themes or decorations that will get you as far away from the office as possible on this much needed holiday break. Either way, with a few decorative additions to your party, you, and your friend, family, and coworkers are bound to have fun.

Top 10 Labor Day Activities

Labor Day Weekend is the summer’s last hurrah. Soon, the warm sunny weather will be gone, the leaves will start to fall from the trees and we’ll all be preparing for the holiday season. Send the summer season off with a bang by celebrating all of its perks outdoors – here are ten great ideas for Labor Day activities that you and your family can enjoy together.

1. Beach picnic – Fill your beach bag with buckets, toys, sunscreen and towels and head over to the beach to float in the warm water and relax in the rays of the summer sun.

2. Backyard Party – Get all of your friends together for a summer-themed soiree in your backyard. Pick a signature cocktail fit for the season, such as Jamaican Breezes or Blue Hawaiians, and decorate your backyard like an island getaway with tiki torches, leis and other tropical touches.

3. Family BBQ – Fire up the grill and feed your kids, parents, siblings and cousins familiar family favorites such as barbecued chicken, hot dogs, burgers, corn on the cob and macaroni salad.

4. Weekend Camping Trip – The nights are going to get chilly soon; sleep under the stars in the warm summertime air with friends and family. Roast s’mores, tell stories around the campfire and revel in the exhilaration of outdoor living.

5. End of Summer Scenic Drive – Take advantage of the last days of lush, green scenery before the leaves start to fall. Bring a picnic basket full of finger foods and a bottle of wine to make it a romantic excursion.

6. Local Parades and Festivals – Many towns have Labor Day activities for all ages including concerts, contests, parades, and art exhibits. Check your newspaper or call your local Chamber of Commerce to find out what’s going on in your area.

7. State Park Day Trip – Enjoy the scenery, take part in some fun outdoor activities and learn a little about your local culture with a trip to your nearest state park or recreation area. Take a swim in the lake, go horseback riding, stop by the visitor’s center, or simply enjoy the native flora and fauna.

8. Gourmet Cookout – Grilling out can be a 5 star restaurant experience with the right menu. Do some research online at the Epicurious and Food Network websites to find the perfect gourmet cookout recipes, and get yourself a high quality gourmet picnic basket.

9. Fun and Games at the Park – Get some friends and family together and organize a potato sack race, water balloon launch, watermelon eating contest and other great activities for kids of all ages.

10. Family Outing – Take the day to strap the kids into the car and head to their favorite destination, whether it’s the zoo, a water park or the carnival. Their memories of childhood will be forever tied to these kinds of fun, kid-centered activities!

No matter what you choose to do with your Labor Day weekend this year, spend it outdoors with your loved ones! These kinds of activities promote togetherness and a healthy lifestyle, and will create memories that will be treasured for a lifetime.

Labor Day Decorations

As the first Monday of September grows closer, the plans for our Labor Day decorations need to be made. This holiday dedicated to the workers of society leaves very few of us out. As the official end of summer, Labor Day gives all of us a reason to get together and celebrate.

With such a big American holiday, why not decorate in a patriotic theme? A red, white and blue motif is the perfect setting for any Labor Day party. Things of the summer will soon be left in the past. Decorate your Labor Day party with items that remind all of us of the beautiful weather of summer.

Watermelons are one of the fruits we associate with summer. Fill watermelon shaped bowls with appetizers for the party. Reduce your driving and running around by buying online Labor Day party supplies.

If you can't find watermelon bowls then, create them yourself. Use black paint to paint seeds on the outside of the bowl. After the seeds dry, use pink paint for the sweet part of the fruit. Go right over the painted black seeds. Stop the pink paint about an inch down from the rim of the bowl leaving a space for the green color. Next use light green paint to go over the pink paint after it is dry and continue it right up to the rim of the bowl. After the green paint is dry use darker green paint to create lines length wise down the side of the bowl. For the final step, seal it with acrylic sealer. When you are done, you should be able to look into the bowl and see the pink inside of the watermelon complete with seeds. The outside of the bowl should look like the shell of a watermelon. Do this project with any design you like for the perfect personal touch to your Labor Day decorations. Surf the internet for more craft ideas.

Labor Day Party Games - Planning a Great Celebration

Celebrating Labor Day with a party which includes games can make the occasion fun for everyone. Here are a few suggestions to start you off.

“Head-Butt Challenge” Labor Day Party Game
This Labor Day party game is lots of fun for party guests of all ages, and more difficult than it seems! It also needs to be played in a fairly large, open area – the more open the area, the more challenging the game is. Prior to the party, blow up enough balloons to give one to each player. Gather players together and hand out the balloons. The object of the game is for each player to keep their balloon in the air for as long as possible using nothing but their heads – strictly no objects, hands, other body parts or assistance from other people allowed! A player must leave the game if their balloon touches the ground, or if they use anything other than their head to keep it in the air. The last player standing is the winner of this fun Labor Day party game.

“Switcheroo” Labor Day Party Games
This is a quiet Labor Day party game that tests players’ memory and observational skills. Divide players into two roughly even teams (one extra player doesn’t matter), team 1 and team 2. Team 1 must go into a separate room (or at least out of sight of the other team) and swap various clothes or accessories with each other before returning to the other team. Team 2 have 3 minutes to try and guess all the clothing-swaps that have been made by the other team. The teams swap places (with team 2 doing the swapping and team 1 doing the guessing), and the team with the most correct answers is the winner of this Labor Day party game.