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Is party theme planning
dead?
..as the smoke cleared the child asked:
"What did you wish for this time Mommy?"
And the reply: " The same thing each year darling, the same thing"
Little did she know her Mother was crying out for a themed birthday party.
She wanted a party she didn't have to plan herself!
"I wish for a well planned birthday for me!"
Themes: Birthday
Planning or Birthday Problems?
A party theme without planning is only a dream. A 10
point check-list of crucial elements
when considering a theme.
In a time poor world you can hear the sharp
intake of breath as people steel themselves against a question as old as
time:
"What are we going to do for her birthday?"
The question of a theme will inevitable get asked and if the Planning Person
is not lush with time or flush with cash it might usher in card-cake-gift
time.
No plan. Just reaction.
But is the reaction just?
What stops many a party in it's tracks is a warped perception of time and
money. Clever party theme planning is one way to side-step these obstacles
and the good news is it can cost half as much and take next to no time.
Half the cost. Half the time.
A well planned theme -- around anything related to the person in question --
will have massive , m-a-s-s-i-v-e, MASSIVE impact.
Why you ask? It shows thought and was not expected.
What about the reverse? Give them something that takes no thought and
is expected....gets you out of a pickle but the impact is "oh, gee
thanks."
The trick is not in the theme, it's in the party theme planning. I am
not talking about extravaganzas and high society bashes. Those are the
domain of the J-Lo type Party Planners -- remember dear Jen in the Wedding
Planner? -- who are radio mic'd up to the armpits and even have the
bugs in the hedge choreographed.
Not them. You. Good old you at work, you at
home you who have real people for family and friends and would love to do
something different for them. A simpler party theme planning approach
is the go. Some considerations include:
- The B-day person
What do they like? Think of the impact on them.
- Reasons for having a Theme
Why? Milestone to
remember?
Whatever the reason, be clear about it.
- Your skills and resources
Are you ready to put your ALL into this?
What do you have or can do that will make it work?
- Time to delivery
What's this like? If the time is short, reduce the number of theme
elements (ideas) or bring in more help.
- Help Needed to pull it off
Don't do it solo. Get others to help you.
- Little Touches
People remember details important
to them. Add small personal touches that link in with the theme. A party
theme planning MUST have! It reduces cost and builds impact.
- Cost
Many theme elements can be done with more
thinking than money. Always ask: "How could I do this for no
cost..?"
If cost isn't the issue -- get others to do it and pay them.
- Spread the Enthusiasm
Build up the momentum slowly. Under-hyping is BEST. Careful party theme
planning will take care of this.
- A Run-Sheet is a MUST have
No mater how small, what age or how many people. ALWAYS use a run sheet.
Can be a basic as what-where-when-who.
- Memory Variety
If you are capturing the party for memories use a few different methods.
How many can you come up with?
A word or two on themes...
They can be anything....
Really. All you have to do is look closely and there will be a theme
hovering. Imagine a family of four who want to consider party theme
planning as a family. For a mother think about appreciation,
a dad maybe it will be sense of adventure. A brother could be
"Pain in the...butt we love 'im" and for a sister you could
think along the lines of "Thelma and Louise - two gals taking on
the world.."
I was able to make a family party out of my wife's love of patchwork
quilting!
One final tip...
Give the Party/ Occasion a Name.
Create an identity that can be talked about later on. Instead of:
"yes, I recall Bob's 35th ..sort of..pub-thing with cowboy hats or
something...."
How about: " Of course I remember "Top
Dog Bob and the Bandits. Where all us guys got to be cowboys at a steak
bar, hog-tie Bob to a table and tell him how much of a friend he'd been to
us? Oh, yeah! All the while we drank snake-bite juice -- green colored beer
--, ate prairie dog vomit -- mini pizzas -- and cheered when they brought
out the Rattle Snake cake. We sang C & W songs and howled at the moon on the
way home."
[Party Theme Planning Stats:1 Theme,
1 Name, 7 Idea elements, and in 2-3hrs you have wonderful set of
memories..and a frightened moon.]
Maybe it's a guy thing... but, can you see the difference?
Remember to plan well partners. It shows thought, was not expected and was
how people won over using themes for their birthdays.
Yee-haa!
Neal Lohse © 2006
Best-Birthday-Party-Idea.com
Incredible Things!
Publishing
Mini Bio:
Neal Lohse is a Happy Person, Loving Spouse, Cool-Dad, Business Coach,
Corporate Philosopher, Event Designer, Education Facilitator,
cook-washer-cleaner ...and is in love with a mountain-bike and a pair
hiking boots. |
