Excuses to Get Together

excuses to get together with friends

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BRB

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HOW-TO: Red Carpet Party

Brought to you by Glad®, Hidden Valley® and Brita®

Sunday is the awards show everyone’s been waiting for. Bring out the glitz and put on the glam, it’s time for a Red Carpet Party.

Setting the scene:

Silver and gold are the colors for tonight. Don’t overdo it of course…but who doesn’t love glitter? Make the night shine!

Your friends should be dressed to the nines. Make sure that they have accessories to match. Put extras on a cute board so it can double as décor.

For an extra pop of color, add some red flowers (or confetti…or both) to your setup. They’ll match the famous carpet and make everything else stand out.

Refreshments:

Keep it simple and sweet. Finger foods will make it easier to pay attention to the ceremony while making sure your guests don’t mess up their evening wear.

Turn fancier appetizers into bite-size treats. Loving these caprese skewers with balsamic dip in a Glad® food container – it’s the perfect size!

Don’t forget fresh veggies! Something light will be perfect to snack on during the show and will add bright colors to your spread for the party! Leave individual Hidden Valley® packets out for your glam guests to season to their liking.

The Extra Mile:

Whether it’s finding a small red carpet for your friends to walk down or adding edible glitter to your ice cubes (use with water filtered in a Brita® pitcher for best taste!) there are little things to make the night award-winning.

Use spray adhesive and glitter to take your champagne flutes (and bottles!) from OK to WOW.

A ballot for your friends to cast their vote is a simple way to get everyone involved. Keep one of the custom glitter champagne bottles as a prize for who guesses the most winners correctly!

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*swoon*

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Bring your favorite book, ready to swap. Now you’ll have a new book to read and someone to talk about your fave with.

Extra Books – JIC, you know there will be that one person who forgets.

Bookmarks – Perfect to give as favors to your guests. Props if you make them.

Pillows – Lounge where you want. Reading should be comfy.

Carrots & Hidden Valley® Ranch – Good for the eyes and delicious! You can’t ask for better.

Serving Tray – A convenient & cute way to display your simple snacks.

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Take your favorite tee or dress and make it even cuter.

Green Works® All Purpose Spray – Every artist starts with a clean canvas. Give your work surface a quick wipe down to avoid unwanted dust and crumbs on your masterpiece.

Old Clothes – When you’re done they’ll be like new. We love this dress, but a shirt or even jeans would work.

Fabric Paint – Make sure it’s for fabric or it will wash off later!

Brushes – The foam kind works best, just make sure to put a layer between the fabric so it doesn’t go through to the back when you’re “stamping”.

Stencils – You can totes free-hand it, but these were too cute for us to pass up.

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HOW-TO: Choose Your Side Lines Party

Brought to you by Kingsford® and Hidden Valley®

Sunday’s game is right around the corner. Kick off the your get-together with delectable dips and some scrumptious soup.

Setting the scene:

Show your spirit and use team colors to divide up your space. Separate the seating and foods, making your friends choose carefully where they watch the game.

Be minimal for this get-together. We’ve all had a busy night. Don’t make your setup a pain – and it will end up looking great after all that extravagance.

Get crafty and set your table up with some yard lines. It can be as simple as some tape and numbers, or all out with a special tablecloth, either way you’re sure to score points with your guests.

Refreshments:

This is the game, which means you need to bring big flavors! Fire up the grill and char the meats for your entrées for that delicious smoky flavor. (Kingsford® charcoal can lend a helpful hand for that.)

Everyone’s fave chicken can be the star today. Chicken nachos and chicken tortilla soup are two tasty, but different options for your friends to choose from. Which will be the Most Valuable Party Snack?

Dips never seem to get enough love – time to fix that. Mix together sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions and Hidden Valley® Ranch powder for a winning dip.

The Extra Mile:

From streamers to a food vs food scoreboard, there are plenty of easy ways to make your game day party record-breaking.

Keep the stains to a minimum with football BINGO placemats. Helpful for you, and fun for everyone. Win-win.

Spruce up your simple glassware with temporary tattoos. You can get them cheap and add as many designs as you please.

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Martinis heal all wounds.

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We all need something to look forward to after Monday. This is it.

Slow Cooker – Let your taco filling (ground beef, pulled pork, and beans

are some of our favorites), cook during the day, so it’s ready as soon as you get home and your place will smell amaze.

Hidden Valley® Ranch Packet – Trust us. Add this to your taco filling for an extra burst of flavor.

Margaritas – Do you really need a reason?

Bright Centerpiece – Lighten up the mood with a beautiful (maybe floral?) centerpiece.

Great Music – This is a fun night Keep everyone pumped with some great jams (search “upbeat party mix” for crowd-pleasing premade playlists).

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I put on pants for this. You’re welcome.

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Story of my life. 

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There’s a tea for everything, why not give them all a try? Celebrate with some delicious tea and great friends.

Teacups – They don’t all have to match. Give each friend a cup you think matches their personali-tea.

Tea Bar – Everyone can sample and mix & match to find their perfect blend.

Tea Bags – Not the kind that come in a box, the empty kind. Let your guests make their own mix to bring home.

Small Bites – Add a little sweetness to your get-together!

Brita® Water Pitcher – You’ll want to use filtered water for the best quali-tea.

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HOW-TO: Pop-In Party

Brought to you by Hidden Valley® and Glad®

Nothing gives your get-together that little extra bit of pop better than, well, popcorn! January 19th is National Popcorn Day, so get the fam together for a day dedicated to that delicious, puffy snack. It’s sure to be poppin’!

Setting the scene:

Vibrant yellows and clean whites will keep it all popcorn-themed, while brightening up the space and making everything seem less cluttered.

Simple serving bowls and trays will bring everything together and keep it all in place when things get started. Be strategic with your placement.

We’re loving this “Bar” marquee for our table. The contrast of color makes it really pop and it brings home the whole popcorn bar.

Refreshments:

Air popped is best (you just need a pot with a lid, heat, shake, enjoy) but even the microwave stuff will do. Make a popcorn bar and put out Glad® containers, your guests can season & shake their own popcorn, saving you some work!

Think outside the saltshaker for your toppings. Everything bagel, parmesan & rosemary and Hidden Valley® Ranch are our faves to help you get started

Popcorn doesn’t have to be savory. For dessert we mixed popcorn with melted marshmallows and rainbow sprinkles, then served in ice cream cones because: cute!

The Extra Mile:

Cute serving trays lined with sprinkles for extra color. Movie theater styled shakers. The little things you can add to your table will turn the night into something everyone will remember.

Let’s talk drink stirrers! Who says they can’t be insta-cute and have popcorn on them?

Everyone loves presents; you know it’s true. Make some popcorn to go, put a cute tag on it, boom! Cute favors to tell them thanks for poppin’ by.

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So real. 

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Embrace the Cold:

Grab your favorite sweater and watch videos of the best cold-hearted pranks on the internet (search best friend and revenge pranks for best results) while enjoying some hot treats.

Smartphone  – Huddle up to keep warm and watch some vids for a laugh.

Hot Cocoa – No matter how old you get, hot cocoa is the ultimate cold weather drink.

Cinnamon Stick – This will as a little spice to your cocoa as you stir.

Comfy Blanket – Cozy is the best way to be.

Brita® Pitcher  – Pour filtered water in your kettle to heat up for your hot cocoa.

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Maybe they’ll cancel :)

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You came. You partied. You’ll feel conquered. Enjoy a quiet gathering with friends to welcome in the New Year and recover from the night before.

Setting the scene:

Use fresh and bright colors to wake up and energize your guests. Oranges, pinks, gold, and even greens will be perfect.

Be minimal for this get-together. We’ve all had a busy night. Don’t make your setup a pain – and it will end up looking great after all that extravagance.

Set up a space for your guests to write down their resolutions. If they’re not sure what to write, lend a hand.

Refreshments:

You’ll want something light this morning, so take it nice and easy. If you plan it right, everything can be made ahead of time.

Start the year right with some Brita® filtered water served with fresh fruit slices. Wake up and taste the citrus!

Have a citrus frenzy, tbh. It’s light on the stomach and is proven to help you wake up and concentrate. Perfect for starting out on the right foot.

The Extra Mile:

Even an elegant garnish in your drinks will bring the whole thing to the next level. And trust us, it really can be super simple to put together (loving rosemary as a skewer right now).

For a little something to do, we suggest some grown-up color books. Let everyone relax and get they’re colored pencil (or crayon) on.

Send your friends home with some Burt’s Bees® lip balm and tell them to rock the great flavors and the New Year!

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The holidays are here! No matter what or how you celebrate, everyone loves cookies. Get your squad together, bake delicious things, and package them to give to away.

Setting the scene:

Soft greens are great for wintertime get-togethers. They add some brightness to the room and will help remind you of warmer weather.

We love our bouquet of eucalyptus for the table. It’s festive, looks great, and smells even better!

Rosemary is another great plant to spruce up your table. Add to trays or even your drinks for that little something extra.

Refreshments:

This is a cookie baking party, but let’s be real…some may go “missing”. Don’t forget to bake a few extras for testing!

Nothing goes better with cookies than milk. Serve in mini bottles with straws for that added layer of cute.

Try and have a few things that aren’t cookies. I know it sounds ridiculous, but there is such a thing as too many cookies. A few mints, or even marshmallows will be good to change things up.

The Extra Mile:

It’s pretty common to give cookies to family & friends as a gift, but let’s do something different this year. Find a retirement home or shelter and share the <3.

Gift tags are a simple way to add extra well wishes to your giftees – and it’s so easy to make them look great! Make your own or find a design online.

If you want to give your cookie delivery some real glam, grab the glue and sequins. Deck the halls and the Glad® containers!