Retirement Party Ideas

Many people consider retirement to be one of the most relaxing and happy times of their life, however, others may approach this time with mixed emotion. Above all else, when you are planning a retirement party, be sensitive to the feelings of the retiree. All retirement celebrations should be as upbeat as possible, and should honor the life of the retiree.

As with any party, whether it be a milestone birthday party, anniversary etc., we recommend that you center your theme around the guest of honor’s interests, hobbies or hopes and dreams for the future. Does the retiree like sports, kick it off with some sports themed tableware and decorations, for wine and food lovers make a barbeque theme and wine tasting party, for passionate travelers you could create a travel the world themed party using a maps, guidebooks and international flags decorations. Creating a themed party is also an idea while getting a gift for the retiree and you should definitely stick with the theme. Or if the retiree has no special hobbies you could create the theme around, you could use the work history. If you have a retired teacher, why not to make the look of your place such as the one in the classroom? Find old books and school equipments and spread it around the house. If you are still not too sure, why not to stick with some nostalgic themes? You could collect some old photographs, print them and use them as a decoration around the house. Or simply use some popular party themes such as 50's or 60's party. Retro and rock 'n' roll parties are always a success!

After you make your selection, choose invitations, decorations, party favours and games/activities that match your theme. And don't forget choose some Retirement party supplies (available on our website http://www.thebigparty.ie/productlist/3/513/retirement_party.html) which will remind the retiree and the guests what is the party about.

 

Helium Shortage Hits Disneyland

You know the helium shortage is getting serious when you hear that Disneyland has stopped selling Mickey Mouse balloons!

A global shortage of helium, the lighter-than-air gas, has put a stop to the sale of inflatable Mickey Mouse heads at Disneyland in Tokyo, threatened parades during the US Thanksgiving holiday and disrupted university research.

Global production of helium -- used in industrial and medical applications, as well as balloons -- has sharply fallen this year in the US and Algeria, the two biggest exporters.

Companies in Japan, the world's leading helium importer, say they are looking to tap alternative, but more expensive, sources of supply in Qatar, Russia and Poland. (FT.com)

In Ireland the situation is that while helium is available it continues to become more expensive. Up to now www.thebigparty.ie and other retailers have refrained from increasing the price to the consumer but it is unlikely that this situation will continue for much longer.

80% of the world’s helium comes from the US. Although helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, most of it in the Earth’s atmosphere bleeds off into space. Helium used for industrial purposes is a byproduct of natural gas production, and the Texas Panhandle is the United States’ helium capital.

Top 3 sources for party ideas

 

There is so much information on every subject available now online and the party planning is no exception. At  http://www.thebigparty.ie/ we thought we would trawl the net and come up with the top 3 sources for party planning inspiration. No surprise but all the best ones are U.S. based

Catch my party is a California based website with great production quality and an amazing breath of ideas and themes. The range of themes along with the emphasis on fantastic pictures is what most impressed us. http://catchmyparty.com.

Top party ideas is another great site which is easy to follow despite the huge amount of information they have. Ideas can be viewed by occasion or by product type i.e. invitations. The food section is great with recipes from everything from Alice in Wonderland keyhole crackers to bouillabaisse for the shellfish lovers which going by the photos would be great with a nice chilled pinot grigio. http://www.toppartyideas.com/recipes/

Last but not least is kids parties 123 which as the name suggests specialises in planning ideas for kids parties but also has some great seasonal ideas. Check out there Halloween section on the link below and you are sure to get some ideas to make your Halloween night one that the kids will always remember. http://www.kidsparties123.com/holiday-parties/happy-halloween/

Don’t forget it is always a good time to have a party!

Halloween Sales 2012 - Trick or Treat?

The tradition of dressing up into a costume on the last day of October will serve as a huge revenue boost for many retail stores this year both online and offline.  In the US this year sales generated from Halloween are expected to top $8 billion, which is approximately 17% more than last year.  This is the highest amount ever for Halloween!  

 

Consumer market studies indicate that seventy percent of Americans are predicted to celebrate Halloween this year. Halloween has certainly evolved into an economic booster due to the wide variety of festive products available in the marketplace.  Consumers purchase many of the following items: bakeware, costumes for adults and kids, decorations, candy, masks, pumpkins, and even costumes for pets!  Activities include, but are not limited to carving pumpkins, making a costume, handing out treats, and watching scary movies.  People decorate the interior and exterior of their homes and have been continuously hosting parties and other gatherings for families and individuals.  

 

In Ireland the move to online over the last 3 years for decorations & costumes has been significant. The closure of some independent shops and the ability of the online retailer to offer a much wider range of products with next day delivery is a huge incentive for the consumer. The greatest growth is seen in fancy dress costumes and accessories. 

 

The Big Party at www.thebigparty.ie are anticipating a doubling of sales on the 2011 figures. This is a result of the general shift to online sales and the ability of the Irish online retailer to compete with their UK competitor on price and delivery time. Over the last few years a huge proportion of Irish consumers have purchased from UK based operators.

 

A noticeable trend this year and last is the increase in the number of masquerade balls and charity fancy dress balls particularly aimed at the 3^rd level student market. Everyone loves to dress up and have a good time!

 

If you will be participating in the Halloween spirit this year enjoy it, be safe, and do not get spooked by the retail prices!  Last but not least, for those of you who are of proper age, enjoy one of the oldest Halloween traditions - "trick or treating”!

Baby Shower Party Ideas

Baby shower is a celebration of the coming of a new baby. It is great opportunity for Mum-to-Be and her friends to celebrate this special moment and it is also a good time to bring some presents for both Mum and her expecting baby. That's where the term shower actually comes from, the expectant mum is literally being "showered" with presents.  Baby Showers are extremely popular in USA, but they are becoming big in UK and now this Baby Shower fever is hitting Ireland too. As there are very few information on Irish blogs, let's get it all summarized here.

How to organise Baby Shower?

Baby Shower is traditionally an event dedicated to Mum-to-Be and her girlfriends, yes - no man allowed! It is a time for women go get together and share their experiences and wisdom. But well that is as for the tradition. There is no surprise that at today's Baby Shower you can actually see men, husbands and  even children.

The rule is that anyone can host this party except Mum-to-Be and in some American blogs you could read that this party shouldn't be thrown by any of Mum-to-Be relatives either. So that leave us with the fact, that Baby Shower should be organised by either good friends or colleagues at work which can result in Mum-to-Be have two parties, one with her dear friends and family and the other with her colleagues. Sounds good right?  

When & where to organise Baby Shower?

Not too late and not too early! The good time is usually about a month or two before the due date. As for where, the traditional way would be organising Baby Shower at any place except Mum-to-Be place as it was usually a surprise party for her. Today you can see Baby Showers being held in restaurants and hotels and most conveniently in Mum-to-be house or garden.

So how to throw the most memorable Baby Shower?

You will want this event to be something all of you will remember. The most important part of planning will be who to and not to invite, setting up a date and place. Then it is time to think about having a theme if any. As simple as this is, you can get cute Baby Shower decorations as these shouldn't be missed and even for tiny budget you can do wonders with them. Check some hanging swirls, hanging string decorations or baby balloons and the atmosphere will change immediately. You may want to save money on paper plates, napkins, but these can be really cute and will add to the whole Baby Shower setting.

       

Baby Shower Gifts

This is always tricky part what to buy and what not to. You can buy present for Mum-to-be or the baby or both. Chocolate box is always nice treat for Mum-to-be.  As for the baby, presents such as pampers, nappies, baby bottles and baby toiletries will be always appreciated. Nice idea is to get signing sheet where every guest could sign and at the end this will be nice memory for Mum-to-be.

Where to buy the products?

Baby Shower party supplies and decorations are available on our website on very competitive prices. At the moment we offer two ranges: Baby Shower Buttons for the budget planning and Baby Shower for the mid-size Baby Shower party. Have a look at http://www.thebigparty.ie/productgroup/6/babies_%26_tots.html.

Helium Shortage - should you get worried?

Are you preparing birthday or children's party and inflated balloons are on your to-do list? Then read on because it can be more difficult to get than it seems. And more expensive.

If you type helium shortage in Google search you will learn that helium is a commodity that is becoming more scarce. The balloons and party supplies companies have been hit most as helium is being prioritised for heavy industry and medical science.  You will also learn about recycled or impure helium which is not suitable for neither medical nor scientific purposes so instead of wasting it, we could simple put it into the balloons.

We have been reading lots of articles about helium shortage and since we have received a letter from our supplier that we won't be able to order more helium canisters we started to worry. At the moment we still have our remaining stock but as you may have noticed we were forced to put the price higher to €34.95 per small canister.

However if you buy your balloons and inflation at our website www.thebigparty.ie, it will cost €2.50 per standard balloon and we do not intend to increase this price any time soon.

Unfortunately the helium for balloons and party suppliers has been cut and we hope that sooner or later there will be better news.

EURO 2012 Fever hits Ireland

In our 3^rd year trading www.thebigparty.ie has just had our busiest week to date as Euro 2012 fever hits the country.

Bunting has been the big seller with over 2000 packs sold in the 7 days leading up to the big match v Croatia.
Afro wigs, flags and tricolour capes are the other big movers as the Irish public scramble to show their support for the ‘boys in green’.

While many radio programmes and other media are running stories to say that stocks are running out in shops, the online channel is the option of choice for many. With big supplies and nationwide next day delivery www.thebigparty.ie are hoping for a ‘result ‘in the first match.

Come on you boyz in Green! The country feels like ‘thebigparty’ is about to start.

Easter Celebrations

Spring flowers, birds, baby animals, Easter bunnies, chocolate eggs and young lambs, that means Easter is back again.

Easter is an special occasion to celebrate resurrection of Jesus Christ. These most important religious celebrations are being spent with families and close friends. People usually wear new clothes on Easter Sunday. Some young girls wear green hair ribbons, yellow dress, and white shoes. Others may pin little crosses made of green, yellow and white ribbons on their right sleeves. These colors and new clothes signify purity and a new start to life.

Some people would strictly follow the traditions and 40 days before Easter on Ash Wednesday they will quit something they cherish. It can be cigarettes, alcohol or some favourite food.

To list all Easter celebrations and beliefs would be very long, but let's have a look at some of the most traditional ones.

1. Spring cleaning of the house on Good Friday
2. Attending confessions and asking for forgiveness on Good Friday
3. Shopping for new clothes and getting a new haircut on Good FridayVisiting holy wells and graveyards on Good Friday
4. Attending a Holy Vigil on Saturday Night
5. Attending a special mass on Easter Sunday
6. Having a traditional meal of roast meat with stuffing, potatoes and vegetables
7. Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday

If you are having a family get together in your place, surprise them with Easter decorations and summer tableware, buy chocolate eggs for each child and maybe for adults too, to add some fun and don't forget to get some Easter baskets too.

St. Patrick's Day Ideas

St. Patrick's Day celebrations are always big and it doesn'tmatter, if you are staying at home or heading to the streets. We have some tips for you!

If you wish to stay at home in the family circle, you could get some green table covers or even better, table covers with spring clovers on them. Add some extra plastic tumblers, green paper plates, St. Patrick's Day napkins and make your favourite food. If you are the lucky one and have garden, you could put some hanging decorations outside such as lantern garlands or
hanging swirls. According to weather forecast it will be nice and sunny day.

We believe you will go and see the fantastic parade in your town or head up to some of the bigger towns. All the streets will be covered in green with most people wearing green hats, tiaras, head boppers and some of them will also have face paints all over their faces. So get yourself something green and lucky for a day to go with the crowd. If you wish to have something
special, why don't you get a tattoo? Don't worry, the tattoo we are offering is safe and will cause you no pain.

To get some of these fantastic items check http://www.thebigparty.ie.
Order today and you will have it delivered tomorrow. We also offer pick up, so
if you order your goods after 3pm today and before 3pm on Friday, you can still
go and pick up your goods in your local depot. Contact us for more information.

Happy St. Patrick's Day and Sláinte :-)

Happy Pancake Tuesday!

If you are like me, you just love pancakes and it does not matter if they are tiny and crispy as a paper or thick and small.

I have tried lots of different pancakes, plain ones, pancakes with lemon and sugar, pancakes with maple syrup, pancakes with fruit and yoghurt, pancakes with nutella and coconut, pancakes with banana, nutella and coconut, pancakes with blueberries and whipped cream, pancakes with ice cream, fruit and whipped cream. I have also tried pancakes with spinach, pancakes with ham and cheese, pancakes with shrimps, yes shrimps! The list is endless.

While I am writing all this, I can feel the cravings and the taste. And I realise it is a Pancake Tuesday and the shop will close in 30min! So now I have to go and get at least some of the things I had last year (as you can see on my last year's photo, just the ice cream was left in the fridge).

Happy Pancake Tuesday, let's spoil ourselves!

Party of the week - Mickey Mouse

Are you planning a party for your little one and have absolutely no idea what theme to decide on?

Every Friday from now on we will post one photo featuring party of the week. We started this on our Facebook page but we believe it would be handy to keep them all on our Blog as well as we could go back here and check the suggested ideas.

Party of the week is Mickey Mouse Party with one of the most recognizable cartoon characters in the world. Have a look at our idea with some of the Mickey Mouse party essentials. You will need table covers, paper plates, paper cups, some napkins and if you don't want to keep on Mickey Mouse theme only, you can easily mix and match them with both blue and black tableware. As for decorations you could get either letter banner or pennant banner and some balloons. To add to the fun get some Mickey Mouse ears or Mickey Mouse party hats, the kids just love them!

If you wish to give presents to your little visitors, why don't you get some Mickey Mouse loot bags and fill them with little treats, it could be either some pocket toys or pick n mix sweets.

So who is for Mickey Mouse party as your next themed party? Or maybe you already set your party with Mickey Mouse? Do you have any photos? Share them with us!

To get some of our Mickey Mouse party tableware and accessories, have a look on our website:
http://www.thebigparty.ie

Rise of mobile devices in 2012

Mobile devices are fast becoming the first choice for Irish online purchasing. thebigparty.ie have seen a huge increase in customers accessing and purchasing using handheld devices. For example in the first 2 weeks of 2011 4% of customers accessed the site using handhelds whereas in 2012 that figure has increased to 16%. A four fold increase in 1 year! In the same period the numbers accessing using windows has gone from 91% to 71% again highlighting the move away from the PC/laptop to the handheld.

Amongst the handheld user group Apple comes out on top with over 80% using an IPhone IPad or IPod. 16% are with Android and it will be interesting to see if this increases through 2012. The balance are using Blackberry and other devices.

Smurfs in front as themed parties grow

2011 saw the growth in themed childrens parties continue. While all the traditional favorites such as Dora the Explorer and Mickey Mouse remained popular the rise of Fireman Sam and the Smurfs was dramatic.

With the Smurfs movie in the cinema and topping the sales charts on DVD the demand for Smurfs themed product was significant. The full range was selling through with the tablewear and favors such as bubbles proving very popular.

As more parents opt to save money by having 'stay at home' parties it is clear that this trend is here to stay in 2012