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”!