Unexpected party favors: What should I do with the things guests forget at my house?
I’ve found myself with a growing collection of castaway sunglasses, casserole dishes, makeup, gifts from friends that were meant for other friends. What is the etiquette for storing/returning forgotten items? If a guest claims an item, but takes forever to come pick it up, how long should I keep it? If they live far away, am I obligated to ship it to them?
Throw this Seinfeld-inspired, shame-free Regifting Party
We’ve talked about what to do with gifts you don’t want on Offbeat Home & Life before. One of the suggestions is to regift — that wonderfully taboo idea many of us are familiar with thanks to Seinfeld. Thanks to my extended family’s incredible generosity but general cluelessness about what I want or need for Christmas, every year I find myself with a bunch of gifts that are very nice, but not quite what I want. After some conversations with friends in the same boat, I decided that regifting shouldn’t be a dirty word. It should be an excuse for a party!
How kitty sweaters, virtual fires, and friends saved the day I had to work on Christmas day
Last Christmas was a lonely one for me. I was separated from my family and I had to work. My heart was broken. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. After my Christmas fate was sealed, I told my group of besties about how sad I was about missing my favorite part of Christmas for work. We then decided to have our own Christmas celebration after my shift was over. The name for our shindig was not original, but it meant the world to me: Friend Christmas.
How do you celebrate birthdays that fall on, or close to, holidays?
We welcomed our sweet baby boy in to the world last year on Christmas Eve. My husband’s birthday is the 28th, so he’s not a stranger to being forgotten at Christmas time. But in this Pinterest-crazed day and age, I feel kind of put-out that we won’t be able to have big birthday celebrations, as almost everyone will be busy with Christmas festivities. Any suggestions?
De-stressing the holidays: Ditching traffic, fake smiles, and our parents
I love the holidays. I love the food, the family, and the general festive atmosphere. I hate the stress though. Add to this that my career choice primarily involves dealing with difficult people and that the holiday season is THE busiest time of year for those kinds of jobs (read: retail and waiting tables), the stress of the holidays is almost more than I can handle. Then I started thinking about what the holidays meant when I was growing up…
Throw this party: “T. Hanks-giving”
T. Hanks-giving is a wonderful pre- post- or alterna-Thanksgiving celebration that gives thanks to Tom Hanks, Patron Saint of American Film. Here’s how to throw your own T. Hanks-giving…
Killer Uno: The best non-drinking game ever
We need a safe outlet in which to pounce, cuss, fist-pump, gloat, turn the tables and score before we do some actionable damage to ourselves and those around us. I give you: Killer Uno. The game is simple…
How to play Quidditch Beer Pong
Over on Offbeat Bride, we featured a Harry Potter bridal shower where they played Quidditch Beer Pong. I asked Rachel how to play, and she gave me all the magical details. Grab your butter beer, ping pong balls, and your wands, and let’s play!