St. Patrick's Day Party

Known as the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick is widely celebrated throughout the United States and planning the perfect St. Patrick's Day party involves a little creativity and lots of fun filled entertainment. Having thrown many parties in the past, I have found that planning my parties in advance is the key to a successful party.

Step 1: Guest List and Invitations

Once you decide on who you would like to invite, consider sending a special invitation to set the theme for your party. Your guests will be pleasantly surprised to receive a shamrock shaped invitation detailing your St. Patty’s Day festivities. I found a great sample template to give you a quick start! http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/cegif/StPattParty_PDF.pdf
On the invitation include the information below to let your friends and family know you are ready to party!

• Host/Hostess’s name
• Party Theme/What’s the party for?
• Date
• Where
• Time
• Directions
• RSVP Information
• Any special messages (optional)

Step 2: Table Setting

Once the guest list has been made and the invitations have been mailed, it is time to plan the menu. Planning an authentic Irish party requires the ingredients of food, drink, and music.

Sit down dinners are my favorite and your choices of table linens, plate settings, and decorations are endless. Department stores, such as Pier One and Target, always carry inexpensive dinnerware and glassware that can charm your guests throughout the evening. I always try to use fine table linens and match my color palette according to the special occasion we are celebrating. For St. Patrick's Day, green is the color to use. Try complimenting a cream or white tablecloth with emerald napkins and use classic gold-rimmed cream or white plates to set the mood of elegance for your guests. If you want to have a buffet style party, you can still use tablecloths and instead of china plates you can use paper plates. You can find a wonderful selection of paper plates with complimenting cups, napkins and plasticware at places like Party City or Party Adventures.

Step 3: The Menu

Corned beef and cabbage is synonymous with St. Patrick's Day and it is a wonderful main course to serve for dinner. Below is a sample menu to consider for your party to celebrate the Irish traditions and recipes can be found on the following website http://www.theholidayspot.com/patrick/irish_recipes.htm.

• Corned Beef Dinner
• Irish Stew Dumpling
• Rueben Casserole
• Boxty-Irish Potato Cakes
• Irish Soda Bread Recipe
• Lemon Irish Whiskey Cupcakes
• Irish Coffee

To let your guest know what Irish specialties you will be serving, I suggest printing the dinner menu on shamrock themed paper. Roll the menu up and tie fresh shamrocks or green ribbon around the paper for that finishing touch. It is nice, personal touch and will remind your guests of the invitation they received.

After you completed the menu, concentrate on your presentation. I am a stickler for making sure the serving plates match and that each dish has a serving utensil. Nothing says ‘being unprepared’ more than having your guest ask for a serving utensil or seeing your guest use their flatware to serve their plate. These minor details are very important in making a lasting impression.

Step 4: Fun Fun Fun!

So, the guests are here and the food is served. Now, it is time for drinks and entertainment. The Irish are infamous for their music and dancing. Find a CD that will bring joy to your party and remind your guest of Emerald Isle. The website http://www.theholidayspot.com/patrick/patricks_day_songs/ has a nice selection of Irish music that you can entertain with.

Along with the music, make sure your bar is stocked with the finest Irish whiskey and beer. You can also make some intriguing drinks like Irish Eyes or Midori Sour by visiting the website http://www.bethanyroberts.com/st-patricks-day-drinks.htm for a variety of recipes. After all, the Irish are infamous for their alcohol tolerance and green beer!

Step 5: Relax!

As you stand back and see that your guests are raving about the food, are heavily into their green beer and are dancing and singing the night away, you know you have thrown a successful party. It’s time to relax and enjoy the party that you so masterfully put together! Erin Go Bragh!