Birthdays, holidays and homesick college kids are all great reasons to create a care package for a loved one. It’s fun, easy to do and gratifying knowing you’ll be putting a smile on the recipient’s face. But I’ve got an even better way to enjoy the care package process – invite several of your girlfriends over for a dinner party where each guest creates care packages together for those they love!
There are many things to do ahead of time to prep for an event like this.
First, create a simple menu of a soup, salad, light dessert and of course, champers! If you need recipe ideas, Just Ask!
After your menu is finalized, it’s time to create your super chic tablescape based on the theme idea of the care package you’d like to send. For instance, if it’s for an Easter care package, decorate the table with mini Easter lilies. You can also use Easter egg and baby chick cookie molds as napkin holders tied with a pastel colored grosgrain ribbon with a place card at the dinner table.
Once you have a theme idea it’s time to create invitations. In the invitation, encourage each guest to bring one item for the number of guests attending the party. For example, if I were to be contributing to an Easter care package and there were 10 fun and fashionable ladies attending, I’d buy 10 headband bunny ears as my donation. Get the gist?
As the host, not only are you the organizer extraordinaire and the chef de cuisine, you also need to act as Postmaster. What I mean is that you’ll need to go to the post office to obtain enough small, medium or large flat rate boxes for each of your guests. Buy some packaging tape and small note cards, which will inform the recipient of the care package. Your guests will appreciate that you thought of everything!
Expert tip: Assemble all the postal boxes ahead of time, so that when your guests arrive with their goodies, all they’ll need to do is take a different gift from each guest, plop them in a box, sign a card and then securely tape it up. Be sure to have Sharpie pens available for mailing addresses. It’s the guest’s responsibility to mail out their own box at the post office at their own expense to their desired loved one.
This is such a great get-together idea for friends who maybe don’t have the time or creativity to prepare a care package and it’s also a fantastic way to catch up with old friends and maybe make some new ones.
I won’t lie, it does take time and effort for the host to coordinate a care package party. If you’re interested in throwing a party like this, but really don’t know the ins and outs of what to do, Just Ask me, Robin Laub, Life Stylist to help you with all the details. From theme ideas to shopping lists, I’d be thrilled to assist!
Party on!
