|
|
|
| |
Buyology
TRUTH AND LIES ABOUT WHY WE BUY
by Martin Lindstrom
What – exactly – were you thinking?
Read Article |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Party Your Way to a Stress-Free Holiday
If the work that goes into the holidays just sucks the fun right out of them for you, it’s time to change your approach.
Read Article |
|
Simon Evening of Giving
I just love it when I can tell my husband, “Yes, I’m going shopping, but it’s for a worthy cause.”
Read Article |
|
Lake Afton Public Observatory
“Twinkle, twinkle, little star” will take on a whole new meaning when you experience the night sky from the Lake Afton Public Observatory (LAPO).
Read Article |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
It’s not about the Hair
Whining does no good.
Read Article |
|
DAY TRIPPING
Stories about local ghosts and legends have kept people flocking to “The most Haunted Town in Kansas” for more than a decade.
Read Article |
|
City Culture
The 6th Annual Tallgrass Film Festival will take place October 23-26 in and around downtown Wichita!
Read Article |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
FOOTBALL WIVES & MOTHERS
When fall rolls around, the giant wall calendar in Sherry Bell’s laundry room looks like this:.
Read Article |
|
STANDING TALL
Last spring, one buckets coach racked up her 800th win, then headed out for more.
Read Article |
|
HOLIDAY GALLERIA
The 5th Annual Junior League of Wichita (JLW) Holiday Galleria will be held at the Century II Expo Hall October 3-5.
Read Article |
|
DAY TRIPPING
Manhattan, Kansas
Read Article |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 Party Your Way to a Stress-Free Holiday
If the work that goes into the holidays just sucks the fun right out of them for you, it’s time to change your approach. Why not outsource a few of your yuletide chores by disguising them as social events? Here are three ideas for holiday parties that give you the gift of time and friendship.
THE COOKIE EXCHANGE
The concept: Guests swap bundles of favorite holiday cookies.
The payoff: For a few batches of your recipe, you get a huge variety of goodies to serve at your own gatherings.
How it works: Each person brings a dozen cookies for each guest: If 10 people will be there, bake 10 dozen. Ask guests to RSVP with their recipe if you want to avoid duplicates. (Some people get their Martha on and don’t allow those everyday varieties like chocolate chip. It’s your call on how anal selective you want to be). Bring extra containers for your take-home stash.
Tips: This isn’t a cookie-eating party, remember. Have some normal party food and goodies apart from the sugar bombs you’re swapping. Play games, have contests, and start traditions. Robin Olson, the exchange queen who runs the website Cookie-Exchange.com, asks every guest to tell the story behind the recipe, whether it’s about baking with your favorite aunt or the freaky science experiment that was your first try. Ask everyone to bring copies of their recipes and you can create mini-cookbooks to take home.
THE CARD-MAKING PARTY
The concept: Use an assembly line to whip up stacks of handmade holiday cards, or bring sets of cards you already made and swap them.
The payoff: Many hands make light work.
How it works: For the assembly line method, get the best scrapbookers you know to bring their bags of tricks. Set up stations around a large table for rubber stamping, paper punching, embellishments, wine pouring, etc. Have each guest pick a station and get to work. Or, work it like a cookie swap, where each guest brings stacks to share and everyone gets a variety to take home.
Tips: You don’t have to be a Crafty Cathy to do this one. Bust out a card-making kit from a hobby store with hundreds of supplies inside. Or contact a direct marketing rep from a scrapbooking company such as Stampin’ Up or Close to My Heart to run your show. Keep the cards simple.
Alternatives: Throw a party to sign and address cards for large groups like business clients or overseas troops.
THE NAKED LADY PARTY
The concept: Swap your unwanted clothes to score treasures from your friends. OK, we’re cheating a bit because you can do this any time of year. So, throw a Naked Lady Party: Holiday Edition, where everyone brings party wear or festive finery to swap. Then you’re not stressing over buying a new cocktail dress just because everyone has already seen you in the one you own.
The payoff: Free clothes and a de-cluttered closet.
How it works: Toss the clothes into the middle of the room (preferably a large one with space to try things on). Go have a drink and one of those cookies your hostess got at her exchange. Sort the items by size, style, and type (dresses, blouses, jewelry, etc.). Then, you have options. In Get Crafty: Hip Home Ec, Jean Railla suggests auctioning items — hold it up, describe it, and see who wants it. The interested parties try on and model. If there’s still competition, the hopefuls close their eyes while everyone else votes on who should get it. You could also draw numbers for a batting order to have a go at the swap pile. Allow some trade time post-swap. Be sure to nominate someone to haul away and donate the leftovers.
Tips: Cast a generous, supportive spell over the room. No half-price sale skirmishes or catty stage whispers about who looks like ten pounds of sausage in the five-pound bag that is your old skirt. Don’t wonder out loud who the hell would want that Rudolph sweater. With that said, don’t try to offload your crap. Bring quality, unblemished stuff. Finally, consider the sizes of your collective naked ladies — if anyone is markedly plus- or minus-sized, will items be available for them to choose?
— ERIN PERRY O’DONNELL
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
