1
00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,480
Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,

2
00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:16,480
Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's

3
00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:21,520
Speaker 1: tip is that theme parties aren't just for kids. When

4
00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,560
Speaker 1: you're planning a gathering, it can be fun to think

5
00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,560
Speaker 1: beyond the time and place and consider whether a theme

6
00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:34,280
Speaker 1: could make your party feel more special. So I recently

7
00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:38,360
Speaker 1: helped my daughter plan a Spa themed birthday party. We

8
00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,839
Speaker 1: ordered tween sized robes, face masks, nail polish, all that

9
00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:46,920
Speaker 1: good stuff. By thinking through the theme, she knew she

10
00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,640
Speaker 1: would have more fun with her friends than if she

11
00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,639
Speaker 1: just invited everyone over for pizza in a movie. Now,

12
00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,800
Speaker 1: of course that would be fun too, but the Spa

13
00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:01,160
Speaker 1: part would make it more memorable. I think she's onto something,

14
00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,240
Speaker 1: and not just for twelve year old birthday parties. A

15
00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:11,200
Speaker 1: theme can elevate almost any gathering. We know this instinctively

16
00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:15,560
Speaker 1: with seasonal parties around this time of year, you might

17
00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:20,000
Speaker 1: just get invited to a Halloween costume party. Come Thanksgiving,

18
00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:24,959
Speaker 1: you and your family will gather to express gratitude alongside

19
00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:30,160
Speaker 1: expressing your desire for more pie. December might bring cookie exchanges.

20
00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,319
Speaker 1: You figure out a time and place to get together,

21
00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:37,000
Speaker 1: but for seasonal parties, you also know there is something

22
00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,760
Speaker 1: else making the gathering coherent, which is one reason that

23
00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:45,360
Speaker 1: people feel so festive, even though sometimes the holidays and

24
00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,840
Speaker 1: their parties can be exhausting. I would argue that adding

25
00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:54,160
Speaker 1: themes can elevate gatherings any time of year. For instance,

26
00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:58,080
Speaker 1: if you are celebrating an adult's birthday, you can choose

27
00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:01,000
Speaker 1: a theme that relates to the birthday boy or girl,

28
00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,760
Speaker 1: either as a young person or today. Maybe you choose

29
00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,720
Speaker 1: the year a newly minted fifty year old graduated from

30
00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:13,120
Speaker 1: high school and invite people to wear clothes reflecting that year.

31
00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,560
Speaker 1: It goes without saying that that year's top forty hits

32
00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,639
Speaker 1: should be playing on the stereo. Or maybe you choose

33
00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:25,960
Speaker 1: the person's current passion as a theme, gathering the friends

34
00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,520
Speaker 1: of a budding chef at a culinary school for a

35
00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:32,600
Speaker 1: class followed by dinner. Or maybe the person is an

36
00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:36,680
Speaker 1: outdoor games enthusiast and you can build the party around

37
00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:41,560
Speaker 1: cornhole or Gaga or something like that. Of course, you

38
00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,960
Speaker 1: don't have to have an occasion like a holiday or

39
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,520
Speaker 1: birthday to throw a themed party. If you and your

40
00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,480
Speaker 1: friends all love crafts or wish, you could find more

41
00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:54,560
Speaker 1: time for crafts. Have a crafting party. You could set

42
00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:57,680
Speaker 1: everyone up to do the same craft, say sculptures with

43
00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:03,360
Speaker 1: copper wire or making friendship brace. Or you could provide tables, chairs,

44
00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,480
Speaker 1: and snacks and invite everyone to bring their own craft

45
00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,920
Speaker 1: projects to work on. Priya Parker, author of the Art

46
00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,639
Speaker 1: of Gathering, urges hosts to think about the purpose of

47
00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,680
Speaker 1: their gatherings and that can help you decide on a

48
00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:21,320
Speaker 1: theme party that might be right for you. She points

49
00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:25,280
Speaker 1: out that a category of party isn't a purpose. In

50
00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:30,200
Speaker 1: other words, put luck, dinner, or even costume party doesn't

51
00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:34,760
Speaker 1: really qualify as a purpose. Go beyond what you are

52
00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,120
Speaker 1: doing to also consider why you are gathering in the

53
00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:42,160
Speaker 1: first place. Think about your hopes and your intentions for

54
00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,400
Speaker 1: this gathering. Do you want to create an occasion for

55
00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,400
Speaker 1: laughing and having fun together after a stressful season. Do

56
00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:51,120
Speaker 1: you want to help your friends circle get to know

57
00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:55,080
Speaker 1: each other better. Maybe a crafting party will let you

58
00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,480
Speaker 1: and your friends tap into your creative side and spend

59
00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:01,600
Speaker 1: an afternoon doing something for the love of it, not

60
00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:06,080
Speaker 1: because it's productive. Maybe the fifty year old's nineteen ninety

61
00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,760
Speaker 1: one themed birthday party will remind him that he's known

62
00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:15,080
Speaker 1: his friend group for a long time. Getting together with

63
00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,560
Speaker 1: friends and family is great, but you don't have to

64
00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,000
Speaker 1: settle for just picking a date and a time and

65
00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:25,680
Speaker 1: a default place. Instead, think about why you want to

66
00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:30,240
Speaker 1: get together and consider whether a themed gathering might help

67
00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:34,000
Speaker 1: you achieve that purpose. A theme can give your party

68
00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:39,440
Speaker 1: a focus and perhaps a sense of playfulness and fun too.

69
00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:44,040
Speaker 1: You'll create connections and memories that go deeper than they

70
00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:50,599
Speaker 1: otherwise would. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening,

71
00:04:51,640 --> 00:05:01,320
Speaker 1: and here's to making the most of our time. Thanks

72
00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:05,520
Speaker 1: for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas,

73
00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:09,040
Speaker 1: or feedback, you can reach me at Laura at Laura

74
00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:18,440
Speaker 1: vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia.

75
00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:23,120
Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app,

76
00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,640
Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.