Inspiring St. Patrick’s Day Party Ideas

There’s no better way to celebrate the spirit of the Irish than with a St. Patrick’s Day soiree! If you’re planning a St. Patrick’s Day party, you’ll want to start with the color green and lots of shamrocks!

We love the idea of using multiple shades of green for St. Patrick’s Day décor! Various shades of green make a monochromatic color scheme much more fun to work with, and the different shades can also be creatively incorporated into your menu, too.

Photo via Kara’s Party Ideas

If you are feeling extra creative, you can try your hand at some handmade decorations. These felt shamrocks would be easy to make and could be used throughout your party space and spread.

Photo via ImgFave

Or, you can use the real thing. Adding a real shamrock could give a shabby-chic St. Patrick’s Day tablescape a nice natural touch.

Photo via Babble

If you really want to get into the St. Patty’s Day spirit, consider including a bit of Irish folklore into your party theme. You can “catch” a leprechaun and use it as a lucky centerpiece!

Photo via Cottage in the Making

Lively Irish music featuring instruments like the flute and violin are sure to create a festive atmosphere, and perhaps encourage your guests to dance a jig in Riverdance style! You may also want to add a few tunes by groups like Celtic Thunder or Celtic Woman to your playlist for a more modern touch.

No St. Patrick’s Day party is complete without a spread of delicious food, drinks, and desserts. There are lots of traditional Irish dishes that have become St. Patrick’s Day favorites, such as corned beef and cabbage, Irish stews, and soda bread. But don’t be afraid to break away from tradition and find other ways to create a fun and tasty St. Patrick’s Day menu.

Photo via Food 52

Kiwis from our gourmet fruit gift baskets can be used to create a Shamrock Smoothie. You could also use some kiwi and Granny Smith apples in a Spring Green Salad and throw in some gourmet nuts for a little added crunch.

Photo via Extreme Couponing Tips

Photo via Babble

You don’t have to limit yourself to green beer for your drinks, either. Consider a refreshing Irish Mojito adorned with mint and kiwi garnishes or a fabulous Green Apple Martini with a rainbow rim.

Photo via Dreamers Joy

Photo via Oh My! Creative

How do you plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Leave your entertaining ideas in a comment below!

Tips to Take Buffets from Bland to Beautiful

A uniquely beautiful food display requires you to think a bit outside of the box, or – more appropriately – the buffet table. If you’re stumped for ideas, take a look below at a few interesting looks we’ve come across that would be perfect for a get-together or dinner party commemorating a special occasion.

We love how this wine barrel is used as a table in this rustic-chic set up. Simple linen cloths and burlap keep it chic. A couple of lemons or other fresh fruit can then be used to add a fresh pop of color to a spread of gourmet meat, cheese, and crackers.

Photo via Bronze Budget Bride

Trays fashioned from actual tree stumps can also be used to achieve a gorgeous rustic-style buffet. Not to mention, a tree stump tray can double as a cutting board!

Photo via From Glitter to Gumdrops

If you’re really looking to surprise your guests with a whimsical scene, see if you can lose the table all together! These suspended food trays are sure to be a conversation starter that will keep guests moving and mingling for hours.

Photo via Cupcakes & Cutlery

We love this look featured on Hostess With The Mostess. Individual servings of veggies and dip on a tiered cupcake stand add lots of visual interest, especially with a stand that has swirling wrought iron and sparkling crystal-like accents!

Photo via Hostess with the Mostess

These stunning serving platters were created with glass containers holding delicate water lilies and colorful pebbles. What a wonderful way to add an elegant touch of nature to a modern-style spread of hors d’oeuvres!

Photo Parkland Chef

Don’t be afraid to get a little creative with the food itself, too! For a more causal get-together, try a fun and artistic spread of gourmet meats and cheeses like this adorable owl.

Photo via Tablespoon

What unique food displays have you seen recently? Leave a comment to share with us, or post it to the Hickory Farms Facebook page, and tell us about any other creative ideas for food displays that have caught your eye.

A Red Carpet Affair: Oscar Viewing Party Ideas

The evening of The Oscars is one of the biggest nights in Hollywood. If you didn’t receive an invite, you can still enjoy the event in your own special way by inviting some friends over and rolling out the red carpet for your very own Oscar viewing party. You can even ask guests to wear their best red carpet-worthy attire.

Set the mood for your party and exude elegance with glamorous Oscar invitations. We love the look of these gold invites in the silhouette of an award. Of course, simple invitations with a pretty script font and stars will work beautifully, too!

Photo via Paper Blog

Photo via Twig and Thistle

Make your guests feel like stars by setting up your own red carpet entrance! The look below offers some great DIY red carpet entrance ideas.

Photo via The Succulent Wife

Once your guests have walked the red carpet, greet them with an Oscar-themed buffet or tablescape. We love this gold and white color scheme featured on Glitter Guide. Even a simple snack like popcorn or gourmet nuts can be elegant when placed in a golden cone or martini glass.

Photo via The Glitter Guide

If you are planning a sit-down dinner, use this gorgeous table setting for inspiration. Complete with gold movie reels, this table is Old Hollywood Glamour at its finest!

Photo via Cheryl Style

If you’d rather spend more time decorating and less time cooking, stick to a sophisticated spread of gourmet nuts, meat, cheese, and crackers. It will keep guests satisfied so they can focus on the awards. Afterwards, you can surprise your guests with a few themed desserts, like these Oscar cookies.

Photo via Life’s a Batch

And while the main event will be watching the Academy Awards on TV, consider planning a few fun activities for your guests to enjoy before and after the Oscars or during commercial breaks.

Provide guests with voting ballots so they can choose their own Oscar winners. Then, compare everyone’s ballots with the Academy’s selections. Or, give out your own awards in categories like “Best Dressed.” You could present winners with sparkling drink tags like the ones below.

Photo via The Glitter Fanatic

Another great Oscar-themed game could be created using the soundtracks from Oscar-nominated films. Play songs and have everyone guess what film they are from.

Do you plan to host an Oscar viewing party this year? If so, share your entertaining ideas with us! For more ideas, be sure to follow Hickory Farms on Pinterest.