Great Mardi Gras Party Ideas

Mardi Gras is right around the corner, and there’s no better excuse to throw a party!

Since the early 1700s when the French first settled in New Orleans, Mardi Gras has been celebrated on a grand scale with masquerades, parades, and other exciting carnival festivities. But even if you are not in New Orleans, you can throw your own Mardi Gras ball to take part in the celebration with family and friends!

If you want to throw a party in the true spirit of Mardi Gras, the first thing to keep in mind is that you can never have enough green, purple, and gold! The other Mardi Gras must-have is an abundance of colorful beads. And with a little creativity, you can use Mardi Gras beads to make all of your own party décor.

In these three examples, Mardi Gras beads were used to make DIY party coasters, a Mardi Gras wreath, and a festive centerpiece. You can even hang green, purple, and gold beads from light fixtures such as sconces and chandeliers to set the scene for your Mardi Gras bash.

Photo via Rust & Sunshine

Photo via Sew-InLove

Photo via Toomey’s

Photo via Dollar Store Crafts

The decorating doesn’t have to stop once the party starts. To keep your guests engaged, organize a Mardi Gras mask decorating contest. Purchase masks for your guests to decorate, and make sure you have plenty of craft supplies including feathers, glitter, ribbon, markers, and other decorating materials. Here’s a helpful printable template that we found for making your own Mardi Gras masks.

Photo via Success Creations

You can’t have a Mardi Gras celebration without lots of delicious food. Create a menu of Creole and Cajun favorites like gumbo and jambalaya. When the recipe calls for sausage, consider using gourmet meats from Hickory Farms. Here are two recipes for Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo and Jambalaya Supper Stuffing recipes that are sure to be a hit at a Mardi Gras party.

Photo via Rachael Ray Magazine

Don’t forget to complete your menu with the most famous Mardi Gras tradition of all – the King Cake. Make sure to get your guests excited about this tradition! Whoever has the slice of cake with the baby is in charge of buying the next king cake and throwing the next Mardi Gras party!

Photo via Taste of Home

What’s your favorite part about Mardi Gras? Tell us in a comment below!

Beat the Cold Weather Blues with Gift Basket Ideas

In the summer, nice weather is the only excuse we need to grill out or gather with friends. Winter parties don’t require much more planning, yet they can do wonders to keep spirits high. What better way exists to pass a cold night than gathering in a cozy house to enjoy some hot food with friends or family after a long week. Plus, plenty of activities, indoors and out, can keep a crowd of family and friends moving and keep the fun going even when winter feels as if it’s never-ending. Below are some of our favorite ideas for winter parties.

Host a Comfort Foods Potluck – Nothing is more comforting and satisfying than hot home-cooked food on a cold day. Extend an invite to your family, friends or neighbors and ask them each to bring a favorite dish. Encourage everyone to bring their favorite comfort food, such as macaroni and cheese, tomato soup or chili. Suggest that guests bring copies of their recipes so everyone can swap secrets and get inspiration for gift basket ideas!

Gourmet sausage from Hickory Farms (Photo via Blissfully Delicious)

Plan a Winter Sports Event – If you live in an area with plenty of snow, invite friends for some outdoor fun in the snow. Kids and adults can enjoy some friendly competition with sled races, snowmen competitions, and snowball-throwing contests. You can even organize your own snow-lympics!

Winter activities from Hickory Farms (Photo via Spoonful)

Invite Friends to Watch Special Events – The Super Bowl isn’t the only event to watch during the winter. Events like the Oscars and the Grammys are always fun to watch with friends. Create your own red-carpet event by asking guests to dress up and serve cocktails and tasty hors d’oeuvres, such as gourmet nuts or gourmet sausage and cheeses.

Winter entertaining ideas from Hickory Farms (Photo via Catch My Party)

Have an Indoor Luau – If you’d rather turn your attention away from the cold, you can have a tropical luau indoors. Decorate with bright colors, flowers, and give guests leis as they arrive. Set up a Tiki Bar and serve up tropical cocktails, fruit juices, and smoothies. Set the mood with a tropical playlist and plan for activities like a hula dance-off.

Winter party ideas from Hickory Farms (Photo via Catch My Party)

How do you and your family beat the winter blues? Share with us in the comments section below or on the Hickory Farms Facebook page.

Last-Minute Hors D’oeuvres with Gourmet Gift Baskets for Holiday Entertaining

Holiday entertaining is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the season, but it can also get a bit stressful! With so many social engagements and activities, you may end up needing some emergency entertaining ideas.

Whether you’ve just answered the door to find unannounced guests or need a quick and easy idea for your dinner party, take a look at some of our favorite last-minute appetizer ideas.

Maple Summer Sausage

This hors d’oeuvre recipe from Yummly is perfect for keeping your guests happy prior to Thanksgiving dinner. Rich maple summer sausage and maple are perfect for fall and winter, and our gourmet sausage is perfect for adding an extra-special touch to this dish.

Blue Cheese and Pear Tartlets

Combine juicy Crown Comice ® Pears from one of our fruit baskets with rich blue cheese and puff pastry to create these elegant Blue Cheese and Pear Tartlets.

Cheesy Cheddar Fondue

This recipe for Cheesy Cheddar and Apple Cider Fondue provides another great use for our gourmet cheeses. Use our gourmet sausages for dipping, as well as apples or pears from our fruit baskets.

Wine and Cheese Bar

Hickory Holiday Reserve from Hickory Farms

This is actually one of the easiest solutions for holiday appetizers, but it is sure to be a hit with your guests! Set up a wine and cheese bar on a sideboard or table with wine glasses and charms (to identify the owner), a selection of red and white wines, a cheese board with a variety of gourmet cheese, and some delicious gourmet crackers.

Our wine gifts are a great solution for last-minute entertaining, almost like a ready-made party! These gourmet wine gift baskets come in a variety of combinations, accompanied by mixed nuts, orchard fruits, and gourmet sausage and cheese.

Grazing Boards

Another fantastic idea for easy holiday appetizers is to create a grazing board. For some lovely ideas, check out At Home with Kim Valée. Basically, a grazing board should contain some combination of meat, cheese, bread, and an accent like gherkins or caramelized onions.

Beef Summer Sausage from Hickory Farms

Our gourmet gift baskets filled with Beef Summer Sausage, Smoked Gouda and other gourmet cheeses, and delicious specialty condiments like our Sweet Hot Mustard allow you to create a beautiful spread of pre-meal munchies, without the stress.

The Original Cheese Ball from Hickory Farms

Cheese Balls

And of course we can’t forget one of the best time-tested holiday appetizers of all time – the classic cheese ball! Head over to our classic food gifts to order a selection of cheese balls for your next gathering.

How do you use Hickory Farms gourmet gift baskets to simplify your holiday entertaining routine? Share your ideas in the comments section, or head over to our Facebook page!