Six ideas for a perfect St. Pat's party
Whether you're Irish or not, St. Patrick's Day is the perfect holiday to throw a party.
"There's a certain joy of life associated with the whole 'luck of the Irish' optimism," says KariAnne Wood of the design and decor blog Thistlewood Farms (thistlewoodfarms.com).
Celebrating that hopefulness is good for everyone -- not to mention providing much-needed relief for the cold and dark months preceding it.
Here are some fun, easy ideas to bring the spirit of all things Celtic into your house this year:
Make a fruit rainbow. While there are plenty of St. Pat's-related sweets to suit your sweet tooth, Wood suggests a healthier option: Place cut-up fruit in the shape of a rainbow with strawberries on top, cantaloupe and pineapple below, grapes following, and then blueberries at the bottom.
Get creative with mason jars. Meg Hemmelgarn of the home renovating and decorating blog Green with Decor (www.greenwithdecor.com) likes to paint simple mason jars with green or white paint and use them to hold small items like silverware or straws.
Go rustic and natural. Add some character to your spread by using a wooden drink caddy (found out a thrift, antique or craft store) as a decorative piece. Fill it with glass vases or empty beer bottles (appropriate for St. Patrick's Day!) and fill the vases/bottles with green and white flowers.
Make a pretzel clover or shamrock sandwich. If dyeing food green isn't really your thing, think of ways to give ordinary party food an Irish flair.
Give some fun favors. Green candy abounds this time of year -- whether it's green M&M's or Skittles. Fill mason jars with them for a simple yet stylish party favor, says Wood. She also likes the idea of printing out an Irish blessing to attach to your parting gifts with ribbon.
Create your own pots o' gold. Take small flower pots and paint or add glitter to them, and then fill them with gold-colored candy that spills out onto the table, says Wood.
This story was originally published March 12, 2016 at 7:54 PM with the headline "Six ideas for a perfect St. Pat's party ."