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The first day of a new year is steeped in superstitions. Many of our popular New Year traditions revolve around tricks that supposedly bring good luck. For instance, it is believed that good luck will be bestowed upon family and friends if they celebrate together.

Foods like donuts, black-eyed peas, ham, cabbage and rice are all viewed as “lucky.” The first visitor on New Year’s Day is believed to bring either good or bad luck for the rest of the year. When you plan your New Year celebration, you will likely keep many of these traditions in mind.

Naturally, food is what makes celebrations go round and the New Year celebration is no exception. Parties can be an awful lot of work for the hosts, so you may want to delegate by asking guests to “bring a dish.”

Often times, hors d’oeuvres are simply served — cocktail shrimp, mini cocktail wieners in baked croissants, pizza and taco dips, canapes, puffed pastries, cream cheese roll-ups, cheese and crackers, fruit, chips, cold cuts, deviled eggs, sausages, dumplings, bruschetta, cheeses and raw veggies with dip. Wine and champagne are usually served to guests as well.

The day after your New Year celebration, you may be feeling a little worn out. It’s the perfect day to veg out on the couch and watch the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl college football championship game.

The parade dates back 121 years, when the Valley Hunt Club used to decorate their carriages with an extensive array of flowers. They wanted to show others across the country the bountiful harvest they had at this time of year, as the orange crop was ready.

The Rose Bowl game used to feature ostrich and chariot races, but reverted back to football in 1916 with the sport’s increased popularity.

To read more Better Ideas For Your New Year Celebration Party

Thanksgiving is a time steeped in history and family traditions. However, why not take the time to stir things up a bit by adding some Thanksgiving games to the day.

You can play some games while waiting for friends and family to show up and before sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner. Perhaps you will start a few new traditions in your family.

There are many different things you can do to add some fun to your Thanksgiving celebrations, as there are many different Thanksgiving games and crafts that you and your kids can enjoy.

For instance, how about a Mayflower craft that may also inspire some questions about the history of Thanksgiving? Visit http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/thanksgiving_craft_mayflower.htm. to find out how and to assemble the supplies needed.

There are so many different Thanksgiving games that you can play but one for the whole family is always a good choice. For this one have everyone sit around in a circle and the first person will start with something like, “the Thanksgiving food I like the most is turkey” and the next person repeats what they said and adds their own item.

It continues around, yet if someone says it incorrectly they are out. The game ends when one person is finally able to state the whole Thanksgiving menu perfectly.

To read more Entertaining Your Family With Thanksgiving Games

For every birthday party, birthday cakes are often the center of attention. What will be on the cake? One candle or 10? Or 44 candles to indicate the real age. What will the cake be made of? Ice cream or something smooth and tasty?

These days of decorated cakes, you can ask a baker to bake a cake that looks like a castle, a favorite cartoon, a movie star, a baseball glove or even a favorite hobby. You can even ask for the cake to be decorated with photos, showing the life of the birthday boy, from a small child to graduation from college.

Birthday cakes have come a long way from the dull and predictable icing, cake mix and one candle.

To read more Decorated Birthday Cakes With A Theme

Father’s Day is a chance to lavish your dad with love and attention. After all, he works hard for his family! Instead of settling for the annual family barbecue, get everyone together for some fun Fathers Day activities that everyone can enjoy. In this article, we’ve got some tips for unique and affordable ways to celebrate this special day.

The ideal Fathers Day present is time spent together as a family, so plan a day packed with your dad’s favorite activities. Nothing could mean more to him than sharing the things he loves with the people he loves. Start the day right with a great breakfast complete with homemade pastries and dad’s favorite coffee.

Then choose an activity that you know your father will enjoy but doesn’t indulge in often. Take a family trip to a museum, planetarium or zoo. If he’s a fan of the outdoors, then pack a picnic lunch and spend some time hiking through some scenic caves.

If your dad loves the links, have a themed day that includes a Fathers Day golf game and a few gifts associated with his favorite pastime. Knowing that you care enough to share Fathers Day activities with him will be the best present of all.

To celebrate the contributions your dad makes to the family, organize Fathers Day activities catered to his tastes. If you’re really stuck for ideas, come right out and ask him what he really wants.

Whether your dad opts to spend Fathers Day in his pajamas in front of the television or wants to go wild and crazy on a family white water rafting trip, it will be a great Father’s Day as long as his loved ones are with him.

To read more Better Ideas For Fathers Day Activities

When asked, many people say that as far as milestones concerning birthdays are concerned, their 16th was a huge one. Girls are ready to start dating and the guys are busy getting their driver’s license so that they can ask a girl out. It is a time of growing up and maturing, getting more freedom and taking on more responsibilities. So for them, it was a huge step and they had a great birthday bash.

For some celebrating their 18th birthday, it is a major milestone as they journey towards adulthood. No longer a child, yet not completely an adult, although there are more things that they are now legally able to do that they could not do before this birthday. Celebrating these birthdays obviously deserves a huge birthday bash with all of your friends.

When most people are doing their party planning for the 50th birthday it usually involves lots of black balloons and streamers along with an “over the hill” birthday cake. They are the same people who considered their 21st birthday the best and biggest milestone, yet those individuals who are 50 or older know that when it comes to birthdays, the 50th tops them all.

Everything that they have been working toward is starting to come together, retirement is around the corner, the kids are out of the house and now it is their time to pursue their own interests. So, don’t let all of the black balloons, streamers and over the hill decorations get to you; this is your time.

To read more Celebrating Birthdays Together

There are many different parts of your life that you will look back on. You will remember each milestone you passed. Birthdays are one of the milestones, beginning with your birth, then continuing through with “tweens” and teenage years.

The 21st birthday is a big one for most, bigger than turning 18 because even if you had some limitations after turning 18, when you turn 21, you feel that you own the world.

For your party planning endeavors, perhaps consider something like inviting guests to come dressed as what they wanted to be when they were children. For example, if someone had originally wanted to be a policeman, then rent a uniform; or if they wanted to become the first dancing ballerina on the moon dress in a tutu and space helmet or something similar. This can be a great way to celebrate a 21st birthday and everyone will get a real kick out of seeing what everyone else originally wanted to be when they “grew up.”

Why not throw a masquerade ball for a memorable 21st birthday, complete with Zorro type masks for the guys and gorgeous feathered masks for the ladies and an unmasking towards the end of the party. Or, perhaps a very formal theme is what you are looking for with ball gowns and tuxedos.

Throw in a ballroom dancing contest and you have the makings of a great birthday celebration. Consider contacting a dance teacher that can come during the first half of the party to offer tips and advice on ballroom dancing before the big competition begins.

To read more A Most Memorable 21st Birthday