Pretty In Pink
This year for Valentine's Day, why not invite friends over for a romantic “getaway” by turning your home into a luxury haven for a couple of hours. The only catch is guests must come “pretty in pink.”
Plan on inviting couples and single friends – maybe a match will be made! Using your computer, print out invitations on white paper using pink ink. Include the party details as well as instructions for coming dressed in pink. You may want to give a prize for the guest dressed in the most pink. This request will probably be most answered by the women invited, but hey, some guys like pink (after all, Donald Trump wears a pink tie!!). After printing the invitations, cut each one into the shape of a big heart. Ask your invitees to decorate the back of their heart invitation so that it resembles a valentine, and bring it with them to the party. Display the entries somewhere prominent and give a prize for the best one.
To turn your house into a luxurious dwelling, think comfort, pampering and delicious food. To begin, set the mood by lighting aromatherapy candles throughout your home. There are candles promising everything from relaxation to sweet dreams and each has a scent that will surely put your guests in the right mood. Buy as many heart shaped items that you can find – vases, bowls, plates wall hangings etc. – and put them around the house. Fill the vases with pink, white and/or red flowers. In fact, fill your entire home with flowers. Flowers are an important element in creating harmony and a relaxing atmosphere. The wall hangings can be filled with flowers or greenery. Ivy cascading down from the holder looks especially good. In the bowls, put foil wrapped chocolate hearts or Hershey kisses.
You can also purchase Cupid and angel statuettes from craft shops and hang them on walls or doors. Buy pink tulle from a fabric store and swag it around window and door frames. Tie pink ribbons around chairs, lamps, door handles and stairways. Put white doilies under everything. Cloth ones add just the right warmth, but paper ones will do. Also be sure to have plenty of small heart boxes filled with chocolates at guest's fingertips.
For entertainment, convert your patio or family room floor into a dance area for playing romantic music and dancing. Push back any furniture, string up tiny white lights, add some pink helium balloons, and play music that requires close body contact. Songs from Marvin Gaye, Nat King Cole, and the Supremes, to name a few, will get guests in the right groove. You can give prizes to the best slow dancers at the party. Those prizes can include edible body paint and panties, massage oil, a bottle of wine, or a pink gift bag filled with heart shaped lollipops.
As to the pampering: Hire a manicurist and/or a masseuse to come over and give pedicures and massages. Set up an area in your home designated as the “salon.” Bring in a lounge chair (or two) from your backyard and cover it with a soft blanket and pillows for guests to recline on while having their feet and legs massaged and their toes cleaned and polished (pink for the ladies, clear or nothing for the men, unless of course they're feeling a little daring.) If you don't have lounge chairs, a rocking chair or other comfortable seat will do. Play soft music from the stereo or supply headphones for easy listening while guests enjoy a little pampering. Have a tray of fresh fruit available and a pitcher of water with lemon and orange wedges inside. Throw a couple of blankets or large towels in your dryer and keep it going. Offer one to guests while they are relaxing at the salon. It is so comfortable to be covered with something warm. When finished, tell guests to keep their shoes off and stay awhile.
By now your visitors are probably getting hungry. Think pink – shrimp and cocktail sauce, strawberries, raspberries, small ham and cream cheese heart sandwiches (use a heart cookie cutter on the bread), salmon and anything else you would like to include. The one must is dessert. For a delicious and romantic final course, hire a chocolate fountain so the guests can enjoy a selection of chocolate covered fruits. A selection of sweet and delicious cakes is another good idea. Encourage guests to feed each other and relish in the shared eating experience. They will surely want to continue the pleasantries when they get home.
As guests leave, play the song “Pretty in Pink” by the Psychedelic Furs, and give each a valentine from you, thanking them for coming and wishing them a year of splendid romance.
