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How To Plan A Party Essay | Essay on Planning a Party, How To Plan a Perfect Party?

January 11, 2022 by Prasanna

How To Plan A Party Essay: Planning a party is never easy. You have to keep in mind the guest list, venue, budget and so on. It is necessary to plan out everything beforehand and follow a checklist so that at the end of it all you don’t find yourself wondering what to do next. In this essay, we shall explore how to plan a successful party.

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How To Plan A Party?

There are many factors that go into planning a party, like food, location, and music. The best way to start is by deciding the date. If the date is flexible, then you’ll have a few options. You should then pick a theme for your party and work from there. What you decide should depend on the type of people who will be attending. Next, start by figuring out how many people you want to invite. If you would like to have it indoors, then ensure that there is enough space. After you know how many guests you want to invite, decide on a date and time for the party. This will make it easier to coordinate with vendors such as caterers or decorators if needed. If you are hosting a large party, plan your menu and select the food you will serve. You’ll also need to decide on beverages such as alcohol and soft drinks. Be sure to order enough food for every guest. Your next step is to create invitations, which should include the date, an RSVP date, and any information about location or dress code.

Another important tip is to improvise – It can never hurt to have your sights set on having a great time and making sure everyone remains safe. While you don’t need to spend a lot of money on your party, it’s always good to have a plan. For example, if you want popcorn that tastes good, you can buy some already made and have it delivered to your party. If you want beer that is cheap but great, you can order bottles of beer in bulk and have them delivered to your party. And finally, remember to breathe. Sometimes we get so caught up in the planning process that we forget to have a minute to ourselves. Doing so will help you stay calm no matter what happens throughout the night.

To recap, these are the things to keep in mind while planning a party:

Plan the date and time for the party: When planning a party, one of the most important decisions to make is when to have it. Factors such as what day of the week, what time of day and how long your event will last all influence this decision.

Choose a theme for the party: Themes help shape the mood and atmosphere of a party. They can be as simple as an all-white affair or as elaborate as a masquerade ball. Choosing a theme for your upcoming event can be difficult, but there are certain factors to consider, such as: Which type of party is this? Are there dietary restrictions? Is it a formal or casual occasion? Who will be hosting the event? What is the occasion for the party?

Decide whether to get a venue:  Venues come in all shapes and sizes and vary considerably in terms of price. If you are hosting a small event, it may be possible to host the event at your home or at a public space such as a park. However, if you are hosting an event for more than 50 people, there are many options to choose from.

Plan the food and drink: Planning the food and drink for the party is important. There are so many different things to consider, such as the type` of the menu, whether or not to include dessert, drinks, appetizers, etc.

Plan the entertainment for the party: The best ideas for party entertainment are games. Games can be anything from a scavenger hunt to charades. Games are fun and offer an opportunity to interact with one another. If the party has a large number of guests, then hiring a local band, DJ or performers might be worth it.

Plan who will be invited to your party: The guest list is a crucial decision. It’s important to figure out who you want to have at your party. Decide on the type of people you want to have at your party, then think about how many of them you’ll need to invite.

Make a Checklist

One way to make sure your party goes smoothly is to create a checklist. You can list all the tasks that need to be done based on the order they need to happen. This will reduce your stress level because you’ll know where you’re at in the process and you’ll have a list of things that still need to get done. There are several different types of checklists that can be used. A basic checklist will include things such as beverages, dishes, serving utensils, and food for the guests.

When planning a party, it is important to have a guest list. This will help you figure out what kind of food to serve. It will also help you with the budget for the party. If required, you can also speak with your guests about their dietary restrictions or allergies beforehand so you can plan accordingly.

The guest list will usually come from the following sources:

• Friends and family
• Potential business contacts
• Civic groups
• Local churches and temples

A good guest list will have some of these elements:

• The Guest List should have some sort of commonality, whether it be people who are close friends, or coworkers, or people who are the same age.
• The guest list should also include a variety of activities, such as socializing and dancing, so that people on the list will be able to find something to do at the event.
• It is important to be aware of any guest lists that may have people who may not want to be on the list.

The venue is one of the most important aspects to consider when planning a party. You want to make sure your venue is accessible, has enough space for your guests, and will fit in with your theme. Here are some tips for deciding on the perfect location:

• Think about the number of guests: How many people will be attending? How many rooms do you need, and what are your event themes/goals? Will you want to accommodate guests with special dietary needs?
• Look at the space: How big is your venue? Is it easy to get around? Is it access for the guests, etc.
• Consider your budget: The cost of renting out a venue is expensive, but renting out an indoor space (like a conference room or gym) might be a little cheaper.
• Consider your event: Are you having a dinner party? A small gathering with guest speakers? A fundraiser? A wedding?
• Check out the locations in person: Head to the venues and explore the space to determine what it is like inside. Are there any hidden or unique features?

The first step of planning is to set a budget. Take out your calculator and figure out how much money you’re able to spend on the party. When you know what you’re working with, it’s easier to focus on what kind of party you want. For example, if you have $1,000, then it would be best to just hire a caterer or buy some food for the party. On the other hand, if you had $2,000, then you could also provide drinks and music too. One way to keep your party planning budget in check is to make a list of all the things you want for your party. Work with what you have at home, rent what you need, and borrow anything else that’s important to your event. Remember, planning your budget from the beginning will save you from buying things you don’t really need.

The type of food needed at parties depends on whether the party is casual, formal, or a potluck. For casual parties, guests will usually bring their own food such as a mixed salad, sandwiches with potato chips, and quesadillas. Formal parties usually have a good mix of salads and finger foods like cocktail shrimp. A potluck would include many different dishes from various hosts.

Drink planning is one of the most important parts of throwing a great party. You have to think about what type of drinks you will be going to have, and what types of side food your guests might want. Maybe you want to start a cocktail bar or go with a variety of beer and wine for your drink selection. For guests who prefer to remain sober, ensure that they have choices too, such as water, iced tea, fruit juices, or soda.

Decorations

One way to set the tone for your event is with decorations. At a wedding reception, flowers, tablecloths, and mood-setting candles are often used. For children’s parties, balloons and streamers can create an atmosphere of joy. Streamers or paper chains in colors may be hung along walls for decoration at events such as birthday parties. Paper chains, sometimes called paper lanterns, are commonly hung from the ceiling. String lights may be used at holiday events such as Christmas and Halloween parties. Decorations for a dinner party include candle holders and flower arrangements. Table linens, centerpieces and your choice of dinnerware can also set the mood and style of a dinner party.

Entertainment

The most important thing to consider is entertainment for your guests. If you’re hosting a large party, hire a live band or DJ to keep your party going all night long. For smaller gatherings, create a playlist on your phone and play it through speakers. Bring out board games and other activities for your guests to socialize with one another. When you’re in charge of the planning, try to include a few activities that don’t require guests to leave the party. For instance, bring out a few small trays of snacks that guests can enjoy while lounging in a seating area with friends.

Conclusion on How To Plan A Party Essay

Planning a party is usually a complicated task. There are many things to consider, including the guest list, food, location, entertainment, etc. The key to having a successful party is planning ahead. You should start by figuring out what type of party you want to have – birthday, retirement, wedding – and then list all the things that are needed for that type of party. Once you have this list, you can prioritize the things on your list and start making decisions based on your needs.

FAQ’s on How to Plan A Party

Question 1. What are the steps to plan a party?

Answer: Following are important steps to consider when planning a party:

• Plan the date and time for the party
• Choose a theme for the party
• Decide whether to get a venue
• Plan the food and drink
• Plan the entertainment for the party
• Plan who will be invited to your party

Question 2. How do you start a party?

Answer: A party can be as simple as inviting a few friends over to watch a movie. If you plan on hosting a party, consider planning it out in advance. Begin by sitting down with your friends and writing out the event’s title, date and time, and the guest list. You’ll want to include information about what type of party this will be (family-friendly, formal, camp-out), along with any other details that are important for your guests to know (what snacks will be served, games for kids or adults to play etc).

Question 3. How do I host a good party?

Answer: First off, it is important to think about the type of party you are planning. Is this a birthday party for friends? An anniversary event for the family? Or is it a wedding event? If so, take into account the theme and how your guests will feel. It’s also important to consider your budget. You don’t want to spend too much on food and drinks if you’re hosting an intimate get-together with your close friends. However, if you’re having a wedding reception or other large group event, make sure you have enough space for all of your guests. Guests might feel uncomfortable if they’re packed in like sardines at a smaller gathering.

Question 4. How do you plan a party with no money?

Answer: If you are planning a party and don’t have any money, then get creative! If you have to make things yourself, think about what needs to be done beforehand. It can be a lot of work, but it will save you money and allow for some fun twists. You could try to use things you already have at home and also borrow from family or friends. Most importantly, try to avoid having a party with no food, because it won’t go over well with you or your guests.

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How to Plan a Party Process Essay?

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Choosing  a Theme

Forming a guest list, making and entertainment plan.

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Birthday Party Essay

Birthdays are among the most significant days in a person's life because they not only state their age but its also about celebrating an individual's life experiences. Birthday celebrations are essential for all of us, but they are particularly significant for children. Here are a few sample essays on ‘Birthday Party’ that students can refer to for their classwork and projects.

100 Words Essay On Birthday Party

200 words essay on birthday party, 500 words essay on birthday party.

For my birthday party this year, my family and I decided to celebrate it at the new bowling alley that opened in our town. I was amazed with the cool and comfortable ambience. There were 9 majestic rows for bowling. We booked one for ourselves and wore the bowling shoes they gave us. I did not play that well since it was my first time. My parents, however, were frequent bowlers and played very well. They taught me how to hold the ball properly and how to correctly aim for the pins. I was not able to get a strike but did hit many spares. We cut my birthday cake there and my parents sang the birthday song for me. I had a wonderful time celebrating my birthday with my parents.

A birthday should be a joyful occasion. However, it looked like no one had thought of my birthday this year. Nobody showed up to wish me a happy birthday when I got up in the morning. I had no messages or calls from my friends wishing me a happy birthday. My parents didn't seem to understand how miserable it made me to be ignored. My mom gave me errands to run and I was complaining about it the entire time. But when I returned home, I got a huge surprise. All my friends and family had gathered to wish me. They had decorated the house with beautiful flowers, cards and gifts.

The vacant dining table was now covered with trays of spaghetti, fruit tarts, colourful jellies, and crispy chips and delicious pastries. Everyone started singing as my mother brought out a huge chocolate-vanilla cake. I was overjoyed with so much love and happiness. We ended up playing many birthday party games—musical chairs, pass the parcel, newspaper dance. My friend won 2 games and won chocolates. It was a lot of fun. That evening, while I was getting ready for bed, I reflected on how wonderful it was to have such a nice birthday celebration.

Birthdays are a significant part of everyone's life. It makes people feel special on that day and deepens their gratitude.

My Thirteenth Birthday Party

I will always cherish the memory of my thirteenth birthday party—we visited an amusement park. All of my close cousins and friends were invited to the celebration. My parents drove us and took us to the theme park. I was astounded by the sight of the big rides at the park as soon as we arrived. People dressed up as clowns and performed stunts that were quite amusing. We waited in line to get on the roller coaster, which is one of my favourite rides. The ride was incredible. It rose to such a great height before dropping suddenly—it was a thrilling experience. We also enjoyed other rides, including a merry-go-round. Before we went home, we had dinner at a nearby restaurant where we cut my favourite vanilla cake. It was one of my best birthday parties.

My Sixteenth Birthday Party

I celebrated my sixteenth birthday this year. In our family, turning 16 is a big deal for women. My parents went all out and booked a banquet hall for my birthday and invited all my friends and close family members. My mother and I went shopping for my birthday dress. I chose a lilac gown with flowers and glitter on it. When I reached the venue, I was astonished to see how beautiful everything looked. My friends and family had already arrived before me and started singing happy birthday when I entered. We clicked millions of pictures, danced to our favourite songs and played our childhood games. My friends made me open their presents and they were all so amazing. My parents and grandparents were so happy looking at me and enjoying my day. They gave me a beautiful necklace with my initials on it and I wear it everyday. I am grateful to have such thoughtful family and friends.

Ways To Celebrate Birthdays

There are many ideas children can come up with to celebrate their special day. But sometimes, we all get stuck and wonder how we can celebrate our birthday. So, here are some ideas that you can use—

Amusement Parks | No matter how old you get, rides and retro video games never fail to impress you. Plan a day at an amusement park, call the manager ahead of time and make the arrangements that suit your wants. You can get a private area booked for food and beverages.

Home It In | Celebrating at your home is one of the common ideas that always work. Decorate your living room with balloons, photos and banners and invite all your close friends and family. You can order food and cake from a caterer and they’ll take care of everything.

Cafes/Restaurants | Birthday celebrations at a cafe or a restaurant makes everything easy and breezy. You can book any local cafe for a few hours and ask them to decorate it for your birthday. They’ll take care of food, beverages, decor, and cleaning. You only have to show up with your friends and family and have a great time.

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How to Plan a Party

Last Updated: June 11, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Natasha Miller . Natasha Miller is an Event Planner, Chief Experience Designer, and President of Entire Productions, an event and entertainment production company based in San Francisco, California. Notable clients Natasha has collaborated with include Apple, Google, Gap, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and Salesforce. Natasha and Entire Productions has been awarded Inc. 5,000's "Fastest Growing Companies in America", Entrepreneur Magazine's 360 List of "Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America." Entire Productions is also a Certified Women Business Enterprise. Natasha is a member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI). There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 13 testimonials and 86% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 896,398 times.

Sometimes you just need to throw a great party! There’s nothing like hosting and seeing all your friends together in the same place. But how do you do it? With adequate planning, the right food and music, a solid guest list, and a few things to do, your party is sure to be a hit and maybe even a tradition!

Determining Your Party Plans

• If you plan on having quite a few guests and can’t do it at home, you may want to make reservations at your venue beforehand to make sure they can accommodate you. It’s best to call at least a week in advance to give yourself the best odds of getting the okay. Make sure to set a date on the invitation on when to RSVP, if the don't respond by then call them.

• Also, make sure to pick a date when most of your guests are free. Do you know of another party happening or a community event or holiday that has everyone booked? You may have to do some asking around beforehand to figure out if this is the case. [2] X Research source
• You may also want to have a duration of time for your party. That way when it hits midnight, your guests know that they don’t have to go home, but they can’t stay with you (or at the venue that’s closing). It also helps people not have to worry about an unscheduled departure.
• Reader Poll: We asked 158 wikiHow readers who've hosted parties, and 59% of them agreed that having a specific end time is helpful for people to know what to expect. [Take Poll]

• Do something that’s accessible, especially if the party this weekend. An all black party is easy; a 1940s party is not (unless you give everyone adequate prep time).
• Do something that’s not clothing related. A sandwich party (where everyone brings a different sandwich) could be quite the hit. Not to mention the classic wine or beer tasting party, too. Chocolate tasting is also seriously fun.
• Do something with a broader theme, like a “golf” or “owl” themed party. You could then have “par”faiths or chicken wings, and other themed fare.
• Or don’t have a theme at all. Sometimes it’s just nice for friends to get together and enjoy each others’ company.

• Not everyone wants to dance and not everyone wants to listen to the music; some people want to talk and relax . If your party is one kind or the other, take that into account with your guest list. However, if you can, try to accommodate for different interests and levels of social comfort with space planning if it is possible, and, if applicable, account for different age groups.
• Also determine whether you want your friends to bring friends or not. That could seriously change how many heads you have to plan for and mouths you have to feed.

• A good way to deflect the costs of a party is to have a potluck. This way everyone chips in and is a part of the fun and you don’t have to pay for all the food. You could also specifically instruct certain people to bring drinks, ice, plates, napkins, and cutlery.

• You could also make invitations or buy them. Pass them out within a reasonable time frame of notice. If you plan on instructing your invitees to bring friends, don't send out the invitations too soon or you could end up with a bigger party population than you can handle. If you are allowing friends bring friends, put a limit on the amount of friends they may bring, otherwise you may be overwhelmed with the swarm of people you don't know when they arrive.

Setting Up the Party

• Do not neglect drinks, ice, cups, napkins, plates, forks, and knives, too. You’ll also need some method of chilled storage (like a large cooler) to keep the drinks cold as well.
• If you’re of age, be sure to offer non-alcoholic drinks if you are offering an array of alcoholic drinks – not everyone wants to or can consume alcohol. What’s more, you don’t want a bunch of drunk guests trashing the area and no sober drivers to get them home.
• Always make sure that none of your guests have allergies or serious diet restrictions; if they do, make sure there is food for them to enjoy, too.

• If you don't have a lot of your own tunes, ask your guests to bring their own. You could also play an internet radio station that has whatever is hot, and jam away.

• As for decorations, this bit is completely up to you. Are you going to literally roll out a red carpet for your red carpet party? Go old school with streamers? Make it look like Christmas threw up in your house? Generally your theme will dictate the decorations. And none is fine, too, if that’s how you roll.

Hosting at home creates a canvas for self-expression. "To entertain at home is a rediscovery–of rooms and settings, of your favorite things, and particularly of your own tastes and ideas."

• It's a good idea to have some cleaning stuff around, like a stain stick just in case someone spills on themselves or your furniture. Make sure there is enough toilet paper, too. It may sound weird, but you don't want the only memory of your party to be an empty tube, and you really don't want someone you may not know using your hand towels.

• Rock Band is a good game to have going on in the background for parties. This game is available on multiple game systems with the objective of playing as members of a band with the use of the guitar, microphone and drum kit included with the game.
• The Guitar Hero series is another good one. This can be a one or two player game depending on which edition you choose. Like Rock Band, it uses its own controllers of the guitar nature to play through the game's levels.
• Dance Dance Revolution rounds out this trio. It can be one or two player depending on what controllers you have available. Step to the music as directed by the arrows on the screen. Even if only a few people play this game, depending on which edition you choose, can provide some great music.

• If you're at a venue, you may need to remind everyone to act responsibly. If they get loud and disorderly, you could either be kicked out or asked to never return.
• If drinking is happening at your home, you need to decide how you want to run it. Are there minors present, too? Will you watch and care for your guests if they become too drunk? We'll address more details in the next section.

Making Your Party a Success

• If you're going all out, set up a "photo booth" – an area of the room set up specifically for taking photos. Place a piece of fabric on the backdrop, decorate it as you see fit, and keep a basket of props handy for people to use to take funny photos. It's also a good activity for bored guests. [9] X Research source

• If this an issue, consider getting a game together that involves everyone. Charades, Heads Up, and even games like Truth or Dare can be classic hits.

• Be sure to keep the trash and recycling in an open area. If it gets full, people will likely keep piling it up until its unmanageable, so get at it as soon as possible to avoid it spilling everywhere later in the night.

• You could also designate someone as the key keeper, so you’re not dealing with all the responsibilities. If you know someone isn’t drinking of their own accord, ask them if they could do this for you – you already have to deal with everything else!

• Make sure to tag everyone in all your photos, too, when all is said and done. People will be reminded of how fun your party was and be looking forward to your next one. What will the next party's theme be?

Party Food, Drinks, and Activities

Expert Q&A

• Let people know about the party in advance! If people know about your party weeks in advance, then this gives them a chance to make sure they do not plan anything on the day of the party. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Make sure you talk to everyone and ask how they are doing to ensure everyone feels like they are getting enough attention. No one wants to sit all by themselves the entire party. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Always show up at the place of the party 2 and a half hours before the party starts to take care of decorations, drinks, food, music, etc. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

• Do not let guests invite their friends over without your approval first. Thanks Helpful 115 Not Helpful 6
• Don't have drugs present. It can result in arrest, and trouble with all parents. Thanks Helpful 92 Not Helpful 6
• Try to avoid people who dislike other people on your guest list. Thanks Helpful 88 Not Helpful 15
• Don't invite someone who is negative; they may bring your night down. Think about how your friends interact. Will someone be left out? Will someone annoy someone else? Do your friends know each other? Are they social? Do they share common interests? Thanks Helpful 74 Not Helpful 13
• If you are under the age of 21, do not serve alcohol (in the United States; the drinking age is different abroad). Your party could be busted which means you would get in trouble with the police, your parents, and your friend's parents. Your friends would be in trouble with their parents, too. Thanks Helpful 67 Not Helpful 13

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://whova.com/blog/things-consider-when-choosing-event-venue/
• ↑ http://www.evite.com/content/entertaining
• ↑ Natasha Miller. Event Planner & CEO, Entire Productions. Expert Interview. 29 January 2020.
• ↑ https://ideas.evite.com/planning/creating-the-perfect-guest-list/
• ↑ http://www.heb.com/sectionpage/party-planning/party-tips/checklist/881015
• ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/entertaining/2012/07/party-food-calculator
• ↑ https://www.buzzfeed.com/mallorymcinnis/20-insanely-simple-party-games-to-entertain-your-whole-famil
• ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhBHxXivBZg
• ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a18975/party-cleanup-tips/

About This Article

To plan a party, choose a place to hold the party, then determine a date and time for the event. Weekend evenings are generally best so you and your guests won't have to go to school or work the next morning! Decide if your party will have a theme, then create a budget to cover the cost of food, decorations, and entertainment. Put together your guest list and be sure to send out invitations several weeks in advance so guests can plan accordingly! For tips on setting the mood at your party with decorations and lighting, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Paragraph on How to Plan a Perfect Party – by Anand

Introduction:

Planning a perfect party is a difficult task but not impossible. It requires a lot of patience and also managerial skills.

A perfect party makes everyone happy and also helps people to socialize.

Planning a perfect party requires taking into account a number of aspects like occasion, venue, guest list, food, arrangements, activities etc.

Occasion Based Party:

To throw a perfect party, one must understand the occasion carefully. The theme and background of the party varies on different occasions like birthdays, anniversary, farewells, reunions, felicitation etc. Parties on birthdays and reunions are more of a casual nature than the parties relating to felicitation, gala dinners, etc. Marriage anniversary parties entail a large number of guests and thus the theme changes accordingly into something in which everyone can adjust.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Deciding the ideal venue is a must for a perfect party. A party without a venue is no party at all. Venues could be banquet halls, restaurant rooms, home, office building etc. The occasion for which the party is being thrown determines the venue. The venue must be accommodating and airy. It should be properly lighted and neatly arranged for the party.

Invitation Cards:

Designing invitation cards and sending them over to the guests for the purposes of invitation to the party makes a good impression and ensures that the party is a great success. Invitation cards are to be designed keeping in mind the occasion. They are usually printed in a bulk and extra in number in case of any emergency.

Guest List:

Preparation of the guest list is another prerequisite for every perfect party. One must make a list of the tentative number of guests so as to send the invitation cards to them. A guest list is prepared very meticulously keeping in mind the availability and schedules of the persons to be invited.

No perfect party is complete without food and drinks. Food and drinks are the life and soul of a perfect party. The quantity of food is to be decided by the party giver keeping in mind the total number of guests who are supposed to arrive for the party. A quality menu ensures that people go home satisfied and the party is a success.

Fun Activities:

Fun and frolic are an integral part of every perfect party. They bring everyone in the party together and engage each one of them. Activities should be decided according to the age group of the guests invited. A young crowd would like to engage in activities involving fun and laughter like dumb charades, Pictionary, scrabble etc. whereas a group of middle age people would like to engage in activities like playing cards etc.

Conclusion:

Throwing the perfect party is a difficult task and requires a lot of planning and arrangement but it is also a lot of fun and exciting. It brings people closer and builds up one’s social circle. If the party is a success then everyone appreciates the effort and one’s reputation as a party thrower rises.

Related Articles:

• Paragraph on How to Plan a Surprise Party- by Anand
• Paragraph on Informal Invitation – by Jenny
• Paragraph on My Best Birthday – by Rajan
• Short Paragraph on Pather-Ka-Khel

How to Plan the Perfect Party?

Everyone enjoys a great party, a chance to socialize, relax, and have fun with family or friends.  Although parties are fun they require a lot of time and preparation to be successful. Parties are gatherings put together to celebrate a birthday, accomplishment, or just a special occasion; whatever the case, the important thing is to plan ahead. It’s the attention to detail that makes the difference.  There are a few techniques and guidelines to follow to insure the party is a memorable one.

One of the first things to do when planning a party, is establishing a date, time and location. The date and time is important to give the planner adequate time to plan; also gives guest time to get prepared.   Things to keep in mind when deciding on a location, it’s an easy location for the people invited to get to, and a place everyone is familiar with.  Everyone invited is more likely to attend.  A great location choice is by choosing your house or a friend’s house plus, a great money saving idea.  

Second, decide what the theme of the party is going to be and setting a budget.  A budget is needed for many reasons, set a limit and stick to it.  Depending on the financial situation, will factor in the decision on a theme.  It is possible to have a great party on a budget.  Money spent wisely, is not being cheap, it is shopping smarter.   Budget limit is set, now every great party has a theme.  This is what makes party’s fun.  Having a theme is the difference between a get-together and a party.  Another great tip to keep in mind when trying to decide on a theme, is the location that has already been decided on.  For example, can’t have a pool party at a friend’s house, if the friend does not have a pool.

Third, make a list of people to invite; consider family, friends, co-workers and/or neighbors. Who is invited factors in determining if a party is successful or not.  Written invitations are a great idea to add a personal touch.  Show personality; make them fun, different, be creative but don’t forget to include the basics like time the party starts and when it will end.  One more great tip, let your guests know what kind of attire will be appropriate to wear.   Setting aside time creating a guests list will help determine the quantity of supplies needed to buy in addition to saves time if thank you cards will be necessary to send out depending on the type of party being planned.  Fill out invitations and get them in the mail at least two weeks before your event.

Fourth, it’s time to decide what food to serve.  Informal meals usually include appetizers and drinks. Generally, appetizers are finger foods; easy to serve with little to no preparation.  Sandwiches cut in squares, nuts, potato chips, and dip are to name a few.  Choose soft drinks, fruit juice, or punch that goes well with the appetizers chosen. Make choices carefully, don’t serve gooey, dripping sauces near expensive rugs or furniture.    

Fifth, decorating is the most important step of all.   Make a list ahead of time for items needed in decorating to help stay within budget.  Most common items to include; matching paper plates, cups, napkins, table cloth, balloons, party favors, and center pieces to compliment the theme.  Have creativity in choosing decorations, they will add a special touch to the party.  If planning to play games or have entertainment, depending on budget, factor in the best option with the money left over after decorations is taken care of.  

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How to Plan a Party Essay [2023]

• November 12, 2023
• Party Planning Guides

Planning a party can be an exciting and fun experience, but it can also be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. In this article, we will provide you with expert advice and a comprehensive guide on how to plan a party. Whether you’re organizing a birthday celebration, a bridal shower, or a holiday gathering, our tips and tricks will help you create a memorable event that your guests will love.

Table of Contents

Quick answer, quick tips and facts, choosing the right theme, creating a guest list, sending invitations, planning the menu, decorating the venue, organizing activities and entertainment, setting up a party timeline, recommended links, reference links.

Planning a party involves several key steps, including choosing the right theme, creating a guest list, sending invitations, planning the menu, decorating the venue, organizing activities and entertainment, and setting up a party timeline. By following these steps and paying attention to details, you can ensure a successful and enjoyable event for everyone.

CHECK PRICE on: Party Supplies | Party Decorations | Party Games | Catering Services

Before diving into the details, here are some quick tips and facts to keep in mind while planning your party:

• Plan ahead : Start planning your party at least a month in advance to ensure you have enough time to organize everything.
• Budget wisely : Determine your budget early on and allocate funds for different aspects of the party, such as food, decorations, and entertainment.
• Delegate tasks : Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Delegate tasks to friends or family members to lighten your workload and ensure everything gets done.
• Consider dietary restrictions : Take into account any dietary restrictions or allergies your guests may have when planning the menu.
• Have a backup plan : Prepare for unexpected situations by having a backup plan in case of bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

Planning a party has been a part of human culture for centuries. From ancient celebrations to modern-day gatherings, parties bring people together to celebrate special occasions, create lasting memories, and have a great time. Whether it’s a small intimate gathering or a large-scale event, the key to a successful party lies in careful planning and attention to detail.

One of the first steps in planning a party is choosing the right theme. The theme sets the tone for the entire event and helps guide your decisions regarding decorations, food, and activities. Here are some tips for choosing the perfect theme:

• Consider the occasion : Tailor the theme to the occasion you’re celebrating. For example, a birthday party could have a specific theme like “Superheroes” or “Under the Sea.”
• Think about your audience : Consider the preferences and interests of your guests. Choose a theme that will resonate with them and make the party more enjoyable.
• Get creative : Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and come up with unique and original themes. This will make your party stand out and create a memorable experience for everyone.

Once you have chosen a theme, it’s time to create a guest list. The number of guests will depend on the type of party you’re planning and the capacity of the venue. Here are some tips for creating a guest list:

• Consider the venue : Make sure the venue can accommodate the number of guests you plan to invite. Avoid overcrowding to ensure everyone has a comfortable experience.
• Prioritize close friends and family : Start by inviting your closest friends and family members. Then, consider extending the invitation to other acquaintances or colleagues if space allows.
• Send out save-the-date cards : If you’re planning a large event or a party that requires travel, consider sending out save-the-date cards well in advance to give your guests enough time to plan and RSVP.

Once you have finalized your guest list, it’s time to send out invitations. Invitations can be sent digitally or through traditional mail, depending on your preference and the formality of the event. Here are some tips for sending invitations:

• Include all relevant details : Make sure to include the date, time, location, and any special instructions or requests in the invitation.
• Request RSVP : Ask your guests to RSVP by a specific date so you can plan accordingly. Provide multiple ways for them to respond, such as email or phone.
• Consider themed invitations : If you have chosen a specific theme for your party, consider designing invitations that reflect the theme. This will create excitement and anticipation among your guests.

The menu is an essential aspect of any party. It’s important to consider your guests’ preferences, dietary restrictions, and the overall theme of the event when planning the menu. Here are some tips for planning the perfect party menu:

• Offer a variety of options : Include a mix of appetizers, main courses, side dishes, and desserts to cater to different tastes and dietary needs.
• Consider hiring a caterer : If you’re hosting a large event or don’t have the time or expertise to prepare the food yourself, consider hiring a professional caterer. They can help you create a delicious and memorable menu.
• Don’t forget about drinks : Provide a variety of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages to cater to all your guests. Consider creating a signature cocktail that matches the theme of your party.

Decorations play a crucial role in creating the right atmosphere for your party. They help set the mood, enhance the theme, and create a visually appealing space for your guests. Here are some tips for decorating your party venue:

• Stick to the theme : Choose decorations that align with the theme of your party. Use colors, props, and signage that reflect the chosen theme.
• Create focal points : Designate specific areas of the venue as focal points and decorate them accordingly. This could be a dessert table, a photo booth, or a dance floor.
• Consider lighting : Lighting can greatly impact the ambiance of your party. Use a combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting to create the desired atmosphere.

To keep your guests engaged and entertained throughout the party, it’s important to plan activities and entertainment. This will ensure that there are no dull moments and that everyone has a great time. Here are some ideas for organizing activities and entertainment:

• Games and competitions : Plan interactive games and competitions that match the theme of your party. This could be a trivia game, a scavenger hunt, or a dance-off.
• Live entertainment : Consider hiring live entertainment such as a band, a DJ, or a magician to keep your guests entertained. Make sure their performance aligns with the overall theme of the party.
• Photo booth : Set up a photo booth with props and backdrops where your guests can take fun and memorable pictures. This will not only provide entertainment but also serve as a keepsake for your guests.

To ensure that everything runs smoothly on the day of the party, it’s important to create a party timeline. This will help you stay organized and ensure that all tasks are completed on time. Here are some tips for setting up a party timeline:

• Work backward : Start by determining the time you want the party to end and then work backward to allocate time for each activity, such as food service, games, and entertainment.
• Include setup and cleanup time : Don’t forget to allocate time for setting up the venue before the party starts and cleaning up afterward. This will help you stay on schedule and ensure a smooth transition between activities.
• Delegate responsibilities : Assign specific tasks to trusted friends or family members to help you with setup, food service, and cleanup. This will help you manage your time more efficiently and enjoy the party without feeling overwhelmed.

How do you organize an event paragraph?

Organizing an event requires careful planning and attention to detail. Here are the key steps to organize an event:

• Define the purpose and goals : Determine the purpose of the event and set clear goals and objectives.
• Create a budget : Determine the budget for the event and allocate funds for different aspects such as venue, food, decorations, and entertainment.
• Choose a venue : Select a suitable venue that can accommodate the number of guests and aligns with the theme of the event.
• Plan the program : Create a detailed program that includes the sequence of activities, speakers, and entertainment.
• Coordinate logistics : Take care of logistical details such as transportation, accommodations, audiovisual equipment, and permits.
• Promote the event : Use various marketing channels to promote the event and attract attendees.
• Execute the plan : On the day of the event, ensure that everything runs smoothly according to the plan.
• Evaluate and follow up : After the event, evaluate its success and gather feedback from attendees. Follow up with thank-you notes or emails to express gratitude.

How do you plan a party for beginners?

Planning a party for beginners can be a daunting task, but with the right approach, it can also be a rewarding experience. Here are some tips for planning a party for beginners:

• Start small : Begin with a small gathering of close friends or family members to gain confidence and experience in party planning.
• Choose a simple theme : Select a theme that is easy to execute and doesn’t require elaborate decorations or activities.
• Keep the menu simple : Opt for easy-to-prepare dishes or consider ordering food from a local restaurant or catering service.
• Delegate tasks : Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Delegate tasks such as decorations, food preparation, and setup to friends or family members.
• Focus on the essentials : Prioritize the key elements of the party, such as food, drinks, and music. Don’t worry too much about elaborate decorations or entertainment.
• Have fun : Remember that the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the company of your guests. Don’t stress too much about perfection.

Read more about “How to Plan a Birthday Party …: The Ultimate Guide to Hosting an Unforgettable Celebration”

How do you write a party plan?

Writing a party plan can help you stay organized and ensure that all aspects of the party are taken care of. Here are the key steps to write a party plan:

• Define the purpose and theme : Start by clearly defining the purpose of the party and choosing a theme that aligns with the occasion.
• Create a guest list : Determine the number of guests you plan to invite and create a guest list.
• Set a budget : Determine the budget for the party and allocate funds for different aspects such as food, decorations, and entertainment.
• Plan the menu : Decide on the type of food and drinks you want to serve at the party. Consider your guests’ preferences and any dietary restrictions.
• Choose decorations : Select decorations that match the theme of the party and create the desired ambiance.
• Organize activities and entertainment : Plan activities and entertainment that will keep your guests engaged and entertained throughout the party.
• Create a timeline : Develop a timeline that outlines the sequence of activities and ensures that everything runs smoothly on the day of the party.
• Delegate tasks : Assign specific tasks to friends or family members to help you with setup, food service, and cleanup.
• Review and revise : Review your party plan and make any necessary revisions or adjustments as the party approaches.

How do you arrange a birthday party essay?

Arranging a birthday party requires careful planning and attention to detail. Here are the key steps to arrange a birthday party:

• Choose a date and time : Determine the date and time for the birthday party, taking into account the availability of the birthday person and the guests.
• Select a venue : Choose a suitable venue for the party, such as a home, a park, or a rented event space.
• Create a guest list : Make a list of the people you want to invite to the birthday party.
• Send out invitations : Send out invitations to the guests, including all relevant details such as the date, time, location, and RSVP information.
• Plan the menu : Decide on the food and drinks you want to serve at the party. Consider the preferences and dietary restrictions of the guests.
• Choose decorations : Select decorations that match the theme or color scheme of the birthday party.
• Organize activities : Plan activities and games to keep the guests entertained throughout the party.
• Order a birthday cake : Order a birthday cake that suits the birthday person’s preferences and the theme of the party.
• Prepare party favors : Consider preparing small gifts or party favors for the guests to take home as a token of appreciation.
• Set up a timeline : Create a timeline that outlines the sequence of activities and ensures that everything runs smoothly on the day of the party.

Planning a party can be a challenging task, but with the right approach and attention to detail, you can create a memorable event that your guests will love. From choosing the right theme to organizing activities and entertainment, every step plays a crucial role in ensuring the success of your party. Remember to plan ahead, delegate tasks, and have fun throughout the process. By following our expert advice and using Party Checklist™, you’ll be well-equipped to plan a party that will leave a lasting impression on your guests.

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My Birthday Party Essay for School Students [Easy Words*]

February 8, 2021 by Sandeep

Birthday Party Essay: Birthdays are celebrated in the most gracious way as they come once a year. Inviting friends and relatives for cute parties at home and treating them with special celebrations bring in happiness and joy on the day. Elders pour their blessings and wish them a long journey ahead in life. Parents decorate their houses, arrange lighting and music systems, and spread tables with lovely snacks, juices and desserts for everyone to have a great feast.

Below we have provided a short composition on my birthday party, useful for paragraph and essay writing competitions.

Essay on My Birthday Party 200 Words in English

We have provided My Birthday Party Essay, suitable for class 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6.

My birthday is my favourite day of the entire year. Not because of the presents or the cake or the decorations, but rather because of the special attention and love I get from my close friends and family. The thought of being a year older is always surreal and exciting. I don’t normally like to have birthday parties, but my small surprise birthday party last year was unique and very special.

Some people wouldn’t really define it as a party, because I didn’t have lots of guests and I didn’t play party games. It was my first week at university, and to celebrate my birthday, my friends wished me at 12 AM and gave me plenty of hugs. We decided to watch a movie of my choice, so I chose a horror movie. We ate lots of food, chatted and listened to music, which made for a nice, small party.

Later in the day, I went to see my family, who surprised me with the prettiest birthday cake I’d ever seen. The edge of the cake was completely made of Kit Kat’s, and the top was sprinkled with M&Ms. I blew the candles, cut the cake and cheered as I opened birthday presents. I played around with my younger siblings and watched a movie with them.

I think the reason this birthday party of sorts is memorable for me is because it was my first week in a new place. I was very frightened and nervous, but spending time with friends and family because of my birthday helped me feel more comfortable.

10 Lines on Birthday Party Essay in English

• A birthday is a very special day in a person’s life because that is the anniversary of their birth.
• There are many ways to celebrate a birthday, but a lot of people choose to celebrate them in the form of birthday parties.
• To have a birthday party, one must plan decorations, food, the venue and the invitations in advance.
• It is a tradition to bring birthday presents to a party, so whoever is invited often spends a lot of time focusing on the perfect gift.
• During the birthday party, the birthday person has to thank everyone for coming and take the lead role in gathering people for games or whatever events are planned.
• The main event of a birthday party is the cake cutting while all the guests sing the birthday song and feed the birthday person.
• After the cake cutting, the guests eat the meals provided along with their share of the birthday cake.
• At the end, all the guests leave and the birthday person begins opening their presents.
• The birthday party doesn’t end there- the birthday person and their accomplices also have to clean up the venue and throw away leftover food.
• The best part of the birthday, however, is the time that you get to spend with friends and family, and the resulting memories.

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• What is an essay? 

What makes a good essay?

Typical essay structure, 7 steps to writing a good essay, a step-by-step guide to writing a good essay.

Whether you are gearing up for your GCSE coursework submissions or looking to brush up on your A-level writing skills, we have the perfect essay-writing guide for you. 💯

Staring at a blank page before writing an essay can feel a little daunting . Where do you start? What should your introduction say? And how should you structure your arguments? They are all fair questions and we have the answers! Take the stress out of essay writing with this step-by-step guide – you’ll be typing away in no time. 👩‍💻

What is an essay?

Generally speaking, an essay designates a literary work in which the author defends a point of view or a personal conviction, using logical arguments and literary devices in order to inform and convince the reader.

So – although essays can be broadly split into four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive – an essay can simply be described as a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. 🤔

The purpose of an essay is to present a coherent argument in response to a stimulus or question and to persuade the reader that your position is credible, believable and reasonable. 👌

So, a ‘good’ essay relies on a confident writing style – it’s clear, well-substantiated, focussed, explanatory and descriptive . The structure follows a logical progression and above all, the body of the essay clearly correlates to the tile – answering the question where one has been posed. 

But, how do you go about making sure that you tick all these boxes and keep within a specified word count? Read on for the answer as well as an example essay structure to follow and a handy step-by-step guide to writing the perfect essay – hooray. 🙌

Sometimes, it is helpful to think about your essay like it is a well-balanced argument or a speech – it needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question in a coherent manner. ⚖️

Of course, essays can vary significantly in length but besides that, they all follow a fairly strict pattern or structure made up of three sections. Lean into this predictability because it will keep you on track and help you make your point clearly. Let’s take a look at the typical essay structure:  

#1 Introduction

Start your introduction with the central claim of your essay. Let the reader know exactly what you intend to say with this essay. Communicate what you’re going to argue, and in what order. The final part of your introduction should also say what conclusions you’re going to draw – it sounds counter-intuitive but it’s not – more on that below. 1️⃣

Make your point, evidence it and explain it. This part of the essay – generally made up of three or more paragraphs depending on the length of your essay – is where you present your argument. The first sentence of each paragraph – much like an introduction to an essay – should summarise what your paragraph intends to explain in more detail. 2️⃣

#3 Conclusion

This is where you affirm your argument – remind the reader what you just proved in your essay and how you did it. This section will sound quite similar to your introduction but – having written the essay – you’ll be summarising rather than setting out your stall. 3️⃣

No essay is the same but your approach to writing them can be. As well as some best practice tips, we have gathered our favourite advice from expert essay-writers and compiled the following 7-step guide to writing a good essay every time. 👍

#1 Make sure you understand the question

#2 complete background reading.

#3 Make a detailed plan 

#4 Write your opening sentences 

#5 flesh out your essay in a rough draft, #6 evidence your opinion, #7 final proofread and edit.

Now that you have familiarised yourself with the 7 steps standing between you and the perfect essay, let’s take a closer look at each of those stages so that you can get on with crafting your written arguments with confidence . 

This is the most crucial stage in essay writing – r ead the essay prompt carefully and understand the question. Highlight the keywords – like ‘compare,’ ‘contrast’ ‘discuss,’ ‘explain’ or ‘evaluate’ – and let it sink in before your mind starts racing . There is nothing worse than writing 500 words before realising you have entirely missed the brief . 🧐

Unless you are writing under exam conditions , you will most likely have been working towards this essay for some time, by doing thorough background reading. Re-read relevant chapters and sections, highlight pertinent material and maybe even stray outside the designated reading list, this shows genuine interest and extended knowledge. 📚

#3 Make a detailed plan

Following the handy structure we shared with you above, now is the time to create the ‘skeleton structure’ or essay plan. Working from your essay title, plot out what you want your paragraphs to cover and how that information is going to flow. You don’t need to start writing any full sentences yet but it might be useful to think about the various quotes you plan to use to substantiate each section. 📝

Having mapped out the overall trajectory of your essay, you can start to drill down into the detail. First, write the opening sentence for each of the paragraphs in the body section of your essay. Remember – each paragraph is like a mini-essay – the opening sentence should summarise what the paragraph will then go on to explain in more detail. 🖊️

Next, it's time to write the bulk of your words and flesh out your arguments. Follow the ‘point, evidence, explain’ method. The opening sentences – already written – should introduce your ‘points’, so now you need to ‘evidence’ them with corroborating research and ‘explain’ how the evidence you’ve presented proves the point you’re trying to make. ✍️

With a rough draft in front of you, you can take a moment to read what you have written so far. Are there any sections that require further substantiation? Have you managed to include the most relevant material you originally highlighted in your background reading? Now is the time to make sure you have evidenced all your opinions and claims with the strongest quotes, citations and material. 📗

This is your final chance to re-read your essay and go over it with a fine-toothed comb before pressing ‘submit’. We highly recommend leaving a day or two between finishing your essay and the final proofread if possible – you’ll be amazed at the difference this makes, allowing you to return with a fresh pair of eyes and a more discerning judgment. 🤓

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — American Food and Nutrition — How to Plan a Perfect Barbeque Party

How to Plan a Perfect Barbeque Party

• Categories: American Food and Nutrition Cooking

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Words: 568 |

Published: Jan 29, 2019

Words: 568 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

• First, no barbeque would be complete without guests. Plan ahead of time, checking with your potential guest for scheduling conflicts and issues. Finding a date and time that is suitable for everyone should not be to far as long as you everyone enough advanced notice. Remember that not everyone will be able to come, no matter how much notice you give them, so do not get discouraged if you do not get as many RSVPs as your originally hoped for.
• Be sure to check the weather for that type of year. If you live in a climate that cannot be predicted, then you may want to have a backup plan just incase unusual weather comes. You cannot predict things like rain and thunderstorms ahead of time, but you can make sure that you hold you barbeque during the time of year that will be pleasant to your guests. A barbeque in cold weather may hold more negative memories of trying to keep warm rather then good memories of family and friends.
• Purchase the type of meat that you will be serving at your party. You will want to have a least a couple of different kinds of meats, as everyone attending may not like a certain kind. It is usually safe to go with pork, sausage, hamburgers, and chicken. If smaller children are going to be in attendance, you should consider child friendly foods such as smaller hamburgers and hot dogs.
• Once you have the meat purchased, you will then want to consider what type of sides dished you will serve. If you want a completely tradition barbeque, you may want to stick with traditions sides. Traditional barbeque sides include potatoes, potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw. Your traditional condiment bar should include pickles, relish, and onions. These foods are typically severed at barbeques because they are easy to prepare and store until the event happens. You may want to cook other items, but any barbeque is complete with just the items listed above. Once again, if children will be present, you may want to consider sides for them as well. The simplest approach to side dishes is chips and dip. Chips and dip do not require any cooking on your part, and will still be loved by the majority of your guests.
• Depending on the theme of your party, you may or may not want to purchase decorations. Festive decorations can be found at any local party or general store. You may also consider purchasing decorations that can be stored and reused at a different time, such as reusable tablecloths and Tiki torches.
• The day of the party, get up early and start preparing for it. You do not want your guest arriving while you are still cooking or hanging decorations. It should only take you a few hours at most to prepare the area in which you will be having the party, but the reactions from your guest will probably seem as if you have been planning this for weeks.

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Protest and persist: why giving up hope is not an option

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L ast month, Daniel Ellsberg and Edward Snowden had a public conversation about democracy, transparency, whistleblowing and more. In the course of it, Snowden – who was of course Skyping in from Moscow – said that without Ellsberg’s example he would not have done what he did to expose the extent to which the NSA was spying on millions of ordinary people. It was an extraordinary declaration. It meant that the consequences of Ellsberg’s release of the top-secret Pentagon Papers in 1971 were not limited to the impact on a presidency and a war in the 1970s. The consequences were not limited to people alive at that moment. His act was to have an impact on people decades later – Snowden was born 12 years after Ellsberg risked his future for the sake of his principles. Actions often ripple far beyond their immediate objective, and remembering this is reason to live by principle and act in hope that what you do matters, even when results are unlikely to be immediate or obvious.

The most important effects are often the most indirect. I sometimes wonder when I’m at a mass march like the Women’s March a month ago whether the reason it matters is because some unknown young person is going to find her purpose in life that will only be evident to the rest of us when she changes the world in 20 years, when she becomes a great liberator.

I began talking about hope in 2003, in the bleak days after the war in Iraq was launched. Fourteen years later, I use the term hope because it navigates a way forward between the false certainties of optimism and of pessimism, and the complacency or passivity that goes with both. Optimism assumes that all will go well without our effort; pessimism assumes it’s all irredeemable; both let us stay home and do nothing. Hope for me has meant a sense that the future is unpredictable, and that we don’t actually know what will happen, but know we may be able write it ourselves.

Hope is a belief that what we do might matter, an understanding that the future is not yet written. It’s informed, astute open-mindedness about what can happen and what role we may play in it. Hope looks forward, but it draws its energies from the past, from knowing histories, including our victories, and their complexities and imperfections. It means not being the perfect that is the enemy of the good, not snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, not assuming you know what will happen when the future is unwritten, and part of what happens is up to us.

We are complex creatures. Hope and anguish can coexist within us and in our movements and analyses. There’s a scene in the new movie about James Baldwin, I Am Not Your Negro, in which Robert Kennedy predicts, in 1968, that in 40 years there will be a black president. It’s an astonishing prophecy since four decades later Barack Obama wins the presidential election, but Baldwin jeers at it because the way Kennedy has presented it does not acknowledge that even the most magnificent pie in the sky might comfort white people who don’t like racism but doesn’t wash away the pain and indignation of black people suffering that racism in the here and now. Patrisse Cullors, one of the founders of Black Lives Matter, early on described the movement’s mission as “rooted in grief and rage but pointed towards vision and dreams”. The vision of a better future doesn’t have to deny the crimes and sufferings of the present; it matters because of that horror.

I have been moved and thrilled and amazed by the strength, breadth, depth and generosity of the resistance to the Trump administration and its agenda. I did not anticipate anything so bold, so pervasive, something that would include state governments, many government employees from governors and mayors to workers in many federal departments, small towns in red states, new organizations like the 6,000 chapters of Indivisible reportedly formed since the election, new and fortified immigrant-rights groups, religious groups, one of the biggest demonstrations in American history with the Women’s March on 21 January, and so much more.

I’ve also been worried about whether it will endure. Newcomers often think that results are either immediate or they’re nonexistent. That if you don’t succeed straight away, you failed. Such a framework makes many give up and go back home when the momentum is building and victories are within reach. This is a dangerous mistake I’ve seen over and over. What follows is the defense of a complex calculus of change, instead of the simple arithmetic of short-term cause and effect.

There’s a bookstore I love in Manhattan, the Housing Works bookshop, which I’ve gone to for years for a bite to eat and a superb selection of used books. Last October my friend Gavin Browning, who works at Columbia University but volunteers with Housing Works, reminded me what the name means. Housing Works is a spinoff of Act Up, the Aids Coalition to Unleash Power, founded at the height of the Aids crisis, to push for access to experimental drugs, bring awareness to the direness of the epidemic, and not go gentle into that bad night of premature death.

What did Act Up do? The group of furious, fierce activists, many of them dangerously ill and dying, changed how we think about Aids. They pushed to speed up drug trials, deal with the many symptoms and complications of Aids together, pushed on policy, education, outreach, funding. They taught people with Aids and their allies in other countries how to fight the drug companies for affordable access to what they needed. And win.

Browning recently wrote: “At the start of the 1990s, New York City had less than 350 units of housing set aside for an estimated 13,000 homeless individuals living with HIV/Aids. In response, four members of the Act Up housing committee founded Housing Works in 1990.” They still quietly provide a broad array of services, including housing, to HIV-positive people 27 years later. All I saw was a bookstore; I missed a lot. Act Up’s work is not over, in any sense.

For many groups, movements and uprisings, there are spinoffs, daughters, domino effects, chain reactions, new models and examples and templates and toolboxes that emerge from the experiments, and every round of activism is an experiment whose results can be applied to other situations. To be hopeful, we need not only to embrace uncertainty but to be willing to know that the consequences may be immeasurable, may still be unfolding, may be as indirect as poor people on other continents getting access to medicine because activists in the USA stood up and refused to accept things as they were. Think of hope as a banner woven from those gossamer threads, from a sense of the interconnectedness of all things, of the lasting effect of the best actions, not only the worst. Of an indivisible world in which everything matters.

An old woman said at the outset of Occupy Wall Street “we’re fighting for a society in which everyone is important”, the most beautifully concise summary of what a compassionately radical, deeply democratic movement might aim to do. Occupy Wall Street was mocked and described as chaotic and ineffectual in its first weeks, and then when it spread nationwide and beyond, as failing or failed, by pundits who had simple metrics of what success should look like. The original occupation in lower Manhattan was broken up in November 2011, but many of the encampments inspired by it lasted far longer.

Similarly, I think it’s a mistake to regard the gathering of tribes and activists at Standing Rock, North Dakota, as something we can measure by whether or not it defeats a pipeline. You could go past that to note that merely delaying completion beyond 1 January cost the investors a fortune, and that the tremendous movement that has generated widespread divestment and a lot of scrutiny of hitherto invisible corporations and environmental destruction makes building pipelines look like a riskier, potentially less profitable business.

Standing Rock was vaster than these practical things. At its height it was almost certainly the biggest political gathering of Native North Americans ever seen, said to be the first time all seven bands of the Lakota had come together since they defeated Custer at Little Bighorn in 1876, one that made an often-invisible tribe visible around the world. What unfolded there seemed as though it might not undo one pipeline but write a radical new chapter to a history of more than 500 years of colonial brutality, centuries of loss, dehumanization and dispossession. Thousands of veterans came to defend the encampment and help prevent the pipeline. In one momentous ceremony, many of the former soldiers knelt down to apologize and ask forgiveness for the US army’s long role in oppressing Native Americans. Like the Native American occupation of Alcatraz Island at the end of the 1960s, Standing Rock has been a catalyst for a sense of power, pride, destiny. It is an affirmation of solidarity and interconnection, an education for people who didn’t know much about native rights and wrongs, an affirmation for Native people who often remember history in passionate detail. It is a confirmation of the deep ties between the climate movement and indigenous rights that has played a huge role in stopping pipelines in and from Canada. It has inspired and informed young people who may have half a century or more of good work yet to do. It has been a beacon whose meaning stretches beyond that time and place.

To know history is to be able to see beyond the present, to remember the past gives you capacity to look forward as well, it’s to see that everything changes and the most dramatic changes are often the most unforeseen. I want to go into one part of our history at greater length to explore these questions about consequences that go beyond simple cause and effect.

T he 1970s anti-nuclear movement was a potent force in its time, now seldom remembered, though its influence is still with us. In her important new book Direct Action: Protest and the Reinvention of American Radicalism, LA Kauffman reports that the first significant action against nuclear power, in 1976, was inspired by an extraordinary protest the previous year in West Germany, which had forced the government to abandon plans to build a nuclear reactor. A group that called itself the Clamshell Alliance arose to oppose building a nuclear power plant in New Hampshire. Despite creative tactics, great movement building, and extensive media coverage against the Seabrook nuclear power plant in New Hampshire, the activists did not stop the plant.

They did inspire a sister organization, the Abalone Alliance in central California, which used similar strategies to try to stop the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. The groups protested against two particular nuclear power plants; those two plants opened anyway.

You can call that a failure, but Kauffman notes that it inspired people around the country to organize their own anti-nuclear groups, a movement that brought about the cancellation of more than 100 planned nuclear projects over several years and raised public awareness and changed public opinion about nuclear power. Then she gets into the really exciting part, writing that the Clamshell Alliance’s “most striking legacy was in consolidating and promoting what became the dominant model for large-scale direct-action organizing for the next 40 years. It was picked up by … the Pledge of Resistance, a nationwide network of groups organized against US policy in Central America” in the 1980s.

“Hundreds more employed it that fall in a civil disobedience action to protest the supreme court’s anti-gay Bowers vs Hardwick sodomy decision,” Kauffman continues. “The Aids activist group Act Up used a version of this model when it organized bold takeovers of the headquarters of the Food and Drug Administration in 1988 and the National Institutes of Health in 1990, to pressure both institution to take swifter action toward approving experimental Aids medication.” And on into the current millennium. But what were the strategies and organizing principles they catalyzed?

The short answer is non-violent direct action, externally, and consensus decision-making process, internally. The former has a history that reaches around the world, the latter that stretches back to the early history of European dissidents in North America. That is, non-violence is a strategy articulated by Mohandas Gandhi, first used by residents of Indian descent to protest against discrimination in South Africa on 11 September 1906. The young lawyer’s sense of possibility and power was expanded immediately afterward when he traveled to London to pursue his cause. Three days after he arrived, British women battling for the right to vote occupied the British parliament, and 11 were arrested, refused to pay their fines, and were sent to prison. They made a deep impression on Gandhi.

He wrote about them in a piece titled “Deeds Better than Words” quoting Jane Cobden, the sister of one of the arrestees, who said, “I shall never obey any law in the making of which I have had no hand; I will not accept the authority of the court executing those laws …” Gandhi declared: “Today the whole country is laughing at them, and they have only a few people on their side. But undaunted, these women work on steadfast in their cause. They are bound to succeed and gain the franchise …” And he saw that if they could win, so could the Indian citizens in British Africa fighting for their rights. In the same article (in 1906!) he prophesied: “When the time comes, India’s bonds will snap of themselves.” Ideas are contagious, emotions are contagious, hope is contagious, courage is contagious. When we embody those qualities, or their opposites, we convey them to others.

That is to say, British suffragists, who won limited access to the vote for women in 1918, full access in 1928, played a part in inspiring an Indian man who 20 years later led the liberation of the Asian subcontinent from British rule. He, in turn, inspired a black man in the American south to study his ideas and their application. After a 1959 pilgrimage to India to meet with Gandhi’s heirs, Martin Luther King wrote: “While the Montgomery boycott was going on, India’s Gandhi was the guiding light of our technique of non-violent social change. We spoke of him often.” Those techniques, further developed by the civil rights movement, were taken up around the world, including in the struggle against apartheid at one end of the African continent and to the Arab spring at the other.

Participation in the civil rights movement of the early 1960s shaped many lives. One of them is John Lewis, one of the first Freedom Riders, a young leader of the lunch counter sit-ins, a victim of a brutal beating that broke his skull on the Selma march. Lewis was one of the boldest in questioning Trump’s legitimacy and he led dozens of other Democratic members of Congress in boycotting the inauguration. When the attack on Muslim refugees and immigrants began a week after Trump’s inauguration, he showed up at the Atlanta airport.

That’s a lot to take in. But let me put it this way. When those women were arrested in parliament, they were fighting for the right of British women to vote. They succeeded in liberating themselves. But they also passed along tactics, spirit and defiance. You can trace a lineage backward to the anti-slavery movement that inspired the American women’s suffrage movement, forward right up to John Lewis standing up for refugees and Muslims in the Atlanta airport this year. We are carried along by the heroines and heroes who came before and opened the doors of possibility and imagination.

My partner likes to quote a line of Michel Foucault: “People know what they do; frequently they know why they do what they do; but what they don’t know is what what they do does.” You do what you can. What you’ve done may do more than you can imagine for generations to come. You plant a seed and a tree grows from it; will there be fruit, shade, habitat for birds, more seeds, a forest, wood to build a cradle or a house? You don’t know. A tree can live much longer than you. So will an idea, and sometimes the changes that result from accepting that new idea about what is true, right, just remake the world. You do what you can do; you do your best; what what you do does is not up to you.

T hat’s a way to remember the legacy of the external practice of non-violent civil disobedience used by the anti-nuclear movement of the 1970s, as with the civil rights movement of the 1960s, which did so much to expand and refine the techniques.

As for the internal process: in Direct Action, Kauffman addresses the Clamshell Alliance’s influences, quoting a participant named Ynestra King who said: “Certain forms that had been learned from feminism were just naturally introduced into the situation and a certain ethos of respect, which was reinforced by the Quaker tradition.” Suki Rice and Elizabeth Boardman, early participants in the Clamshell Alliance, as Kauffman relates, were influenced by the Quakers, and they brought the Quaker practice of consensus decision-making to the new group: “The idea was to ensure that no one’s voice was silenced, that there was no division between leaders and followers.” The Quakers have been since the 17th century radical dissidents who opposed war, hierarchical structures and much else. An organizer named Joanne Sheehan said, “while non-violence training, doing actions in small groups, and agreeing to a set of non-violence guidelines were not new, it was new to blend them in combination with a commitment to consensus decision-making and a non-hierarchical structure.” They were making a way of operating and organizing that spread throughout the progressive activist world.

There are terrible stories about how diseases like Aids jump species and mutate. There are also ideas and tactics that jump communities and mutate, to our benefit. There is an evil term, collateral damage, for the people who die unintentionally: the civilians, non-participants, etc. Maybe what I am proposing here is an idea of collateral benefit.

What we call democracy is often a majority rule that leaves the minority, even 49.9% of the people – or more if it’s a three-way vote – out in the cold. Consensus leaves no one out. After Clamshell, it jumped into radical politics and reshaped them, making them more generously inclusive and egalitarian. And it’s been honed and refined and used by nearly every movement I’ve been a part of or witnessed, from the anti-nuclear actions at the Nevada test site in the 1980s and 1990s to the organization of the shutdown of the World Trade Organization in late 1999, a victory against neoliberalism that changed the fate of the world, to Occupy Wall Street in 2011 and after.

So what did the Clamshell Alliance achieve? Everything but its putative goal. Tools to change the world, over and over. There are crimes against humanity, crimes against nature, and other forms of destruction that we need to stop as rapidly as possible, and the endeavors to do so are under way. They are informed by these earlier activists, equipped with the tools they developed. But the efforts against these things can have a longer legacy, if we learn to recognize collateral benefits and indirect effects.

If you are a member of civil society, if you demonstrate and call your representatives and donate to human rights campaigns, you will see politicians and judges and the powerful take or be given credit for the changes you effected, sometimes after resisting and opposing them. You will have to believe in your own power and impact anyway. You will have to keep in mind that many of our greatest victories are what doesn’t happen: what isn’t built or destroyed, deregulated or legitimized, passed into law or tolerated in the culture. Things disappear because of our efforts and we forget they were there, which is a way to forget we tried and won.

Even losing can be part of the process: as the bills to abolish slavery in the British empire failed over and over again, the ideas behind them spread, until 27 years after the first bill was introduced, a version finally passed. You will have to remember that the media usually likes to tell simple, direct stories in which if a court rules or an elective body passes a law, that action reflects the actors’ own beneficence or insight or evolution. They will seldom go further to explore how that perspective was shaped by the nameless and unsung, by the people whose actions built up a new world or worldview the way that innumerable corals build a reef.

The only power adequate to stop the Trump administration is civil society, which is the great majority of us when we remember our power and come together. And even if we remember, even if we exert all the pressure we’re capable of, even if the administration collapses immediately, or the president resigns or is impeached or melts into a puddle of corruption, our work will only have begun.

That job begins with opposing the Trump administration but will not end until we have made deep systemic changes and recommitted ourselves, not just as a revolution, because revolutions don’t last, but as a civil society with values of equality, democracy, inclusion, full participation, a radical e pluribus unum plus compassion. As has often been noted, the Republican revolution that allowed them to take over so many state houses and take power far beyond their numbers came partly from corporate cash, but partly from the willingness to do the slow, plodding, patient work of building and maintaining power from the ground up and being in it for the long run. And partly from telling stories that, though often deeply distorting the facts and forces at play, were compelling. This work is always, first and last, storytelling work, or what some of my friends call “the battle of the story”. Building, remembering, retelling, celebrating our own stories is part of our work.

I want to see this glorious resistance have a long game, one that includes re-enfranchising the many millions, perhaps tens of millions of people of color, poor people, and students disenfranchised by many means: the Crosscheck program, voter ID laws that proceed from the falsehood that voter fraud is a serious problem that affects election outcomes, the laws taking voting rights in most states from those convicted of felonies. I am encouraged to see many idealistic activists bent on reforming the Democratic party, and a new level of participation inside and outside electoral politics. Reports say that the offices of elected officials are swamped with calls and emails as never before.

This will only matter if it’s sustained. To sustain it, people have to believe that the myriad small, incremental actions matter. That they matter even when the consequences aren’t immediate or obvious. They must remember that often when you fail at your immediate objective – to block a nominee or a pipeline or to pass a bill – that even then you may have changed the whole framework in ways that make broader change inevitable. You may change the story or the rules, give tools, templates or encouragement to future activists, and make it possible for those around you to persist in their efforts.

To believe it matters – well, we can’t see the future. We have the past. Which gives us patterns, models, parallels, principles and resources, and stories of heroism, brilliance, persistence, and the deep joy to be found in doing the work that matters. With those in our pockets, we can seize the possibilities and begin to make hopes into actualities.

March 13, 2017

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News Analysis

Russia Sends Waves of Troops to the Front in a Brutal Style of Fighting

More than 1,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine were killed or wounded on average each day in May, according to NATO and Western military officials.

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By Julian E. Barnes ,  Eric Schmitt and Marc Santora

Julian E. Barnes and Eric Schmitt reported from Washington, and Marc Santora from Kyiv, Ukraine.

May was a particularly deadly month for the Russian army in Ukraine, with an average of more than 1,000 of its soldiers injured or killed each day, according to U.S., British and other Western intelligence agencies.

But despite its losses, Russia is recruiting 25,000 to 30,000 new soldiers a month — roughly as many as are exiting the battlefield, U.S. officials said. That has allowed its army to keep sending wave after wave of troops at Ukrainian defenses, hoping to overwhelm them and break through the trench lines.

It is a style of warfare that Russian soldiers have likened to being put into a meat grinder, with commanding officers seemingly oblivious to the fact that they are sending infantry soldiers to die.

At times, this approach has proved effective, bringing the Russian army victories in Avdiivka and Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. But Ukrainian and Western officials say the tactics were less successful this spring, as Russia tried to take land near the city of Kharkiv.

American officials said that Russia achieved a critical objective of President Vladimir V. Putin, creating a buffer zone along the border to make it more difficult for the Ukrainians to strike into the country.

But the drive did not threaten Kharkiv and was ultimately stopped by Ukrainian defenses, according to Western officials.

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