If only it were as simple as popping open a bottle of Champagne. But as every hostess knows, life's myriad celebrations - whether they come in the form of a big holiday blow out or a small birthday party - require planning and effort to pull off. And in the midst of all that hors d'oeuvre making and centrepiece arranging, it can be easy to lose sight of what you're actually celebrating (whose birthday is it, anyway?). "Real Simple Celebrations" is filled with smart solutions to take the hassle out of entertaining. Each chapter is dedicated to a different occasion - such as Easter, New Year's Eve, a child's birthday party - and guides you every step of the way, from inviting the guests to cleaning up after they've gone. With its handy checklists, foolproof game plans, practical advice, and truly doable ideas, "Real Simple Celebrations" will make all your parties a lot easier to pull off. So, you can stay focused on what you're celebrating-and, more important, why.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
55 of 55 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Real Simple scores again with this gorgeous, oversized hard cover book, "Real Simple Celebrations"! Over the years I have found the Real Simple books to be lush & lavish yet perfect for explaining special touches to make life more lovely! And Real Simple Celebrations does just that.
In this book you will find lots of unique ideas to make your occasion more fun. Even though I have read more than my share of women's magazines, holiday books etc. I found lots of ideas in the book I had never thought of!
The book covers 3 different types of Celebrations. The first section is on Annual Celebrations and includes Thanksgiving, A Holiday Open House and A New Year's Eve Potluck. The Occasional Celebrations section includes A Shower, Milestone Birthday and Summer Barbecue and the Anytime Celebrations Section includes a Cheese Party, Dinner Party and Dessert Party. Each of these celebrations can be adapted to other occasions.
Each Celebration is described in detail with information given on invitations, decorations and set up, the table, food and drink, activities, etiquette, and wrap up.
The book includes beautiful full color photographs a Real Simple trademark. Many yummy recipes are included from chunky guacamole for the Summer Barbecue to beef bourguignonne for the Dinner Party to Elephant Ear cookies for the Dessert Party.
One unique feature included in the 192 page book is the party planning wheel at the back of the book. Just dial the removable wheel to a food or beeverage item like wine, beer, cheese etc and it will tell you how much to stock for 6, 12 or 24 guests! A great feature!
Overall a terrific book to make entertaining fun and easy for your special celebrations!
Lee Mellott
In this book you will find lots of unique ideas to make your occasion more fun. Even though I have read more than my share of women's magazines, holiday books etc. I found lots of ideas in the book I had never thought of!
The book covers 3 different types of Celebrations. The first section is on Annual Celebrations and includes Thanksgiving, A Holiday Open House and A New Year's Eve Potluck. The Occasional Celebrations section includes A Shower, Milestone Birthday and Summer Barbecue and the Anytime Celebrations Section includes a Cheese Party, Dinner Party and Dessert Party. Each of these celebrations can be adapted to other occasions.
Each Celebration is described in detail with information given on invitations, decorations and set up, the table, food and drink, activities, etiquette, and wrap up.
The book includes beautiful full color photographs a Real Simple trademark. Many yummy recipes are included from chunky guacamole for the Summer Barbecue to beef bourguignonne for the Dinner Party to Elephant Ear cookies for the Dessert Party.
One unique feature included in the 192 page book is the party planning wheel at the back of the book. Just dial the removable wheel to a food or beeverage item like wine, beer, cheese etc and it will tell you how much to stock for 6, 12 or 24 guests! A great feature!
Overall a terrific book to make entertaining fun and easy for your special celebrations!
Lee Mellott
30 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By lp
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I really, really enjoy this book! I adore looking at the pictures of Martha Stewart magazines with a wistful "someday." But, this book brings me "today!" The ideas are fabulous, but manageable and affordable! I consider myself inept at any creative decorating for the holidays, but always envy those who can. The book gives fabulous, yet simple, methods for making every party a success, whether for your two-year old or your annual neighborhood bar-b-que. Excellent pictures (and lots of them) and helpful tips!
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By anonymous
Format:Hardcover
first off, i should say that i'm a huge fan of real simple, the magazine and several of the books. i personally love, for example, their cookbook and highly recommend purchasing it.
that all said, this book left me underwhelmed. there are some solid ideas inside, but it felt a little too bland. the genius of real simple is that they are generally very good at showing you how to get a real "pop" out of simple ideas or activities. but the celebrations outlined in this book seemed to be missing that "pop" to me. some stuff, like the sections on etiquette or trouble-shooting were very strong. but i didn't see a lot of "oh wow!" simple ideas with bang.
personally i would recommend checking this out in your library or carefully at a bookstore before you decide to make an actual purchase. it's not quite up to the usual standard, IMHO.
that all said, this book left me underwhelmed. there are some solid ideas inside, but it felt a little too bland. the genius of real simple is that they are generally very good at showing you how to get a real "pop" out of simple ideas or activities. but the celebrations outlined in this book seemed to be missing that "pop" to me. some stuff, like the sections on etiquette or trouble-shooting were very strong. but i didn't see a lot of "oh wow!" simple ideas with bang.
personally i would recommend checking this out in your library or carefully at a bookstore before you decide to make an actual purchase. it's not quite up to the usual standard, IMHO.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book has lots of creative ideas, described in a comfortable,yet thorough and entertaining, style. The illustrations are helpful and attractive as well. The book is well-designed too, with a durable cover and a pretty ribbon to mark my place.
After recently purchasing my own copy and enjoying it so much, I'm returning to purchase additional copies for special friends who also like to "celebrate" life.
After recently purchasing my own copy and enjoying it so much, I'm returning to purchase additional copies for special friends who also like to "celebrate" life.
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book . But before you buy this, be aware that there's a softcover/magazine format of it on newsstands now that's cheaper.
December 7, 2006
By Shashi
Format:Hardcover
This is a great book. Beautiful pictures, great ideas, very easy looking, approachable yet appealing recipes. I actually bought it, and ended up returning it after I saw basically the same thing on the magazine rack at the supermarket. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, the magazine version has great Thanksgiving recipes in it that look great and aren't in the book, though I can't be certain because I've already returned the hard cover. Anyway, just thought some of you might want to know this information. Whichever version you end up getting, it's great! But I'm glad I spent less on the softcover/magazine format version.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By C. Evans
Format:Hardcover
This is a great book full of clever, easy party ideas. Every detail is covered, from invitation design to seating arrangements to games and entertainment ideas. The recipes are simple yet sophisticated. Can't wait to use it!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Full of simple ideas for entertaining to make your party unique and fun!
July 8, 2008
By Theresa W
Format:Hardcover
This is the best book I could find that had party planning and entertaining tips, tricks, recipes, decorations etc. Not only is this a gorgeous book to look at, but it really contains some useful and fun info inside!
The book is divided into 3 celebration sections: Annual Celebrations (holidays), Occasional Celebrations (shower, BBQ, Birthday) and Anytime Celebrations (Cheese Party, Dinner Party & Dessert Party). What is awesome about this book is that it takes you through the ENTIRE planning process from when to send out invites and also an example of an invite, to the seating charts, decoration ideas, when to start preparing for the party in days prior, a sample menu and recipes for the party, even games for the party. They even go into detail such as which kind of utensils or platters you might need/want, how much to make for a crowd of a certain size, etitquette questions and even clean up and wrap up suggestions. I don't think there's anything this book has not thought of or included! I love it, and my sister borrows it every chance she gets.
My favorite part about this book is that there are SIMPLE and EASY tips for those of us who aren't professionals or naturals at entertaining (yet)! There's actually recipes I could make and not pull my hair out, as well as party favors, invites, decorations I could see myself using. That is a rare find when often many books go to the other side with way too elaborate planning ideas. Not to mention, the 4 color pictures in this book are gorgeous and the instructions/tips included are easy to understand. This is a great book for anyone who likes to entertain, or who would like to make entertaining simpler, easier and their parties a bit more unique and fun!
The book is divided into 3 celebration sections: Annual Celebrations (holidays), Occasional Celebrations (shower, BBQ, Birthday) and Anytime Celebrations (Cheese Party, Dinner Party & Dessert Party). What is awesome about this book is that it takes you through the ENTIRE planning process from when to send out invites and also an example of an invite, to the seating charts, decoration ideas, when to start preparing for the party in days prior, a sample menu and recipes for the party, even games for the party. They even go into detail such as which kind of utensils or platters you might need/want, how much to make for a crowd of a certain size, etitquette questions and even clean up and wrap up suggestions. I don't think there's anything this book has not thought of or included! I love it, and my sister borrows it every chance she gets.
My favorite part about this book is that there are SIMPLE and EASY tips for those of us who aren't professionals or naturals at entertaining (yet)! There's actually recipes I could make and not pull my hair out, as well as party favors, invites, decorations I could see myself using. That is a rare find when often many books go to the other side with way too elaborate planning ideas. Not to mention, the 4 color pictures in this book are gorgeous and the instructions/tips included are easy to understand. This is a great book for anyone who likes to entertain, or who would like to make entertaining simpler, easier and their parties a bit more unique and fun!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good party ideas
good ideas for parties and celebrations- decorations and other ideas. like all of the best ideas from real simple in one book!
Published 1 month ago by Laura Podlich
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great reference book
This is a great reference book that is surely going to stay on your self, if not one of your friends who will ask to borrow it for their special event
Published 2 months ago by Sheryl
3.0 out of 5 stars
Already had it in another form...
When I ordered the book, I thought it was something new. I had already purchased the blue-covered paperback "Celebrations" several years ago. Read more
Published 4 months ago by C. Phillips
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific Ideas!!!
This book is fantastic. I ordered it a couple of weeks ago and have read it cover to cover. Every single page has one fantastic idea after another. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Laurie J. Ise
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must buy for the party planner
Great book with great tips on throwing wonderful parties. Great recipes and tips on decor and activities. Wish the Real Simple Magazine was this useful; now it's chock full of ads. Read more
Published on May 8, 2011 by turandot82
4.0 out of 5 stars
celebrations
Great book and also Great because I bought it used and it was in really good conditions!!! like a new one.
Published on March 29, 2011 by AND
5.0 out of 5 stars
Really simple, really great!
This beautiful book does a great job of presenting nine fun party ideas. Nice touches like a ribbon book mark, and a "party by numbers" wheel that tells you how much an an item to... Read more
Published on February 22, 2011 by Bi-Mia C. Reid
5.0 out of 5 stars
there's always a party...
seems like our family is always having a party, for someone or something. i checked this book out at the library, and was so sad to give it back, i purchased it right away! Read more
Published on October 11, 2010 by holasoybonnie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Basic, Useful & Cute
Great for a beginner who wants some general tips and ideas to get started in the hobby of hosting parties!
Love this book - it's not overkill - it is sweet and simple.
Love this book - it's not overkill - it is sweet and simple.
Published on July 8, 2010 by earthdust
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Gift For your Favorite Entertainer
This is a fun book for your favorite entertainer/party planner. The hardcover is a better gift, the paperback can fall apart easily. Read more
Published on February 15, 2010 by C. Isberner
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