Young adult cancer or illness can’t stop your entire life.  Sometimes you’ve just got to host that party or big event or open house, even if you’re not feeling 100% at your best.  We’ve suggested tips on hosting a party with very little work before, but today we’re talking about even more tips!

[list type=”like”]
[list_item]Make a list of everything that you’ll need.[/list_item]
From what food you’re going to prepare, to what food you need for cooking, to what rooms need to be cleaned, lists are a party planner’s best friend!

[list_item]Ask people to bring something.[/list_item]
This one is key!  Pick a few things to make yourself and then delegate the rest!  Have someone bring the beverages, someone else bring a dessert, someone else bring the cheese and crackers.  Allowing people to help takes some stress off of your shoulders and helps your friends to feel involved in the big event.

[list_item]Prepare as much as you can ahead of time.[/list_item]
Can something you want to cook be prepared the night before?  Sometimes you can make things early, pop them in the fridge, just to be put in the oven right when you need it.  This helps alleviate the stress that occurs just before everyone is to arrive.  Small adjustments to your menu can help make this early preparation possible.  You know that one dessert that cannot be made ahead of time and only looks and tastes right about half of the time that you prepare it?  Don’t make that one!  🙂

[list_item]Have a music playlist.[/list_item]
With so many different music players available now with so many ready to go playlists, this one is easy-peasy.  Put on some background music to set the tone and have a good time.

[list_item]Get some glow sticks.[/list_item]
This may seem odd…but if you have anyone who likes dancing at the party or if dancing is on the agenda at all…glow sticks are amazing.

[list_item]Get yourself as ready as possible and then let yourself off the hook.[/list_item]
Honestly, as long as the party environment is mostly clean and you have some food and drinks, everything will be fine!  Let yourself relax and have fun.  The party doesn’t have to be perfect and neither do you!
[list_item][/list_item]
[/list]

P.S. Party theme ideas!

Knowing how to host a party when you’re already overwhelmed with life as a cancer or illness survivor is tough work.  Have any other tips you’d like to share?

Hosting a party can be difficult when you’re dealing with cancer or a long term illness…but those friends of yours are still out partying and raising hell like you used to be so it’s time to bring the party to you!  Hosting a party is a great way to keep your social network engaged and still have some control over when and where the festivities occur.  We’ve talked about hosting a party with very little work but now we’re here to talk about another way to make party hosting easier…party themes!  Having a theme to your party simplifies everything…food, dress, music now all gets to fit the theme!  No need to worry about that awesomely comfortable (but slightly ugly) green tunic that you want to wear…does it fit the theme?  Yes?  Great!!!

Here are some great party theme ideas!

[list type=”like”]
[list_item]Sci-Fi.[/list_item]
Any science fiction fans out there?  Any real sci-fi fan knows how easy it can become to cater an evening’s wardrobe and food choices to something space-y when a sci-fi theme is on the line.  Pick a specific movie or television series!

[list_item]Christmas Vacation.[/list_item]
Have you seen National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?  I was all set to go to a Christmas Vacation party last winter when I was stuck home with pneumonia instead.  Oh Well!  Maybe I should just host another one myself!

[list_item]Themed Movie Marathon.[/list_item]
Want to watch all of the Sister Act movies in a row?  Grab some friends and hunker down for a great night of singing and dancing along with Whoopi.  Want to watch each Disney movie in order?  Look through this list and start figuring out where to find those super old Disney favorites…probably to watch over a couple of months…there are a lot of them!  Have a favorite trilogy?  There are so many to choose from!  Make a whole weekend out of it 🙂

[list_item]Murder Mystery.[/list_item]
It is actually fairly easy to host an elaborate, murder mystery dinner!  There are websites where you can spend between $25 and $40 and you receive everything you need to get your guests (and yourself) ready for a mystery in your own home!  The parties can be made to fit your number of guests and theme…I’ve hosted a sci-fi murder mystery dinner and the evening was such fun!  Try Pasta, Passion and Pistols, A Taste for Wine and Murder, or Murder at Mardi Gras and let us know what you think!

[list_item]Disco.[/list_item]
Still have some bell-bottoms in your closet?  I remember sporting a few when they were back in fashion in the 90s.  Why not pull out all the stops for a night at the disco, in your very own living room!

[list_item]Fancy Dinner Party.[/list_item]
Want an excuse to get really dressed up and cook something a little more fancy?  Get your friends involved!  Make a potluck out of it and require a top-notch look to enter!
[/list]

Have an other party theme ideas?  Have you ever tried a murder mystery dinner?

Being a young adult cancer survivor or being a young adult dealing with a long term illness can really take a toll on your energy levels.  But your group of peers?  They are still going out dancing, drinking, and generally raising hell.  A big question then is how to keep that great group of friends still engaged with you…while not compromising with your lower than before energy levels.

We have an answer for you!

Here are some great tips on how to host a party with very little work!

[list type=”like”]
[list_item]Make a fun dessert/entré/appetizer and let everyone else bring the rest![/list_item]
Potlucks are definitely the way to go when you want to minimize energy required to host people.  Plus, encouraging people to bring an item of food is a great way to learn about your friends’ favorite dishes!

[list_item]Save one room’s clean up for a friend.[/list_item]
Have that special person in your life who asks, “is there anything that I can do to help?”  Tell them, YES!  Leave a mildly time consuming task that doesn’t require any micromangement on your part for them to do.  They could vacuum the living room, finish that last round of dishes cluttering the kitchen counters, make a run for the last minute things that you need (soda? toilet paper? paper plates? streamers?), or just come over to start with the preparations.

[list_item]Pick a theme.[/list_item]
Picking a theme is a great way to get people enthusiastic about the direction of the get together while also providing some easy structure to lean on.  It lets food and drink choices off the hook to be a little out there or even goofy, all in the name of following the theme!  We’ll write about different theme ideas in another post.

[list_item]Start a little earlier than you might otherwise.[/list_item]
We all have that friend who can be counted on to arrive an hour (or more!) after the start of a party and then can always help you close down the evening too  🙂  If you find yourself getting tired earlier than you used to, try starting the party a little earlier than you normally would!  If there is food involved, start the party closer to dinner time.  If food isn’t involved, start the party just after dinner time instead of allowing the late evening period to arrive first.  Then your late arriving friend will still have plenty of time to be late but not start pushing the comfort zone of your bed time.

[list_item]Have a movie night![/list_item]
While this could also be a theme as opposed to just a tip, stick with us for a second 🙂  Ask around to see what your friends are interested in watching, having someone pick up movie theater popcorn (while expensive…just getting popcorn from the theater is much cheaper than also buying movie tickets!), grab some soda/drinks/candy, and settle in for a fun movie experience!
[/list]

What do you think?  Do you have any other suggestions on how to host a party with very little work?  What do you like to do to keep your friends engaged now that your energy/stress levels have changed?  Tell us in the comments!