land-locked and lovin' it

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Rather be sailing across the Caribbean? Me too. A real cruise may not be in our near future, but I can help you create a pretty snazzy fake one with this cruise-ship themed party. Here’s what I had at mine:

• A “plank” led to the front door. (If you do this, make sure your wood slat is secure and safe for people to walk on.)

• I handed out leis — they do that on cruises, right? I wouldn’t know. This was my first!

• Have an appropriately ridiculously fruity featured drink. A rum runner is a good one — and don’t forget the paper umbrellas and excessive garnishes: cherries, pineapples, straws, etc.

• I kept my food buffet basic with meat roll-ups, a fruit display with fruit dip, a veggie display with veggie dip and other simple things I can no longer remember.

• I posted an itinerary with optional activities for guests to participate in. The late afternoon party started with volleyball and shuffleboard for those who wanted to play. My co-host and I held a Hula-hoop and limbo competition (faaar more fun to watch than expected). Toward the end of the evening we had karaoke with the microphones set to super-low, which encouraged even the shy folks to sing. And eventually, we had an out-and-out dance party.

Land ahoy!