The sun is all set to shine on us for the next few months which will make going out during the day a tiring task! But who says outside is where all the fun is? Convert your own home into a themed brunch party and make hay while the sun shines, literally! By Sumitra Sundaram

Brunch parties are the best. This is probably why they last for hours. Apart from catching up with friends and family, socializing and generally having fun, the host of the brunch party gets to keep all the delicious food to themselves! If organised creatively, these parties are a great way to break the routine and have some fun while doing it. In saying so, there are some things that need to be kept in mind while organizing a brunch party at home.

 

THE WHO’S WHO

 

Make a guest list – decide who you want to invite first. This will make the planning easier. Keep in mind that your invite list has to be in accordance to the layout of your house. If it is a small gathering of adults, having it around the dining table is your best bet. If the invite list includes kids, then having it in your backyard is way better. Plus, people can always go back and forth to and from the hall.

 

THE EATS

 

 

You have to think of the menu before organizing the party. Brunches are special because it is always more of an occasion than a simple meal. Since an occasion cannot compromise on food, plan a detailed menu for the brunch right down to the T. Instead of going all out with many complex dishes, choose one or two big dishes and a few little bites and nibbles that people can snack on while chatting.

 

THE DRINKS

 

Yes, the drinks department is separate because what’s merrymaking without a hint of those fun inducing spirits? Not everyone drinks coffee and tea, so it is nice to have a few alternatives. Keep the fresh juices flowing – they are maximum hits with minimal work. But what works really well is a juicy brunch punch which is basically just fruit juice blend with a touch of alcohol – always a big hit!

 

JACK UP THE PLAYLIST

 

There is no party without some music. Brunches are late morning relaxed affairs so make sure you don’t have music that veers more towards evening drink parties. Some of your guests might just be coming around to the day and you don’t want to give them a headache. You want to think of music that will add some life to your party. You could also ask your guests to bring in an album or two of their choice so you can play them on loop.

 

THE ACTIVITIES

 

Usually, these type of get-together take care of themselves in terms of conversation, but you cannot hope for a party to sustain just on chatter. Think of some non-heavy- duty games that you can line up to keep the active ones busy. If you have a couple of newcomers who are unknown to the rest of the group, these will also help in breaking the ice.

 

THE DECOR

 

While there is not much you can do about the layout of your house as such, you can certainly make it interesting by sprucing it up with some of these easy decor tips.

1. Have colorful banners stuck to the walls of your house for that instant party effect.
2. Bring in extra chairs or big cushions to a room where you think people will most likely hang out. Make sure the cushions are colorful so that they add that pop of color without much effort.
3. Buy some flowers and arrange them in small bunches all around the house. You don’t even need as many vases; just empty glasses with a little water would do the trick. (if your guests are allergic to the smell of flowers, then you can get non-scented flowers for decorative purposes)
4. If you are having the party in your backyard, fix a giant umbrella that will shield your guests from the blazing afternoon sun. You can use the branches of the umbrella to hang mini lanterns to illuminate the table when it starts getting dark. Get a bunch of colorful tea-lights to make the party lean towards a little romance. They will also keep away insects and pests.
5. You are never too old for piñatas. A vibrant piñata will give any party that much needed cheer and also ensure that the party ends with gifts dropping from the sky!
6. Provide plenty of places for recycling and trash disposal to make disposing of used items easier – this will help keep the space clean and beautiful throughout the party.