Throw an Imaginative Party That's Easy on Everyone

Sometimes the best times we remember are those that occurred at "unexpected" times and gatherings. Without formal pressure to meet expectations, or the obligation to attend or entertain, a new personal freedom to have fun emerges.

The freedom to enjoy one another and that experience as a whole is an important facet of any memorable social event. Here are some ideas to create your own spontaneous event and be remembered as a creative spirit among hosts.

Value the time spent together
Maximize the time you can spend with friends by planning for fuss-free refreshments. Freeze ice cubes and bag them ahead of time to be used during the evening. Later, use ice buckets with tongs or a slotted spoon to hold the cubes; this saves many trips to the freezer.

Go for fuss-free food and drinks
Skip the complicated and costly mixed drinks, and whip together a frozen concoction that can easily be blended and served. Or, consider a fountain with a beverage in it that guests can merely ladle or fill their glasses from.

Make coffee ahead of time, and have it ready in carafes or other thermal containers.

Foods can instantly be jazzed up with displays geared for less mess as well as made to appear more pleasing. Arrange large leafy surfaces, such as lettuce or cabbage, on plates or in bowls, to hold any liquid run-off when wet foods such as shrimp or chicken wings are set out.

Save a few bags of easily prepared foods - egg rolls, chicken fingers, quesadillas - in case food runs short or you end up with extra guests. Even full-sized foods can be cut into finger-food segments, so stock the freezer beforehand. Washed or pre-cut melon cubes, grapes, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes or other small finger foods are healthy as well as easy to serve. A series of dips can be pre-made, then set out in simple crocks or bowls placed on colorful chargers and surrounded by finger foods.

Simple presentation is the way to go
Set a table geared to simple presentation and, more importantly, function. Forget the fancy linens, crystals, china and silver. Put a strip of colorful cloth or plastic down the middle of the table to use as a runner and to anchor any candles, flowers or other décor. Then, arrange the foods on and around it.

Don't dim lighting in table areas. Settings with accessible and friendly, inviting lighting will be areas of natural gathering and conversation.

There will also be fewer spills and less chance of someone falling in that area.

Music for relaxed listening and easier conversation
Background music can be provided by mix CDs or tapes to match the event or holiday. If you don't have time to do the work, ask a friend to make one, and surprise you with the artists and contents. If it's recorded on an MP3 player, have speakers or a shuffler to enhance the sound and keep the evening hopping.

The operative term here is background, however. No one likes trying to converse by screaming over too-loud music.

Casual activities make a better atmosphere
Try to let the evening lead the activities. Have cards and board games on hand, with dedicated space for them.

If the evening is themed, consider giving small trinkets to guests, and see if you can work that into the entertainment. For instance, let guests decorate a tree at a holiday party. Or, throw an Oscar shindig and have a Polaroid camera on hand so guests can pose as their favorite nominee; best pose gets a small staturette or foil-covered medallion.

But, if conversation is flowing, laughter is common, and mingling is a given, don't force a rigid routine on guests.

• Important: Keep the lights at a comfortable level. Darkening rooms makes them rife for spills or falls, especially if people are drinking. It also makes it hard to have people mingle if they can't see more than a couple of feet in front of them.

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