holiday parties – user's Blog!

November 18, 2016

Holiday Outfit Ideas for All Occasions

The holidays will be here before you know it, and with it, a plethora of gatherings. Between company parties, friendly shindigs and family affairs, you’ll need some fancier wardrobe pieces to celebrate the season in style. To inspire your look, we’ve come up with a few holiday outfit ideas that range from warm and cozy to wow-worthy. Whether you’re looking to spice up holiday cocktail dresses or holiday casual outfits, we’ve got you covered, with Cash Back at Ebates to boot.

Formal Affairs

MAJE Pleated velvet dress, $184.50 (The Outnet) | Capsule Beaded Cape, $67.50 (Simply Be) | Qupid Agatha T-Strap Pumps, $29.99 (JCPenney) | INC International Concepts Tamme Clutch, $59.50 (Macy’s)

For those super fancy holiday party outfits, pile on the texture: lace, tulle, sequins, beading, velvet, … how about a little bit of everything? You really can’t overdo it with formal affairs as long as you keep your colors consistent. And when in doubt, add a cape. It’s always a showstopper.

Among Friends

Topshop Velvet Crop Top, $35 (Nordstrom) | Camouflage Jacquard Pencil Skirt, $95 (Topshop) | ALDO Narcissa Flatform Tassel Loafers, $24.50 (Macy’s)

When you’re with your own peeps (your chosen family) this is really where you can get daring with holiday party outfits that push the fashion envelope. And nothing says “daring” like a crop top! Again, play with textures. Top it off with an edgy shoe like a metallic flatform, and you’ve got Instagram-worthy holiday wear.

Family Lounging

Black Asymmetric Short Sleeve T-shirt, $16.90 (Choies) | Shawl Lapel Knitted Cardigan, $23.50 (ChicNova) | Charter Club Silver-Tone Pearl Bib Necklace, $32.70 (Macy’s) | MOTO Bleach Lucas Boyfriend Jeans, $80 (Topshop) | STEVE MADDEN Tomorrow Leather Block Heel Pumps, $50.06 (Lord & Taylor)

Even though it’s just Mom, Dad, little bro and his brood, you should still step it up a notch when putting together holiday casual outfits. Skip the ripped skinnies, and opt for neat boyfriend jeans, which look killer with a simple metallic shoe. Add visual interest with lace trims and a statement bauble, like a bib necklace.

Prices and Cash Back percentages are subject to change.

December 24, 2015

Ebates Adopt a Family Holiday Donation Drive

During this holiday season, Ebates employees wanted nothing more than to give back to their local community in the beautiful city of San Francisco and its citizens in need. We teamed up with La Casa de Las Madres for their Adopt a Family Program to spread some holiday cheer with some needed winter gifts and more.

La Casa de Las Madres serves domestic violence victims of all ages with a crisis line, emergency shelter, legal assistance and counseling. Through their holiday Adopt a Family program, Ebates employees “adopted” three families and provided them the holiday gifts they requested on their wishlists. We then gathered in our kitchen at our San Francisco office to wrap presents together while enjoying some snacks and dancing around to an ultimate holiday playlist. It was indeed a merry time made even sweeter by knowing our gifts would brighten someone’s day.

After we wrapped our gifts, we got together to create gift baskets full of fun items for La Casa de Las Madres’ New Years Eve party! We provided the 35 women and children staying at the shelter during the holiday with decorations, games, noise makers, playing cards, coloring books, bubbles, apple cider and even some needed essentials like socks.

We were so grateful to be able to work with such a wonderful organization to make some holiday wishes come true. A big “thank you” again to La Casa de Las Madres!

Prices and Cash Back percentages are subject to change.

December 9, 2015

How to Plan a Holiday Party

The holidays are a time to celebrate and gather with your favorite people. Great food, lively music and festive decorations are essential ingredients for any holiday party, but it also takes some thoughtful planning to pull off one of the most talked about events of the year. Whether you’re in charge of the Christmas party planning for your company’s celebration or you’re planning a private gathering for your closest family and friends, we have the tips you need to get the festivities going without a hitch.

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

A successful party is rarely pulled off at the hands of just one person, so don’t be afraid to solicit the help of those around you. Consider hiring professionals who specialize in their field or simply ask a friend to chip in, because those extra hands will be a major help. There’s no need to take on too much to do by yourself and end up stressed. After all, the holidays are about having fun!

2. Create a holiday party planning checklist.

A lot goes into Christmas party planning so you’ll want to make sure you’ve covered all of your bases. You’re going to be pulled in many directions so you’ll want to create a holiday party planning checklist to make sure nothing gets forgotten. You can use traditional pen and paper or make a list on your mobile device, whichever is most convenient for you.

3. Choose an appropriate venue.

Choosing a venue is an important element to any social gathering. Your venue should be determined by the number of attendees (and their guests). Keep it simple by hosting the party at your home or workplace or you can rent a special location for your event. Choose a location that is appropriate for the gathering and be sure to discuss any house rules the venue may have. Some locations may require food or entertainment be provided by their in-house staff so make sure they meet your requirements before you commit to your locale.

4. Send out your invitations.

Once you have the preliminary decisions made, you can send your guests invitations. Vistaprint has a great assortment of invitations with easy design features or you can create an invitation all on your own. To make reservations simpler, offer your guests the option to phone in their confirmation or use an online method like email or an event RSVP service.

5. Set the stage with decorations.

The first thing everyone will notice when they walk into your party space is the decorations. If you have the time to hand-make every item, you can keep your budget low, but it’s important to remember that your time is valuable as well. Birthday in a Box offers a variety of fun and festive decorations that are sure to get people in the mood for your holiday party. Streamers, table scatter, paper lanterns and more in holiday colors and designs will create a fun atmosphere for the get together.

6. Fill their bellies with delicious food.

The food often becomes the focal point of any party so plan accordingly. Some parties will include a dinner while others may focus more on appetizers and bite-sized desserts. Be sure to offer plenty of variety so you can appease even the picky eaters. Festive recipes can be paired with classic favorites. If you’re planning on multiple dishes or just want to simplify the process, a caterer may be best for your event. Your caterer can offer a variety of options and help lighten your load so you can focus your attention on other elements.

7. Keep your guests entertained.

Whether you’re planning a major event or just a small social gathering, you’re going to want to provide entertainment. This can be as simple as Christmas party music playing from a playlist or a hired DJ to keep the party going with tunes for the occasion.

8. Take care of the extras.

When it comes to your Christmas party planning, set yourself up for all the extra little things. Plan a space for all of those winter coats everyone will be wearing. Hire an event photographer to take pictures so your guests can focus on the fun. You can even plan for a taxi in case anyone needs a ride home.

9. Send them off with a gift.

Even great parties must come to an end but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop at the door. Send your guests home with party favor gifts that remind them of the glorious evening they just had. Harry and David has a wide selection of fine gift baskets or you can choose decadent candies from Ghirardelli Chocolate. Your guests will love their holiday party favors long after the event is over.

10. Enjoy your evening.

In all of the hubbub, don’t forget to enjoy the evening yourself! You’ve put a lot of work into making the night go off without a hitch so it’s only right to enjoy it yourself as well. Partake in the food, shimmy on the dance floor and spend some well-earned down time with your fellow party-goers.

Prices and Cash Back percentages are subject to change.

June 24, 2015

7 Revamped 4th of July Recipes

Now is definitely crunch time for collecting 4th of July party ideas to plan one killer patriotic bash. Backyard barbecues with burgers and hot dogs are as American as apple pie but a little re-imagination would take your party eats to a whole new level. Here are our seven favorite 4th of July recipes that will add a little spirit and color to your spread this holiday.

Firecracker Dogs

These dough-wrapped dogs are as adorable as they are delicious. Firecracker dogs are one of our favorite 4th of july food ideas for family parties with small kids. Mess free and on a stick, what else can you ask for?

Blueberry Strawberry Jicama Salsa

Add a summary kick to traditional chips and salsa with some patriotic colors! This scrumptious blueberry strawberry jicama salsa is sweet, tangy and zesty with a little jalapeño punch.

Patriotic Deviled Eggs

A little food coloring goes a long way to put an all-American spin on the ultimate picnic food–deviled eggs. These red, white and blue deviled eggs are, in fact, one of our favorite patriotic party ideas. 4th of July appetizers don’t get more classic than this!