Summer Parties – 6 Tips to Greatness
This post was sponsored by Hamilton Beach Canada. I received product for consideration here. This post contains affiliate links.
Summer parties are a big part of our lives when the warm months finally get here. Sure, my family loves winter and all the fun it has to offer, but living in Canada, we’re so ready for the warmth when it finally comes. That’s why we have as many summer parties as we can when the weather is with us.
Tips for Smashing Summer Parties
Because I know how much we all love having family and friends over for those warm months, I’ve put together a few tips to make your parties total winners this summer.
Set the Mood, Don’t Ruin Yours
Summer parties are always more fun when you set the mood. Don’t make yourself crazy over it, though. All you need is a nice table cloth from the dollar store and some fresh flowers to make your space pop.
Pick a nice (and cheap) table cloth, and decorate the table with pretty flowers in small steel buckets. It gives a summer feel, and it’s easy to do.
Seating. Lots of Seating
Make sure you have plenty of seating for your guests. No one wants to stand around throughout the entire party. You can find cute folding chairs at almost every department store. Stock up so everyone has a place to relax. In the summer all of my parties take place outside near my pool so pool floats are good too.
Shade. Lots of Shade
We all love the summer sun, but too much of a good thing is just too much. Summer parties take a real nosedive when everyone is wilted from the heat and blaring sun. If you have a shade-free yard, consider getting some shade umbrellas that you can stake into the ground to provide shade for guests.
Make it a Pot Luck
Great food makes for a great party, but honestly, all that cooking and prep is cringe-worthy. Rather than do all the work yourself, make it a potluck! Almost every member of the family has that one dish that everyone else can’t get enough of, so why not have everyone bring that dish?
When everyone arrives with one dish, you end up with a big, tasty buffet, and you only had to make one thing. When it’s all over, you also only have to clean one thing.
Games are Always Good
Summer parties practically require outdoor games and toys. They make for great fun, conversation, and boredom crushers. Some classic games to have on hand are bags, horse shoes, and even sack races. If you have a pool you can play Marco Polo or simply toss rings, a volleyball or inflatable ball in the pool. Party at the cottage or the lake?Grab one of these floating islands and make a splash.
Stay cool and don’t forget sunscreen too.
Keep the Drinks Flowing
Whether virgin or hard, drinks are one of the best parts of summer parties. Have a drink station on hand with water, cola, anything else that will keep all your guests happy. And if you want to get fancy, consider making shakes and soda fountain drinks for your guests. WE also love these tumblers for the patio.
Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Drink Mixer
If you choose to make mixed drinks, get yourself the Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Drink Mixer. It’s the perfect companion to summer parties. This beauty makes it easy to mix up shakes and floats in no time flat.
Its 28-ounce capacity means you don’t have to worry about wimpy portions or big messes from mixing. It’s tough, as well, so you won’t have to worry about it breaking after a few uses. It even features a tilting head for ease of use, mixing, and serving!
Here are the specs so you can see what it has to offer.
- Durable, stainless steel mixing cup
- Two speed settings
- Tilting mixing head
- Detachable spindle for easy cleanup
- Chrome finish
Summer Parties, Summer Fun!
Good food, drinks, and games make for great summer parties. The warm weather is finally here, so use these tips to plan some epic summer parties for your friends and family this year. And if you love shakes and floats, snag a Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel mixer to serve up some cold, tasty treats!
Cookies and Cream Milkshake
Equipment
- Hamilton Beach stainless steel Drinkmaster blender
Ingredients
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- ½ cup white milk
- 1 snack package Oreo cookies
Instructions
- Scoop one scoop ice cream into the blender cup
- Add the yogurt
- Add the milk
- Crush the oreo snack cookies (6 mini cookies) and add to the mix.Blend everything until milkshake consistency.
- Hold back one scoop of vanilla for the final product
- Pour mixture into a thermal cup
- Add one generous scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Keep 2 small oreo cookies intact for decoration at end
Nutrition
Get in on the Giveaway
If you like the sound of this mixer, then enter to win! I’m giving one lucky reader their very own mixer to make their summer parties even better.
47 Comments
Linda Svarovsky
The first thing I would make is a fresh berry smoothie
Lynda Cook
I thinkI would actually make the recipe you shared, sounds so good!!
Lynda Cook
I have been wanting to try a shamrock shake, I never ever had one before so I think I might just have to make one!
Shirley P
I would make smoothies bannana and strawberry The milkshake recipe that you shared I would make I would also use this for making soup
Lynda Cook
A good ole chocolate shake would be awesome!!
Shirley P
I would like to make some chunky salsa
Shirley P
A breakfast smoothie combine blueberries, raspberries, and oranges
Florence Cochrane
I would make a fashion strawberry milkshake.
Debbie White-Beattie
I’d make a cake
Shirley P
I would make a Malted Milk Shake
Lynda Cook
Would be great for the morning smoothie!
Pam
I would make a chocolate banana shake.
Debbie White-Beattie
I’d try a dole whip smoothie
Lynda Cook
Would love to make the Oreo shake!
Shirley P
I would like to make a citrus energy boosting smoothie for the morning. It has orange lemon peach spinach leaves and a carrot and almond milk.
Florence Cochrane
I would make a smoothie with spinach.
Debbie White-Beattie
A pineapple shake sounds delicious
Shirley P
I would make a smoothie using Strawberries Pineapple a Banana Orange Juice Greek Yogurt and Spinach
Debbie White-Beattie
An iced cafe would be great
Lynda Cook
My granddaughter would think this is so cool and she would love watching it make her a chocolate shake!
Shirley P
I would make a chocolate peanut butter banana milkshake
wendy hutton
I would make a strawberry shake
Debbie White-Beattie
A banana smoothie would be really yummy
Shirley P
I would make a strawberry bananna smoothie and then make into popsicles for the summer
Lynda Cook
It’s strawberry season so let’s make strawberry shakes!!
Sandra Preti
Some summer milkshakes and smoothies!
wendy hutton
milk shakes would be what I would first make
Krista M
I would make a chocolate, peanut butter & banana protein shake for a great boost of energy for the day!
Debbie White-Beattie
I like a smoothie with apples, banana, cherries and blueberries plus plain yogurt
wendy hutton
smoothies would be nice, banana, blueberry and strawberry
Paula
Wendy: Yes we have been making some here with this device.
Shirley
I would like to make Muddy Bottom Baby it has chocolate ice cream, marshmallow creme, and creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
Paula
Shirley: That sounds amazing! Good Luck!
ivy pluchinsky
I would make a nice fruit smoothie
Debbie White-Beattie
I’d love a vanilla shake
Shirley P
I would make Mash One in the hay use strawberry frozen yogurt, apple juice, fresh strawberries and a banana
soozle
I would make strawberry milkshakes first!
Janet M
I would make a blueberry smoothie with yogurt.
wendy hutton
fruits smoothies would be nice to make
Lynda Cook
Birthday cake smoothie, yummm!!!
Debbie White-Beattie
I guess a chocolate shake would be next
Linda
I would like to make guacamole in my blender first.
Shirley P
I would like to make an ice cream sandwich milkshake use.. ice cream.. nutella spread.. milk and and an ice cream sandwich.
wendy hutton
strawberry smoothies are nice
Janet M
I would combine blueberries with fresh strawberries for a smoothie.
ivy pluchinsky
I would make a chocolate milkshake
Krista M
This would be awesome to puree veggies to hide in foods for my son like in muffins or pasta sauces!