2013 will be here before we know it and if you are hosting a new Year's Eve party you will need to make sure you are fully prepared. If you have not already planned your party here are a few ideas to assist you in everything from advice on how to make your candles burn longer to information on hangover reducing care packages. 

1. Dim your lights and fill the house with votive candles. Candles are the most romantic and cost effective way to create a festive party feel. To make your candles burn for longer, place them in a zip lock bag and put in the freezer the day before your party.  

2. Buy pink bulbs at your local home store and swap the ones that are already in your lamps for the evening - you'll be amazed by the difference this simple idea can make to the atmosphere! 

3. They may be silly, but people still love the traditional New Year's Eve party products for example noisemakers, hats, tiaras, boas, and horns. It is a good idea to dot these products around the house in decorative bowls so that your guests can use them throughout the evening and of course at the stroke of midnight. 

4. Invite your guests to bring their favorite tunes with them, that way you will have a good mixture of music that everyone will like throughout the evening. It is also a good idea to make several mixed Cd's so that you are not continuously changing the music. 

5. Casino themed parties are very popular for new years eve parties, if this sounds like the sort of party you and your guests would enjoy, you can rent games from local companies. Also consider creating your own pretend play money for guests to use. 


6. On New Year's Eve, serve a specialty drink at the beginning of the party and champagne at midnight, then invite your guests to bring a bottle so they can have their favorite drinks. As the host you should ensure that you provide all the mixers, such as soda, tonic, lemon, limes and soft drinks etc. 

7. For your menu, A good suggestion is to serve light snacks, for example vegetables and dip, pretzels, mini-pizzas, and chips. Then around 10:30 pm. Put out a breakfast type buffet with pre-made casseroles, danishes, and fruit. It makes a change for the guests and puts something in their stomach towards the end of the night. 

8. When midnight comes around there will be plenty of kissing going on, so put some mints in your bathroom to keep things fresh! 

9. Have numbers on hand for your local cab companies just in case your guests require a lift home. 

10. As a favor, provide your guests fun care packages in small paper bags New Year's Day. Fill the bags with aspirin, Alka-Seltzer, vitamin C and you could even provide them with hot cocoa in a to-go container for the journey. 

New Years Eve is one of the most special evenings of the year, people get dressed up to enjoy a fun evening of drinks, food and music with their friends and family. If is your turn to host this year, these tips should assist you in holding the best party ever!!

 

Keep the kids busy while you are decking the halls and baking snacks with these easy Christmas crafts. The good news is that it's not necessary to spend lots of cash to create these Christmas crafts. 

Carols in the air, kids under your feet - you may be wondering how you can keep your little oned occupied while you get your house ready for the holidays? These simple Christmas craft ideas should keep them busy: 

Here comes Suzy Snowflake 

Kid-friendly scissors and plain white paper are the starting point for making a snowflake. Fold the paper in two, then fold the right side of the paper over at a 60 degree angle and follow with the left side (this will give you your six-point snowflake shape). You will have a triangular with "tails." 

Next- cut off the edges of your shape in an arc - you will now be left with a pie-shaped piece of paper. Cut small bits of your pie slice away then carefully unfold your snowflake. To enhance this Christmas craft further, you can glue a piece of colored tissue paper to the back of the snowflake and hang it in a window. 

A Christmas craft for the little angel 

Does your little girl love making her own jewelry? Encourage her to think a little more at this time of the year to be festively creative. She may enjoy taking those beaded, braided or otherwise created strands for her necklaces and brecelets and turn them into Christmas ornaments, festive tree decoration or decorations to put on wrapped gifts. 

A Christmas craft for that reluctant crafter 

Is your son more likely to want to play with cars and trucks than to enjoy a little craft-time at Christmas? The key is to give him an appealing and easy Christmas craft idea: If he doesnt decorate his own stocking, Santa may not leave anything fun in it! Any child, boy or girl will be perfectly happy to plaster their name on their stocking using glitter, glue or paint. 

All-in-one craft materials 

If you aren't the craftiest parent, don't worry, you can find many sets with easy to make kids crafts, so you can sit them down and they will be able to follow the instructions to create their very own decorations for the tree or walls. 

So when you are working hard at preparing the family home for your holiday guests, the children will not only feel like they are helping, they will also be having fun doing it and allowing you to get all the tasks that must be done before the big day.

 

The David Leadbetter Golf Academy instructor Sean Hogan, was here this month for the Cayman Islands Golf Invitational, which took place at the North Sound Golf Club. 
Coaching the next generation of aspiring Cayman golfers, he said "It's great, to triple the amount of kids participating in the third year, it's definitely got more popular. As the interest the juniors carries on, it's a great credit to a tournament because the greatest measure, is the success of it." 
The Cayman invitational, in its third year, attracted nine elite golfers in Rich Beem, Brian Davis, Joakim Haeggman, Peter Hanson, Richard Johnson, Skip Kendall, Thomas Levet, Greg Owen and Steve Flesch. 
"This whole tournament is a way to sponsor youth players, meet old and new friends on the Tour and in Cayman. It's very enjoyable. I love teaching and I even gave some of the Pro-Am contestants a few pointers." Hogan concluded. 



Source:compasscayman.com

 

You're a great host and your home is the prime gathering place for family and friends during the holiday season. Even though you welcome this role and responsibility, you could also worry about how to deal with the visitors who'll soon be arriving. Because, after all, even the most cheerful host can turn grinch-like. 

Here are a few tips to help you to make hosting a little less stressful: 

1. Suggest the explore the area in which you live 

Provide your visitors with a list of neighbourhood points of interest, maps, and ideas to encourage them to leave the house for a few hours. Thiss will clear the area to allow you to clean and prepare meals in peace, and it also gives everyone a change of scenery each day as well as creating memories 

2. Have food at the ready 

Just because you are the host doesn't mean that you have to be tied to the kitchen 24 hours a day as an on call cook. To make your life easier, purchase ingredients for sandwiches, or other easy to make snacks and invite your guests to help themselves to food. Have ample snacks and fruit around to allow them to just pick it up and go! 

3. Make your guests fell at home 

Even if your home is small, create a space for your guests to relax. Make a basket with books and magazines along with other activities. Ensure you provide extra towels, soap and other assorted toiletries your guests may require during their stay. 

4. Put your guests to work 

It is very likely that your guests will insist on helping - either in the kitchen area or elsewhere, so why not take them up on the offer! Give them tasks such as dicing veggies, washing dishes, or going to the store for extra provisions. 

5. Games, movies, and cards 

Getting out a puzzle, board games or cards with plenty of snacks in the evening will provide the perfect evening activities for you and your guests. Alternatively you could show them how to connect to the internet or find a movie to watch. 

It can be very stressful to have a house full of people over the holidays, however if you follow these simple tips it can also be a pleasure, happy hosting!