How to Host a CrossIn Feburary 2016 27,

In Feburary 2016 27,
Teens can be notoriously absentminded when it comes to times and places, so provide plenty of reminders about the dinner. Simple one-page fliers, written by hand and giving directions to your house, are the first step; hand them out at a practice a few days before the dinner. Use large letters with bold print and a simple heading, such as, 'Team dinner on Thursday,' so the fliers are easily to read at a glance. Send tweets and online posts the day before and the day of the gathering to ensure everyone will attend.
Set the Stage
A simple banner that says 'Go Team' is the only decoration you need. Organize your space to accommodate groups of teens. Include a buffet setup on your kitchen counters if room allows and allocate some seating at your dining room table; if your kitchen is small, set the buffet on the dining table. In either case, place folding chairs and TV trays in small clusters around the room, not in straight lines. Designate a coffee table as an eating space for teens to sit around on the floor, and place large pillows on the floor around the table.
Give 'Em Carbs
Spaghetti, garlic bread and salad with assorted vegetables for runners to add themselves make up a traditional pre-meet dinner, with easy-to-serve brownies, cookies or cupcakes for dessert. Plan on about 1 pound of pasta for every five to six people, and provide both vegetarian and meat sauces with about 1/2 to 3/4 cup per serving. Lasagna or baked potatoes with chili for topping provide good alternatives to spaghetti. For drinks, serve lemonade, sports drinks and ice water with lemon slices.
Encourage Socializing
Instead of leading games or competitions, ask students to help with dinner preparations and with cleanup at the end of the dinner -- they'll talk to each other over the chopping board and at the stove. Provide low-key activities that encourage talking, including asking each team member to say what she likes most about the cross-country team, or providing a list of questions for each person to answer aloud, such as, 'Describe your most embarrassing moment,' or 'Name your favorite movie and explain why you like it.'
In Feburary 2016 27,

How to Host a Crazy Cards PartyIn Feburary 2016 02,

In Feburary 2016 02,
Send out invitations at least two weeks in advance. Your Crazy Cards invitation should make it clear that guests need to RSVP by a certain date. You will want to have enough guests to seat four players to a table, although you can play with a 'ghost' or two. Ideally you will have 12 or more players.
Decide on party food and drinks. Consider having a different bowl of sweet or salty snacks at each card table for guests to enjoy as the game advances.
Set up card tables with four chairs each. Depending on the number of guests, you may need to use more than one room, such as the kitchen, dining room, living room and family room--or a large gathering space such as a church hall. Each table should be numbered so guests know where to rotate during the game. Each table should have a pen or pencil so players can keep score.
Hosting the Party
Plan for at least 30 minutes of mingling time at the start of the party. If guests don't know each other, be sure to provide name tags.
When it's time to begin the game, gather everyone together to explain the basic rules:
Players sitting opposite each other are partners for that round.
Before dealing, each person at the table draws a card; high card deals out all cards (13 cards to each player.)
The person to the left of the dealer plays first. Moving counterclockwise, each person plays a card in the same suit, if possible. If that's not possible, he may play a card from the 'trump' suit or another suit.
The partners with the most 'tricks' (hands won) are the table winners. Each trick is worth 10 points.
Winners advance to the next numbered table but switch partners for the next round.
Losers stay at the same table but switch partners for the next round.
There is no bidding as in classic Spades.
No leading with the trump suit until one is played (except in the no-peek round or unless that's all you have left in your hand.)
Each person should receive a score sheet with his name on it. Score sheets should list eight rounds and include the rules for each round. Consider handing out table assignments. That way, couples or groups of people who do know each other can start out playing together.
Play a practice round before beginning.
Consider adding fun activities, such as team pictures, after some rounds. Another idea is an 'Instant Challenge,' such as a house of cards building contest or paper airplane flying contest, for extra points. Make sure everyone has time to revisit the bar and snack table--consider calling an intermission for that purpose.
In Feburary 2016 02,