Happy "It's My Party" day

Today I'm riding on the Tuesday Train over at The House on the Corner.

According to a wacky holiday website, today is "It's My Party Day". Let's have a party and celebrate. Here are my top 10 reasons to have a party.

1. Obviously birthdays. I love birthday parties. The cake, the presents, the ice cream, the presents, the good times. Oh, and did I mention the presents. And before you condemn me, I don't just mean my birthday or receiving presents. I have a ball selecting birthday presents and matching up the recipient with the perfect gift. As my children have gotten older, they prefer gift cards. And I honor that, but I sure do miss buying presents for them.

2. Christmas parties come in next. I love Christmas get-togethers. I love all the food and the decorations. I love the holiday atmosphere and the chance to unwind and visit with family or friends. I love family Christmas parties and watching the grandkids open their presents. It makes up a little for not having kids at home on Christmas morning.

3. New Year's Eve party...actually just our New Year's Eve party. It is always my hubby and myself (now that the kids are grown) and we fix snack foods; cheeses, crackers, fruit, etc. And play a nice, friendly game of Monopoly, which I always lose. Then we watch Rockin' New Years Eve to bring in the New Year at 12:00. By 12:05, we are partied out and heading to bed.

4. Baby showers - Is there anything that brings smiles to our faces as easy as shopping for baby gifts does. I love going to baby showers and oohing and ahhing over all the tiny little clothes, the soft blankets and the adorable new products that we all look at and say "Oh, I wish we had that when my kids were babies."

5. Wedding showers - How delightful to be a part of helping a happy couple launch their new life together. Again, it is so much fun to shop and find the perfect gift...even when they are registered somewhere. I like to buy something that I get as much joy giving as they will get when they receive it.

6. Halloween Parties - When my kids were in kindergarten, they were in separate classes, even though they are twins. I wanted them each to experience everything on their own. We had just moved into a 14 room Civil War era house. We had not remodeled the upstairs yet and the front room was HUGE and opened into a kitchen (it had been apartments at one time.) I thought it would be great to let them have a Halloween party so I invited both classes (over 40 kids) figuring a few would probably show up. Oh my gosh! What was I thinking? The big night arrived and 27 five years olds arrived! Plus my two. We had a wonderful time and the costumes were adorable. But now, my Halloween party days is Trunk-or-Treat at my church. I love it.

7. House warming parties - I love when decides to initiate their home by having a house warming party. Getting to help them celebrate and seeing what they "have done with the place" is always a wonderful time.

8. Pampered Chef parties - Well, that kind of goes without saying. I love Pampered Chef and love going to parties. I love trying all the different recipes the consultants showcase. I also love having Pampered Chef parties. I try to have one every year in May because they have items and specials that help support breast cancer and again in November when they have specials to raise money for the local Food Bank. They are both worthy causes and it's a wonderful way to help support them.

9. Thirty-One parties - I know you were waiting for that to hit the list. Anyone who reads my blogs, sees me at church or reads my Facebook KNOWS I'm addicted to Thirty-One Gifts. Again, I have to hold two parties a year. One when they launch their new spring/summer line and one when they launch the new fall/winter line. I like to be one of the first to actually see and explore the new merchandise. I love it.

10. Scentsy party - This was a new one for me. I have never had one, but I went to one a couple of weeks ago. I love candles and warmers and such for the house. This was the first time I had seen their merchandise and fell in love with it. I'm expecting my first order any day. I don't remember the name of my fragrance I ordered, but it was chocolate and orange. It smelled just like my milk chocolate orange creams I buy in Gatlinburg.