3 Fun Summer Party Themes That Take the Chill Out of Winter

 

Partying with friends and family offers a number of health benefits: Laughing boosts immunity, lowers blood pressure, and burns calories. Socializing face-to-face can reduce feelings of depression. Building and maintaining your social network can even help you live longer.

So, how do you enjoy the benefits of socializing during the cold weather that keeps many people indoors? Give your friends and family a reason to get together with these three fun summer party themes that take the chill out of winter.

Turn Valentine’s Day into a Cinco de Mayo Party

Not everyone adores Valentine’s Day. Instead, invite your coupled and single friends to a more inclusive celebration that will give you a jumpstart on spring.

A Cinco de Mayo party is the perfect way to heat things up.  Set up a “build your own taco” bar and offer empanadas and quesadilla triangles for easy, crowd-pleasing appetizers. For drinks, consider a signature margarita, buckets of fruity craft beer, and a sangria-flavored, non-alcoholic fruit punch complete with apple slices. And, decorate in bold, festive colors. A cactus can make a fabulous table centerpiece that pops with color—especially in the dead of winter.

Take the Chill Out with a Beach Blanket Blast

Guests will embrace the chance to shed their sweaters and hoodies for the night at your beach-themed party. Encourage guests to wear shorts and sundresses and hand out flip flops and sunglasses at the door. Remind them to bring bathing suits for a late-night dip in your Jacuzzi® Hot Tub, which will add to the summer party ambiance.

You can go the clambake route and serve up steaming pots of seafood, or keep it simple with burgers and hot dogs to capture the tastes of summer. And, sand buckets filled with flowers make the perfect centerpieces, complemented by summer-scented candles around the table to remind guests that the start of summer is only a few months away.

Dance the Night Away at a February Luau Party

Nothing says summer, sun, and fun quite like Hawaii. Start the night with bacon-wrapped pineapple bites and sweet and sour meatballs. Consider pulled pork, Hawaiian chicken, or if the weather isn’t too cold, go all-out with a pig roast. For drinks, choose Mai Tais or Blue Hawaiians, plus plenty of water to keep guests hydrated. You can also serve a mocktail of blue fruit punch and lemon/lime soda with gummy sharks “swimming” in the glass. And, remember to create a playlist with lots of Elvis, Don Ho, and Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole, the Hawaiian artist best known for his rendition of Over the Rainbow to really set the mood.

With all the health and social benefits parties provide, it’s worth it to make the effort to plan a party. Whichever summer theme you choose, especially when paired with time in your Jacuzzi® Hot Tub, your guests will be glad you did.