Plan Ahead
Up to 1 Month Before
- Make cupcakes for Mini Candy Bar Cupcakes; freeze unfrosted.
The Day Before
- Chill soft drinks and wine, if needed.
The Morning Of
- Bake Mini Candy Bar Cupcakes; frost and decorate thawed cupcakes if made ahead.
- Bake Orange-Poppy Seed Bread; drizzle with glaze when cool. (See recipe’s How-To to make ahead.)
About 3 Hours Before
- Chill glasses; prepare Chai Iced Tea.
- Bake, frost and decorate Jewels and Stars Bars.
About 1 Hour Before
- Prepare Walnut-Chicken Salad.
About 15 Minutes Before Serving
- Prepare Three-Onion Spread, if served warm.
- Set up drinks table.
Party Guide
Make It Special!
- Our laid-back girls’ night gets its charm from glittering jewels in all sizes and colors! Rich colors are the key to invitations, table decor and the glitzy jewelry that each guest has created to surprise and delight the rest. Gather at the table for the meal, then head to the family or media room for the big show.
Success Strategies
Plan and Work Ahead
- Share the cooking or cook with a friend. Invite guests online and offer links to the recipes each guest will prepare.
- Or, gather friends for coffee or lunch. Divide the recipes, drinks and other needed food items.
- Ask friends to create the most stunning “jewels” or outrageous sunglasses to wear with their jeans. Pick a winner.
- Designate a photographer. (Share the digital photos on a computer screen during the party; send them to out-of-town friends!)
Best-Dressed Party Fun
- Download printable ballots and pass them out as friends arrive. Set up a low-stakes pool or offer prize bags for the winners—DVDs, gift certificates for movie rentals or tickets, soundtrack CDs or movie munchies, including bags of Chex® Party Mix, of course. Or hand out bouquets of Star Cookie Pops to the winners!
- Keep track of fashion winners and losers. See if you agree with the critics.
- During commercials, pass out names of nominated movies and play charades. Or look up movie trivia questions (like famous lines from famous movies) from many online sources.