When summer arrives, it is time to get out that grill and show your prowess in grilling meat, seafood and vegetables. However, just because it is a BBQ party in your backyard it does not mean you do not have to plan for it.

Planning the perfect summer BBQ is not rocket science. There are several things you can do to have a fun, entertaining and perfect BBQ party this summer.

Social holiday… or simply a good old day of rest? What comes to your mind? Most of us tend to use the time off from work to rest from our busy life, to read a book, or simply to watch that movie that we’ve been meaning to watch! Even though all these activities could bring some enrichment in personal terms, it will only get you dragged into a lonely existence! Besides, getting some time for yourself is great and all that… but we suppose you could come up with something more exciting (and social) for those upcoming holidays?

Oh, you lack ideas? I’ll just lay out the real master plan for your consideration: why not organize a solid group of friends and / or co-workers who might be interested in sharing a unique social holiday, and… rent an island to spend that once-in-a-lifetime vacation? You might think I’m joking, but Island renting is a rapidly flourishing business which allows regular people to experience an outstanding luxurious setting for a very reasonable price. You might think renting an entire island would be inordinately expensive, but if you succeed in polling a solid group together, it may turn out quite cheap for everyone!

Okay, this might sound like something too “far out” for most people, but you should really look into island renting (or otherwise renting foreign villas) as a way to organize THE holiday social no one will ever forget about! Another option may be to rent a house in the montains and enjoy a weekend getaway! Otherwise you may just want to throw together a barbecue (if your in a warm weather locale)… sure, that’s fun and easy, and the time spent with your friends will be memorable!

If there’s something I learned as a child that I am teaching my children, is to make the best out of the cards they’re dealt by life. If you get lemons don’t mope… make fresh lemonade! Now there’s the kind of positive reasoning I’m a big fan of! And when it comes to winter, the same principle could be applied: don’t just complain about the chilly weather, keep focused on the shiny ice!

Sure, feeling cold is annoying, but that’s nothing you can’t get around with a simple heavy coat. Once you think about it, the cold is just a technicality, and there are many beautiful things that you can experience in the cold winter outings! Who doesn’t like watching the snow, or trying skiing or snowboarding? Which child has fully experienced childhood without making a snowman, getting into a snowball fight, making angels in the white show and feeling blushed from the cool ice? If you live in a place where there is no snow, you should serious think about getting a true winter outing, this year!

Sometimes, you’ll find resorts in the mountains not too far away from your city, where you’ll get to experience the best winter thrills with the least expense. There are winter resorts out there with ridiculously low fees, and sometimes it’s just a matter of shopping around until you find something that perfectly fits your budget. Think about this next time you find yourself complaining about the weather, and make sure to get yourself some icy lemonade!

It’s true, these holidays we are getting back to the 1920′s, with the ghost of the recession hanging on our heads! But in the end, it could be all about returning to the basic, to the meaning of the season itself!! ‘’Saving it” only depends on your ability to show others your feelings for them, to be kind to the others, to really get the meaning of it in the personal sphere, without the material requests of this society of consumption!

So, this season keep it simple: be with your family, show the support they need, and be gifted with the affection and the wellbeing that they provide you! Be a present member of your community; help the others with your own work and dedication, stand for a greater good, putting aside your personal goals to archive a common one.

That is the true spirit of the season, the ability to be and to give something to the others, rather than a material gift, to ‘’catch-up” with your loved ones, to be part of a celebration that is intended to be a spiritual reflection about your year, about your projects, and about yourself!

In the end, you will see that, sometimes, in this stressful world, all you need is to lie back, and enjoy the simple things in life… like a smile, a simple conversation, or even an ‘’Hi, how are you?”! That’s really something you can hold on to!

If you really want to spend your money on gifts, be sure to visit sites like: eBay and Fatwallet to find deals!

Also, visit the Planaganza Event Shop to save on items to make your gatherings a blast! In addition to FREE SHIPPING on orders greater than $50. We are offering 10% off orders over $100. Use Discount code “HOLIDAY08″ (offer good until 12/31/08).

Back to school and Labor Day are two great times to have a BBQ with family and friends. This is one of the few time left this year to really enjoy the company of loved ones in the warmth of the sun (at least in the northern part of the country) and before the rigors of another academic school year.

Recently at a “college send-off BBQ”, we played several games that were a blast.

Scavenger Hunt Icebreaker – In terms of outdoor BBQ party games, this one is fantastic if your guests don’t know each other. Prior to your event, create a list of categories that people may fall into, give one copy to each guest. Examples include “someone who has the closest birthday as you”, “someone who shares the same hat size as you”, “someone who plays an instrument”, or “someone who is a football enthusiast”. This game invite guests to mingle with each other until they are able to find someone who meets each of the categories on the sheet.

Musical Chairs – This familar classic of your youth is even twice the fun as an adult. To refresh your memory you need to set up chairs in a double row, back-to-back, with one less chair than there are players. Select and play a favorite song, and the players march around the chairs. The music suddenly stops; at which point everyone tries to sit in a chair. The player who is standing is out of the game and one chair is removed for the next round. The last player left wins!

Spoon and Egg Challenge! – Balance hard boiled eggs on a soup spoon and race to the line to gently hand off the egg to your relay team partner. The team that completes a hand-off and crosses the finish line wins!

Have you played a game at a BBQ or party recently? We would love to hear about it in the comment section below!