Most of these are answered in my book called "how to make everyone think that was the best party ever" which can be instantly downloaded by clicking on the book cover in the left of this page.

I would like to be able to answer every question personally but time does not allow this so I thought it best to have this page so I can answer some of the more general questions here. Please keep sending me your questions and I will try to answer them here.

I was asked the other day, "how can I keep my guests amused during the party?"

If you have set things up in advance then you will already have games and music arranged as well as a backup plan for when things don't turn out the way you planned but what if you have not? well, I think that you as a host have to keep going from group to group listening to the things people have to say then act upon them, be honest with yourself and your guests. Ask them how things are going if you are not to sure, then you will most likely have the answers you need, but if not try changing the music tempo or try asking one of your more talented friends to tell some jokes or maybe ask one of the children to sing their favourite song. Then see if you can get some of the other guests to join in. Don't be shy about asking for help, most people you invite will want your party to be a success.

"What games or activities should I have?"

Trying to sort out games and activities for your party is much easier for you to answer than me, you know the guests and you know the venue much better than I do. That said the simple rule is "get everyone involved"..... When I arrange games I look at the guest list to see who has what talent and who likes to be a leader, then depending on the age range of your quests sort out 10 or more suitable games. Its OK to mix games for children into a party for adults but you cant do the same in reverse, games such as pass the parcel and twister go down well with most age groups.

"How to decorate the venue?"

Decorating the venue is very enjoyable, think about the person who the party is for and the decorations will become obvious, if the party is for a 4 year old boy who loves Thomas the tank engine then arrange the room accordingly. The same goes for every party so just sit down with some people who also know the guest of honour and talk about their favourite things. I find so many great ideas by visiting the links throughout this site so why not try a few?

"How do I choose the right amount of drink?"

This is a tricky one, I usually cheat here by either having a bring a bottle party of hiring a local company to supply a bar and someone to serve the drinks but if you cant do this or want to be more hands on then go to your local pub or club before all the patrons get there and ask the landlord about what is popular in your area, off licences are also great for this and they normally have a return policy for unopened bottles if you buy most of the drinks from them. Some also do a glass hire service so why not ask. If that's not for you then wine always goes well at most parties, always have plenty of soft drinks and mixers, don't forget the spirits, Always have plenty of ice in the freezer, and don't forget the lemons etc as these will always be wanted. People will be quite happy to drink what you have provided and if you ask around friends will also have a few suggestions.

"how much food do I serve up?"

Unlike drink that will keep for the next party food wont, so you have to plan more for this, I have been to so many parties now so I have an idea what works in my clique. Think about how many people are coming and how much food you like to eat and multiply the quantities up. Mix the food types up a bit, don't just have all sandwiches or cakes think about other food groups, have some cold chicken or maybe some soup in a large bowl on a hot plate. The types of food you have depends on your imagination as well as your budget so be as adventurous as you can. Your guests will love it.

"How do I choose the venue?"

Venues depend on many things, how many people are coming is a main one. I like to have parties in different locations so to keep my friends guessing but you might be different. Look around your area for sports halls, town halls, night clubs and pubs because all of these will either have a function hall or at least know where you can find one. The other choice is your own home, I like this option sometimes for any party but I mainly have dinner parties at my house as I have plenty of room. You need to decide well in advance how many people are likely to turn up and how much mess you can cope with.

More to follow shortly but if you need answers have a look at my quick and easy to read e-book, you can download it instantly and I talk about many topics there.

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