Getting the girls together is always a good idea. Hosting a party where everyone leaves with some fabulous gifts that moms actually want? Sign us up! Here is how to throw a favorite things party, plus a (busy mom’s!) easy heart cookie recipe!
Why a Favorite Things Party?
A favorite things party is EASY to throw (and all the moms rejoiced)! And its actually fun. You eat yummy food, chat with friends, leave with 3 fabulous gifts, and learn about your friends’ favorite things that you can go out and buy later.
How to Get Started
Send an invite to everyone that tells them to bring 3 identical presents for $15 each (or whatever limit you want). This items should be one of their favorite things. Some examples could be a favorite coffee, lip gloss, hair accessory, journal, book, a cleaning product, etc… literally anything they love! You can ask them to wrap the items, or not… its up to you! At the party they will explain why it’s their favorite item so they may want to be able to pull it out to show everyone.
When Guests Arrive
When the guests arrive, have them write their names 3 times on 3 slips of paper and put them in a bowl to draw from later. Have a designated place for all of the gifts.
Food, Drink, and Decor
This is where you can get creative! You can ask people to bring their favorite drink or snack, or assign salty and sweet snacks as you like. We did an assortment of light bites, including these heart-shaped cookies. Scroll to the bottom for the recipe! Since we did our favorite things party around Valentine’s Day, we had a pink punch that was a mixture of raspberry lemonade, Sprite, frozen strawberries, and lemon slices. It was amazing! We also had the Valentine’s blend coffee from O’Henry’s. It is a blend of cherry, chocolate and amaretto–yum!
For decor, I went to Trader Joe’s (they always have cute holiday snacks) and got different colored roses, along with several of their snack mixes, cheeses, and crackers. I also order some balloons and a sweet friend who is talented with balloons came to help hang garlands and tape balloons to the ceiling above the snacks. The affect was super cute and very festive!
I also found a fun music playlist on youtube that played upbeat, 80’s songs. That was what fit our vibe! You might want to do Christmas songs if its during the holidays or maybe Frank Sinatra/Jazz more fits the vibe for your party. Have fun with it!
Order of Events
We usually gather first and chat and get a drink. Next, we eat all of the yummy snacks. Then we gather in the living room for the presentation of our Favorite Things and we draw 3 names from the bowl.
Each person gets up one at a time and explains their gifts and why it’s their favorite thing… almost like a sales pitch! Then whoever drew that persons name gets that gift. This is a lot of fun–you learn a lot about your friends and their personalities and why they like something. Usually some of the people who didn’t get the gift asks where they can find it if they want to buy it later!
Should You Have a Favorite Things Party… YES!
This is one of our friend’s favorite parties every year. You walk away with not only 3 great gifts, but also the knowledge of so many more things that your friends truly love.
Easy Peasy Heart Cookie Recipe
Ingredients and Supplies:
*Silicone Heart Mold that makes 24 cookies
*1 Package of Your Favorite Cookie Dough (mine is the Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Lovers–this is the kind that comes already scored for 12 cookies so I break them in half)
*Sprinkles (whatever color you like or want! We did Valentines sprinkles)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to whatever the cookie dough you got requires. Mine was 350 degrees.
- Spray the silicone heart mold generously with cooking spray.
Easy Heart Recipe, cookies right out of the oven - Press the cookie dough down into each heart, making 24 cookies.
- Shake the sprinkles onto each cookie.
- Place silicone heart mold onto a baking sheet and put into the oven for the time directed for your cookie dough. Mine took about 12 minutes to make.
- Once they are golden brown, remove and let cool.
- Enjoy!
