Pros And Cons Of Throwing A Birthday Party For Your Dog

Some dog owners feel as if their dog should be honored every year with a birthday party. They do the same type of planning and preparing as they would for the birthday party of another family member. Having a birthday party for your dog is not uncommon, but it’s something you want to think about first before diving in. The following are a few pros and cons of throwing a dog birthday party for you to consider before making your final decision.

Pro: It’s a great way to get people together.
Let’s face it. Everyone enjoys a party, and throwing a birthday party for your dog can be a great way to get your friends and family members together. Plus, even though dog birthday parties are becoming more common, they’re still not typical everywhere, so it allows your friends and family members to get together for a unique reason.

Con: It can be expensive.
Your dog’s birthday party will cost just as much money as throwing a typical birthday party, and it could even cost more. You have to decide where to host the party, and you have to invest in foods and decorations that are safe for dogs and humans.

Pro: It makes your dog feel special.
Even though your dog may not understand that the party is being thrown in their honor, they will still have plenty of fun at the party and feel special that they get to enjoy a nice day playing with other dogs. Since dogs tend to thrive on attention, having a birthday party for your dog is a great way to make your dog happy.

Con: You have to choose the food carefully.
When you throw a human birthday party, you typically serve foods that you enjoy making or can make easily. There’s usually no thought involved as to what ingredients you choose. When you throw a dog birthday party, you need to keep in mind that not all human food is safe for dogs. This means that you will need to take extra precaution in knowing exactly what it is that you’ll be serving at your party. For example, serving chocolate cake to your human guests is not a good idea, as chocolate is harmful to dogs.

Pro: It provides your dog with exercise.
Ensuring that your dog gets plenty of exercise is important. Your dog needs to be active in order to maintain a healthy weight and combat illnesses. When you host a dog birthday party, you are giving your dog plenty of exercise by allowing them to play with other dogs. Your dog will be so excited that the other dogs are around that they will spend the majority of the day playing and roughhousing with the other dogs.

Con: You need to choose the location carefully.
The location of your dog’s birthday party also needs to be thoroughly considered. For example, if you host the party at your house, you will want to try and keep the dogs outside as much as possible, otherwise you run the risk of them damaging or chewing on your furniture. Remember that not every dog you invite will have been properly trained by a professional or with adequate training accessories!

You will also want to make sure that the yard is fenced in so that the dogs cannot run away. The last thing you want is for one of your guests to get lost at your party. You will also need to make sure that your yard is void of any sharp objects or harmful items that could pose a threat to the health or well being of your guests.
Along with dangers, you will also need to understand that your yard will now be full of dog feces that you will need to clean up.

If you need to host the dog party somewhere else, you will need to make sure that the area is willing to accommodate you and your dog guests.

Written by Henry Meyers

Greeting Cards: Do You Say It With Humour Or Sentiment?

When it comes to greeting cards it seems that there are two types of people. Those that like to find a card that will make the recipient laugh and that even pokes fun at them a bit and those that look for a card that is carefully worded, says exactly how they are feeling and has a cute picture on the front.

But what is the best style of greeting card to send? Or is there even a best style? Greeting cards have developed a lot over the years and there are now many occasions littered throughout the year for which it is appropriate to send them. In the days of online personalised cards we now have more choice than ever, but which do you prefer; humour or sentiment?

Funny Haha Or Funny Peculiar? –
I must admit that I personally fit right into this first category. Sending cards is all about making the recipient laugh to me and so I trawl the streets looking for the best jokes I can find. And I have to say that things are getting better. In days gone by there were times when I had to settle for an overused stereotypical joke about the difference between men and women, or one that was just on the cusp of being funny but not quite there.

However, humorous cards have come on in leaps and bounds and there are now quirky, hilarious and even risqué cards to be found in most of the high-street stores. And the move to online customised greetings cards has benefited everyone who can’t quite find a card that brings about a raucous belly laugh. You can now simply log on and write your own joke straight onto the card. Just don’t be surprised when you find that a joke writer’s job is not as easy as it seems.

Celebrating With Sentiment –
Conversely there are others who like to send their greetings cards with a far more serious tone attached. There is an argument that this makes the card mean more because the words inside express the exact sentiment that the person is trying to convey to the recipient.

Similar to the way in which humorous cards evoke an emotion of happiness through laughter; serious cards can create the same feelings through a mixture of pleasing pictures and a choice of lexis that hits the perfect spot in order to bring about emotion. And the result is that the person still feels happy but because of the nice words said in relation to them rather than something which makes them laugh.

Online greetings cards have also helped people that like to send sentimental cards as there is less pressure on finding the exact words for that particular occasion. You can now fill the cards with your own verse so that your particular message is conveyed in the exact way you want it to be.

A Third Group –
The reality is that most of us will fit into neither of these categories and would rather let the situation and the type of person receiving the card dictate the style of greeting they choose. No one is realistically going to send a humorous condolences card in the same way that it is very unlikely that granny is going to be given a jokey card on her 90th birthday bash. The truth is that you can send serious sentimental cards on any occasion and to any person but when it comes to humour sometimes it’s not appropriate. It’s interesting that we choose to convey our feelings in these different ways and perhaps it says a lot about the kind of person you are depending on which category you fall into.

So what type of greeting cards do you mostly like to send; humorous or sentimental? Add your comments below.

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• License: Creative Commons image source 

Chris Mayhew likes to send comic greeting cards and wondered what the rest of the nation preferred to do. He would recommend Silver Stamp to anyone wanting to customise their own cards online.

Tips For Throwing A Great Birthday Party For Your Kids

I’ve encountered numerous parents in my life with horror stories regarding party planning. It seems some parents simply do not know how to plan such a simple event.  If you are reading this article and thinking “uh oh that’s me!” well do not worry! All it takes is effort, prioritization, and a decent memory! The Parents the world Parents all over the world make mistakes when it comes to simple event planning, but it doesn’t have to be so hard. At the end of the day these are priceless memories, and you are going to want to remember a happy experience and not a tragic series of poor choices.

Food

Food is an essential part of any gathering, the birth of your child is no exception. At a gathering like this you must make sure that you have food with a general appeal for friends and family, but also something special for your child. Think about what your child’s favorite foods are and make sure it’s prepared and at the party. Sometimes it just so happens that your child is simply begging for something that can’t be prepared at home. Don’t over think it and just go and order as many as needed for the party. Remember food is fuel and good food will ensure that everyone who attends has the energy to contribute to the festivities.

Friends

Another crucial area to keep in your mind is friends. A party needs a base of decent individuals that mesh well with both you and your child. Keep in mind that there will simply be some children that are friends with your son/daughter that you won’t get along with. Unless the friend in question is destructive and vulgar don’t let your personal feelings get in the way of your child’s fun. Even the greatest of birthdays can be brought down by the lack of one great friend. So make sure you speak with your child regarding who will and won’t be coming to the event.

Entertainment

Provide entertainment, create a festive atmosphere. When it comes to entertainment the age of your child is obviously a considered factor before spending any of your hard earned money. For younger children the choices are almost endless. Things like renting a bounce house, clown, or even pony rides work just fine for a very young age group. When planning for a teenager it’s about taking them out to a venue of their choosing. Almost every teen out there would be more than pleased with four tickets to a concert of their choosing with friends of their choosing as a birthday party.

Conclusion

By combining the above three and keeping your child’s opinion in mind it’s very difficult to fail at throwing a party your daughter/son will remember. The first thing to take into account is age. Simply put it’s the most important variable. Some parents seem oblivious as to the age of their children, don’t follow in their footsteps and treat your children age appropriately. The second most important aspect is entertainment.  You don’t have to go out to have fun but you should at least have something planned for at home if you plan on staying in. Make sure that you create a guest list that is good for your children. Trying to force your child to not associate with a friend will only hurt his/her image of you. The last thing in this list to take into account is good food, but you don’t need a reminder for that, do you!

This article was written by Eduardo Dieguez, blogger for Event Source Solutions. Eduardo is a 1st generation American born Cuban that is currently in pursuit of his AA Degree at Valencia CC.

The Five Best Things About Kid's Birthday Parties (When You're A Grown-up)

Children’s birthday parties are the very best fun. I gather that some children enjoy them as well, but really, children enjoy Tellytubbies, so they’re working from a very low threshold of enjoyment. No, the best fun to be had at children’s birthday parties is for the grown-ups. Fun like:




1. The Birthday Cake
The birthday cake is the centerpiece of any children’s birthday party. It just hasn't been a proper birthday unless some dough has been pushed into the shape of a cartoon character and been impaled with four of five sticks of flaming wax. Kids love birthday cakes, especially when they’re shaped like dinosaurs or castles or robots or robot dinosaurs in a castle, but they may not enjoy it quite as much as the birthday cake maker themselves. There’s just a lot of fun to be had, deciding on the flavour of the cake, searching up reference pictures on Google Images, making sure you've got all the detail work precisely right, and finally, licking the bowl clean when it’s all done.

Once you've completed your masterpiece, it almost seems like a waste to let children eat it.

2. Costumes
Now I’m not saying that people have children just so that they have an actual tiny living human being that they can dress up in whatever stupid costumes they desire. That is just a ridiculously happy bonus. Yes, there are grown-up costume parties, but the fact is the costumes are just never as good. Nothing can top dressing a four-year-old up as an octopus because someone decided it was a Sponge bob Square-pants themed party.

As with the birthday cake maker, the dedicated costumer will use this as a real outlet for their creativity, whether the theme is under the sea, outer space or superheroes. Then you can take loads of photographs and use them as blackmail material when your cute little angels turn into surly teenagers.

3. Games
While the costumes and cake give you a creative outlet, party games tap into your inner control freak. Go on, admit it. Nothing quite matches the rush of power that comes with knowing you, and only you, can control when the music stops during pass the parcel.
The same can be said of possessing the secret knowledge of where the tail should go on the donkey, and whereabouts the pinata is dangling. Come on, you’re among friends. Admit it – the power is intoxicating.

4. Food
I don’t know why it is that grown-up parties aren't allowed party rings and jelly and ice cream. Maybe it’s some sort of trade-off for being allowed to have booze at our parties, but I don’t think it seems fair. The harsh truth of the matter is that no grown-up party will ever have food as good as any children’s party. Somehow they just won that fight hands-down.

5. Naps
Perhaps the best part of the party though is when it’s all over, and the kids are so exhausted they fall fast asleep. Cleaning up the party can wait until tomorrow, for now just bask in this brief moment of peace and start making your plans for next year’s party.

Featured images:

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  License: Creative Commons image source 

How Different Organizations Celebrate America's Birthday, 4th July

It’s that wonderful time of year when popsicles melt faster than they can be eaten, when swimsuits become a kid’s everyday casual clothing, and when we commemorate that moment in time when British colonists turned themselves into independent Americans.

The anniversary of the ratification by the Continental Congress of the Declaration of Independence is celebrated in many different ways by several different groups in the United States.  From families to cities to businesses, organizations of different shapes sizes find a way to enjoy the Fourth of July.  Here are a few examples of how America’s 237th birthday will be celebrated.

Backyard barbeques are a staple among some American families.  This holiday provides an opportunity for extended families to come together and enjoy each other’s company, while also enjoying each other’s side dishes.  Small fireworks displays can be seen in the backyards of those who live in climates that are not favorable to fires caused by stray sparks.

Many small towns and large cities treat their citizens to family-friendly festivities in honor of the holiday, such as parades, fairs, carnivals, and their own fireworks displays.  The city of Terre Haute, Indiana, for example, will celebrate with their annual Frontier Day Parade followed by horse shows, ceremonies, and fun and games for families.  The small town of Taylor, Arizona has a tradition that they call the Firing of the Anvil.  This activity involves two anvils stacked on top of each other with gunpowder in between.  The gunpowder is lit by a safely long torch and the top anvil flies up into the air with a deafening boom.  Starting at 5 a.m., the anvils are taken in the back of a truck all over town followed by a band made up of local musicians, stopping every once in a while to fire again and again.  Citizens follow behind to form a parade as it passes by their houses.

On a grander scale, the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year with the usual program featuring an outdoor concert by the Boston Pops Orchestra followed by a huge fireworks display.  And if you visit New York City or turn the TV to the right channel, you can see the annual Macy’s fireworks show on the Hudson River.  This year is advertised to boast a 25-minute program featuring 40,000 fireworks and a musical score inspired and directed by Grammy-winning recording artist Usher.

Macy’s is also sure to celebrate this holiday, as they do with most other holidays, by advertising some sort of sale. Of course, Macy’s is not the only company that will capitalize on this opportunity.  Businesses large and small are planning to attract customers with lowered prices and great deals.  For example, the New Jersey division of Grout Works, a family-owned grouting business specializing in grout and tile, is already advertising $50 off grout cleaning and grout sealing from July 3rd to the 8th.  It’s the business world’s way of wishing the consumer a happy Independence Day.

The Declaration of Independence and its adoption by the Continental Congress led to the creation of a great country where its people can enjoy, as stated in the Declaration, the “unalienable Rights” to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”  Families, towns, cities, and businesses all have reason to celebrate the adoption of the document that changed this country—and the world—so many years ago.


Helen Ontiveros and Madison Resare are content creators who enjoy writing about holidays, business, and grout cleaning.