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Ever so slowly, things are opening up again after a protracted patchwork of pandemic lockdowns and restrictions. People are leaving their houses, seeing friends and family, and re-learning how to socialize normally again.
But international travel? At least for the time being, it’s still a risky venture – if not for you, then for the destination’s locals. While the majority of arms here in the West have received the vaccine, the same isn’t necessarily true for the rest of the world.
But there’s still a way to enjoy the thrills of international travel without boarding a flight abroad. In this post, let’s explore how to throw a world travel-themed party. Here are four tips for bringing the world’s diversity to your doorstep.
Send Passport Invitations
Reinforcing a party’s theme starts with the invitations. For a travel-themed party, send invitations that look like passports, complete with a picture of the recipient (it can be a funny one). Add the party’s start time next to the “Date of issue” field, and the end time next to “Date of expiry.”
As guests file in on the big day, have them flash their passports for entry.
Hire Caterers with an Eclectic Menu
The easiest way to recall world travel is through taste and olfactory senses. If you’ve ever bitten into a buttery croissant only to be transported immediately back to a street-side Parisian café, you know the nostalgic power of food.
For your big event, hire a caterer fluent in several types of world cuisines. By way of example, check out the website for McEwan Catering in Toronto; they list menus for French Bistro-style fare, rustic Italian, Indian, Asian and others. Serve a mix of different cuisines by setting up numerous buffet stations, or order passed appetizers, food stations or small plates options.
Decorate by “Regions”
If you’re planning an outdoor event, decorate different spaces according to different countries or regions. Set up a Basque corner with tapas and pintxos. Clear a space for Japan decorated with Sakura, fall foliage or tatami mats. And establish a Moroccan bazaar, complete with tagines, spice mounds and intricate textiles. Let your imagination and remembrance do the work.
If you are planning an indoor party (per local regulations), decorate each room according to a different region.
See the Sights with a Slideshow
Remember in days past when family friends huddled around a slideshow to watch pictures of your latest vacation? You can nod to this tradition with a central slideshow.
Cue up slides for attractions and landscapes from around the world. If you don’t have enough photos in your personal cloud, you can search for travel photos online. Let the slideshow play as guests mingle and eat, providing a radiant backdrop for your travel-themed party.
World travel might need to wait a while, but you can still share the love of travel with friends with the ideas above. Hire a quality caterer, have fun with the invitations and set up decorations and slide shows that evoke the world’s diverse beauty.
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