Playoff Watch Party

The race to Lord Stanley’s Cup is about to begin and what better way to celebrate this yearly tradition than with an EPIC Playoff Watch Party!

Here are some ideas on how to create a memorable watch party.

Dress the Part

Encourage all attendees to dress in team gear or colors. Have a contest for the best dressed or most creative outfit.  If you are one of those uber-creative times, you could create t-shirts or hats for all to wear.

Create a Playlist

Music is a key to any party and a watch party is no different.  Create a pumping playlist and have it booming to greet your guests.

Song Suggestions:

La Bamba – Los Lobos

Blitzkrieg Bop – The Ramones

Get Down – Hard Rock Sofa

Rock & Roll Part 2 – Gary Glitter

Sandstorm – Darude

Big League – Tom Cochrane

The Hockey Song – Stompin’ Tom Collins

Blood – Dropkick Murphy’s

Boys are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy

Broken Arrows – Avicii

Create a Signature Drink

Create a drink that represents your favorite team. This doesn’t mean it has to be the team colors, it could include an ingredient connected to the team's location. 

Montreal = Maple Syrup

LA Kings = California Wine

Nashville = American Whiskey or Bourbon

Boston = Tea

Vegas = large gaudy glassware

Here is the signature shooter I created for the Edmonton Oilers

1 part Rig Hand Cure-a-sow

1 part Rumchata Coconut

1 part Crabbie Goat Orange Creamsicle moonshine

Carefully layer in a shot glass

Epic Menus

Instead of selecting foods from your favorite team's town, select foods that represent the opposition. There is nothing better than eating away at the competition.

Los Angeles

California Rolls

Cheeseburger

Avocado Toast

California-style Pizza

Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwiches

Dallas

Tex Mex

Queso

Dr. Pepper

Frito Pie

Corn Dogs

Vegas

Shrimp Cocktail

Endless Buffet

Prime Rib

Florida

Cuban Sandwich

Sour Orange Pie

Key Lime Pie (or margarita)

Fried Grouper Sandwich

Winnipeg

Pizza Pops (yes, they were invented in Winnipeg in 1964)

Winnipeg Rye bread

Schmoo Torte

Smoked Goldeneye

Fat Boy Burgers

Make your own Sin Bin

Designate an area of the room to be the penalty box. Whenever someone violates a party rule, such as talking during a goal or cheering for the opposing team, they must spend a few minutes in the penalty box. This is a fun way to keep the party interactive and keep guests on their toes.

Have the game on outside!

Set up a speaker system so the game can be heard (or seen) outside. This is especially important for those of us who love the sunshine as much as we do the game.

Throwing an epic watch party requires a bit of planning, but the playoffs are worth it. These tips will help you create a party your guests will talk about for weeks.

Cheer Loud, Be Proud, and Have Fun!

Host Gift Tips & Tricks

Have you been invited to someone’s house for Easter Dinner? Are you planning on bringing a Host Gift? If so, you will want to continue reading. There are some rules you should follow.

What is a Host Gift?

A host gift is something that the host will use for future entertaining; It is not something that the host is expected to use during the current event.   

When should you bring a host gift?

You should bring a gift if you are going to a house you have never been to before or you visit infrequently. If you have been invited to your bestie’s house, you don’t need to bring a gift.

What should you bring?

Your gift should be something they can unwrap and use later, not something that will divert the attention of the host.

What not to bring:

Flowers not arranged in a vase. Loose flowers require the host to find a vase, trim the stems, etc.

Fresh baked goods that are best served immediately. You don’t want your host to feel obligated to serve goodies they weren’t expecting.

Anything too expensive. A host gift is a simple yet thoughtful thank-you gift. This is not the time to be extravagant.

Alcohol you expect to be served that evening.

Anything heavily scented. Allergies and aversion to scents are a big deal.

Anything décor related unless you know the host’s style.

What to bring;

It is hard to pick out a gift for someone you don’t know well, so here are a few tips.

Keep it simple, nothing flashy or complicated.

Select something you like. Gift your favorite bottle of wine or your favorite cookbook.

Create a gift basket. If the host loves BBQ, select a few sauces or rubs.

If you lack creativity or are crunched for time, you can never go wrong with the following:

Cocktail Napkins

Glassware

Barware - shakers, whisky stones, or a recipe guide

Charcuterie Board with cheese knives

This is my favorite suggestion, send the host a gift after the event. This is an awesome idea for a couple of reasons. First, it allows you to learn more about the host. Secondly, the host to feel uber-appreciated and you will more than likely get invited back. 

Christmas Traditions Around the World!

Just recently, when we were waiting for the order to arrive, one of my colleagues mentioned how she would like to develop new Christmas traditions. This got me thinking about the different ways to celebrate Christmas.

Growing up, my family had oyster stew (or chili) on Christmas Eve before we went to church. Our gifts from Santa were unwrapped in front of the fireplace. We all got oranges in the toe of our stocking, except for Mom, who usually got a velvet box or note leading her to her special gift from Dad. I know the way my family celebrated Christmas was fairly common, so I will not bore you with any more stories.

There are many unique Christmas traditions, here are just a few.

The people of Catalonia celebrate Christmas with a pooping log, yes you read that correctly. Caga Tio is a small log with a smiley face that lives on the dining table. Every day he is fed sweets and kept warm with a blanket. On Christmas Eve he is beaten with sticks and poops out gifts for the good children.

I am sure you have all heard of Yule Logs, but have you heard of the Yule Lads? Icelandic children are visited by 13 mischievous trolls who roam the countryside the weeks before Christmas. Each of the Jolasveinar has its own personalities (much like the seven dwarfs) including Doorway-Sniffer, Sausage-Swiper, Pot Licker, and Window-Peeper. The trolls deliver gifts to all the good children who put their shoes in the window.

I would really like to know how this tradition got started. In the week leading up to Christmas, Venezuelans attend a daily church service called Misa de Aguinaldo. In Caracas, it is customary to travel to the church service on roller skates. This practice is so widespread many of the roads are closed until 8 am.

One of the sweetest traditions I found was decorating Christmas trees with spider webs. This tradition celebrates an old tale of a poor woman who could not afford to decorate her tree and awoke on Christmas morning to discover a spider had covered it in glorious, sparkling webs.

The funniest tradition can be found in Japan, where Christmas isn’t a big thing. What is a big deal is KFC, yes Kentucky Fried Chicken. The demand for KFC on Christmas Day is so high that reservations must be made to dine in and delivery orders are placed weeks in advance.

It doesn’t matter how you celebrate Christmas as long as you are surrounded by friends and family.

"Christmas isn't a season. It's a feeling." —Edna Ferber

BIG Reasons to Shop SMALL

Saturday is an important day, not only to Liquor on McLeod but to all small businesses in Spruce Grove.  It is Shop Small Day! This day was started by American Express (yes, the multi-billion dollar company) as a way to combat Black Friday. Canada does have a Small Business Week in October, which I discovered while researching this article.

I know I have written about the importance of supporting local businesses before, but I feel this is a very important topic, especially in light of the obstacles and hardships over the past year.

BIG reasons to Shop SMALL:

Close your eyes and imagine what Spruce Grove would look like without independent businesses. How would you feel without local restaurants, salons, gifts stores, or even liquor stores? Would Spruce Grove have the same character you love?

As of 2019, 8.4 million Canadians were employed by small businesses, that 68.8% of the private workforce.

When you choose to shop small you go from being just another customer to becoming part of the family. As the staff gets to know you, they will anticipate your needs and show you products they know you will enjoy.

Independent stores are more likely to provide donations or fundraising options for local clubs and sports teams.

How else can you help small businesses?

Leave reviews! Tell the world why you love your local businesses.

Get social! Don’t just like their posts. Snap a pic for Instagram or write a Tweet. (#liquoronmcleod)

Sign up for their loyalty programs! Loyalty programs help small businesses know who their customers are and you receive rewards in return. Next time you are in, ask about our Points Program.

Ted  & Judy and the staff of Liquor on McLeod thank you for your choosing to shop SMALL.

Reverse Advent Calendar

While pondering what to write about this week, I visited one of my favorite websites and discovered November 18th was Use Less Stuff Day. This brought back memories of how my sister would have her kids select toys to donate to charity before Christmas.  I then got thinking about how we can celebrate Use Less Stuff Day and make it a family tradition. The idea of a Reverse Advent Calendar came to mind.

What is a reverse advent calendar, you ask? A reverse advent calendar is where you give something away each day, instead of getting a yummy treat. Reverse advent calendars have been popular with food banks for several years, but there are ways you can use this idea to reduce the stuff in your house.

Calendar Types

1.      Family Members - Assign a day to each family member to donate an item. There are no wrong items. One person can donate a book and another can donate measuring cups.

2.      Specific Items - This style of calendar can be child-specific or can include the entire family, for children include items such as toys, books, games, and clothes. If you want to include the family add items such as home décor, toiletries, and DVDs.

3.      Select a Charity - As a family select a charity and build a calendar based on their wish list.

4.      Kindness Calendar - If you are one of those lucky families that live with less create a Kindness Calendar. Include acts of kindness such as mail a letter to your grandparents,  bake cookies for a neighbor,  talk to someone new at school

Expert Tips

1.      Work as a family to make the calendar and create a special area for the donations.

2.      Choose a time of day for the donation to be made; allow the donor time to speak about the item and why they selected it.

3.      If possible, deliver the collected items on Christmas Eve.

4.      Reverse advent calendars are a great idea for the workplace as well.

Give Something Away Day!

Judy often asks me how I come up with the ideas for the newsletter, so I will let you in on my little secret. My inspiration comes from suggestions by a colleague, a question from a customer, an article I have read, or a new product. If inspiration does not come I will turn to the Days of the Year website. This website has compiled all the wacky “national” days, such as French Fry Day (July 13) Grand Marnier Day (July 14). This week one day stood out and it had nothing to do with food or alcohol. The day was celebrated on July 15, but I think it is something we should celebrate every day. 

National Give Something Away Day was introduced in 2015 as a way to spur those of us who have plenty to donate to those who do not. Did you know that the average home has over 300,000 items in it and that 32% of households with a double garage can only park one vehicle, due to stuff!  

The obvious way to celebrate this day is to go through your closets and cupboards and make and donation to your local second-hand store, but I think there are other ways to celebrate which not only will empty your home but will enrich your community. 

1. Go through your craft, party, wrapping supplies; even your junk drawer and make art packages for the neighborhood kids. 

2. Do you have old blankets or duvets? Give them a good washing and find a local rescue shelter to donate them to, the kitties and puppies will thank you. 

3. Do you have extra gardening supplies? Check with your neighbors or a community garden to see what they need. I know I would love a watering can. 

4. Do you have carpentry skills and love to read? Build a tiny library for your front yard and fill it with books. The one in my neighborhood is so well used a path is being worn to it. 

5. Don’t have a place for a tiny library? Donate your books and DVDs to a Senior Center. 

6. Do you have a bountiful garden? Too many veggies to eat? Share with those you love. Don’t forget “sneak zucchini on your neighbor’s porch day” is August 8th.  

7. We all have that bottle of wine we don’t know what to do with. Wrap it up and drop it off anonymously at a friend’s, it is sure to brighten their day. 

8. Create a giving box. Prior to a birthday or other celebration, bring out the giving box and encourage your children to select unwanted items to place in the box for donation. This is a great way to teach giving and declutter at the same time.  

9. Sporting equipment takes up a lot of room, so go through things, find those items which have been gently used and still have a lot of life left and donate them to a local organization such as Sport Central. 

10. Start a Buy Nothing Group. For more information on this amazing program visit the Buy Nothing Organization website.

Giving has so many benefits, do only does it brighten someone else’s day but it reduces stress and creates a sense of freedom for the giver. Spruce Grove is an amazing community and by practicing giving we can make it even better.