Waiting patiently in the local warehouse grocery line-up, I watched as the clerk scanned through the ladys cart in front of me. 2 Caseloads of toilet paper, 12 packages of lemon-lime jello, 4 liters of pop, 1 huge pineapple, 4 packages of balloons and a quart of ice cream. The clerk looks up at the lady and says, Wedding shower huhIve won 4 out of the 6 toilet paper wedding dress creations Ive been to lately.

The lady takes off her glasses, looks down disappointed and turns to me shaking her head. At the last family shower, I swear that my sister made grandmas pineapple marshmallow cucumber lime jello salad? And I was told that the wedding dress game was the hit of the showers.

The desperation is apparent. I get shudders thinking of my last girls event - sitting on that lumpy couch, a nuclear fruit punch explosion drink in my hand soaking through the paper cup and the endless amount of saying ohhahhh over another Tupperware piece.

Suddenly, all the lights have dimmed and a huge spotlight is shining upon me. I wish I would have done a better job with my hair but oh wellhere it goes

Dear Fellow ShoppersNow that we are entering the party months wedding & baby showers, candle parties, general get-togethers, we must vow together that we will host parties that are spectacular, fresh and FUN for allwe will spoil and pamper our guests

And thats how I got my warehouse grocery card revoked. But, Im still a firm believer. The current trend in the spa industry is mobile spa parties; a team of spa professionals comes to your home or function and sets up to give your guests two or three treatments. The cost for a mobile spa party averages $100 - $150 and up per person. However, with some planning, people can easily create their own luxurious private spa party for whatever event you need to host for practically next to nothing.

1. Create the spa atmosphere

Select an assortment of candles (large ones for centerpieces, votives around the room); you want the area to be dimly lit. You might even consider digging up those white Christmas tree lights and hang them around up around the area. If you have a fireplace, turn it on also the more natural lighting you can get the better.

Add some music! There are tons of different serene and soothing music you can find at your local CD store. Also, add the touch of water sounds somewhere you or someone you know probably owns one of those water fountains (if possible add a few to the area).

Remove furniture from the selected spot just leave comfortable chairs and tables as needed for the experience. Place tons of huge pillows also around the floor for people to emerge into as they wait for their next spa appointment.

Add some scents. If you arent using scented candles, add some scented oil or spurt the room with room and linen fragrance . Remember though to keep it to one or a few different scents; you dont want to overpower people with too many smells.

Get out your best towels! Arrange a big pile of towels for people to use (even better if you grab them right from the dryer before people arrive.) You might also want to purchase some inexpensive slippers and tell the guests to bring their biggest fluffiest robe they have.

2. Serve the spa experience

There are many different options you can go with for your menu. You might want to consider spa foods & drinks (a galvanized steel tub filled with different types of bottled water, fresh fruit and vegetable traysjust focus on healthy foods that are delicious & satisfying). You might also want to consider adding the non-healthy in there also strawberries & chocolate fondues, an assortment of appetizers (shrimp, cheeses etc.). Of course, wine & mimosas are also a great addition. The main thing is to keep to appetizers as people will be in and out of their spa appointments, everyone will be munching at different times.

3. Prepare the spa experience

Note: You might want to hire a massage therapist or reflexologist or a manicurist/pedicurist to come to your home depending on your budget (friends might even want to chip in).

If you go this route, the selected spa person will let you know how to schedule your event. HOWEVER you and your friends can also easily do it.

Pick 3 or 4 different spa treatments (the most popular are manicures, pedicures, massages and facials).

Print out an instruction sheet on how to give that particular treatment at the appropriate station.

4. Schedule the spa experience

You will need to work this according to how many guests you have but ideally you want 3 people per station.

One person is the giver, one the receiver and the other the fetcher. The giver is the person who will provide the service, the receiver is of course the one who gets the treatment, and the fetcher is the one responsible for helping the giver and also fetching drinks/appetizers etc.

Once the receiver is finished, the giver now becomes the receiver and the fetcher becomes the giver. The receiver should move to another station and become the fetcher this helps people also mingle, as the groups will mix up.

5. Adding more to the spa experience

Create a station for some light yoga and stretching. In one room, put on a videotape of an experienced yoga instructor and let your friends loosen up their joints!

You might want to also add an extra experience to your guests spa experience. Most of us have friends who know how to make sushi. Have one friend be designated as the sushi chef and have them demonstrate how to do it and then have guests take a try at it! An excellent addition to the day!

Have a dance hour. After all that laying around and getting spoiled your guests might need a pick me up! Put the spa music aside and put on some funky disco music to get your guests moving.

If this if for a wedding shower, have guests bring gifts that help pamper the bride consider a big fuzzy bath robe, beauty and bath products, spa gift certificates, even have everyone chip in for a romantic spa getaway for the couple! If this if for a baby shower, have guests bring gifts that pamper the baby such as infant massage oil, baby bath oil, baby bath towels etc.

Give your friends as parting gifts some inexpensive spa reminders (lip gloss, fizzing bath bombs, manicure sets).

Colleen Willoughby and Fran Agar own Ballymoon. Ballymoon produces luxury spa and personal care products for women, men, children and babies. For information, visit http://www.ballymoon.biz or phone 403.995.1598.

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