(NewsUSA) – Let’s face it. Theme parties are a blast. They can turn any combination of coworkers, family and friends into an enthusiastic crowd admiring creative decorations and inventive outfits. The best part? Party themes can be as far-fetched, classy or outrageous as you like.

Event planning experts suggest going beyond holidays and committing to themes with some integrity. After all, these party themes must be worthy of belonging to the apocalyptic 2012.  A New Year’s Eve theme party maybe a great idea for this holdiay season.

All celebrations can gain an unforgettable flair or stylish elegance by adhering to a theme for key elements — specifically cocktails, music and decor. From birthday parties and anniversaries to baby showers and engagement parties, themes can be specific or broad, but they can also be pricey.

Since we don’t all have access to the deep pockets necessary to afford celebrity planners like Mindy Weiss or David Tutera, here are some creative tips to help select the ideal 2012 party theme.

* Go green. If your veins bleed green instead of red, plan an eco-friendly party. Decorate with luxuriant house plants and natural colors. Spend money on compostable paper materials, and save by making it a pot-luck event. Challenge your guests by urging them to only bring things they made themselves, whether it’s a dish, beverage or gift.

* Tap into doomsday fears. Optimize on the end-of-the-world hype and throw a wicked bash with a Goth theme. Keep an upbeat mood with punk rock favorites from the “Night of the Demons” soundtrack. The horror film from Seven Arts combined tunes from Zombie Girl and Creature Feature for a scarily popular soundtrack available for download on iTunes.

* Recreate your current TV obsession. If you’re gearing up for the season five premiere of “Mad Men,” turn your party into a sophisticated 1960s event complete with Old Fashions, Tom Collins and classic hits from artists like Ray Charles. Other shows like “Glee,” “Grimm” or “Dexter” would provide lots of entertaining costume ideas for guests.

* Commemorate a favorite decade. Whether it’s the 70s, 80s or 90s that has your friends reminiscing, combine all your beloved elements of the decade for a memorable celebration. From music to food to clothing, your party can mimic the times. For cheap decor, see what dusty gems are lying in your attic.

The post Top Theme Party Tips for 2012- New Year’s Eve Theme Party -What a great idea! first appeared on River View Observer.

 While gift-buying consumes the lionâ€s share of most budgets, holiday decorating doesnâ€t have to be expensive. A little ingenuity goes a long way!

Here are a host of ways you can decorate your home without spending a bundle this year:

Round up whatever teddy bears are living in your home and arrange them in a chair.

• Give them bright red ribbon neckpieces and pile small, brightly-wrapped packages and on their laps.
• Cut lacy snowflakes from heavy white paper and hang them in your windows suspended from red and green ribbons.
• Buy some small ornaments and hang them on your houseplants. Use skinny gold ribbon instead of hangers for an especially festive touch.
• Collect the prettiest pine cones you can find an spray paint them gold and silver, covering some completely with paint and letting some of the natural color show on others. Pile them into a basket, put the biggest, fanciest ribbon you can fin on the handle and set near your fireplace or on your porch near your front door.
• Buy a big, inexpensive clear glass bowl (flea markets, thrift stores, and dollar stores are good bets for these) and fill it with individually wrapped candy canes of peppermints for family and guests to enjoy.
• Make cookie cutter do dual duty: After youâ€ve finished your holiday baking, hang them on your tree.
• Gift wrap your front door with fancy foil paper. Glue a red ribbon diagonally from top to bottom.
• Make a collage of old Christmas cards, put it in an inexpensive frame and hang it on your wall.
• Use evergreen boughs liberally. If you donâ€t have any evergreen trees of your own, contact tree trimming services in your area and ask if you can get some for free. Make evergreen garlands and wrap them around stair and deck railings and drape them from your fireplace mantel, using plaid taffeta or red velvet ribbon to secure them with inside and red weatherproof ribbon outside.
• Group several white or ivory candles of different sizes and heights together in the middle of your coffee table on a fireproof plate. Stick brightly colored Christmas ornaments around and between them and edge the arrangement with small pieces of evergreen. Make sure greenery is far enough away that it wonâ€t catch fire.
• Spend an evening with the kids stringing popcorn and cranberries to use as garland decorations on your tree.
• Make some spicy pomanders by sticking whole cloves into oranges and lemons, making sure to cover the entire surfaces of the fruit. When completed, pile into a large glass bowl and use as a centerpiece or wrap in lacy ribbon and hang in closets to lend a lovely holiday scent now and repel moths later.
• Tie bunches of cinnamon sticks with red, green or plaid ribbon. Use in arrangements of greens on mantels, end tables and elsewhere to lend an additional wonderful scent.
• If you have any old toys such as vintage train sets, arrange them around the base of your Christmas tree.

Implementing any or all of these holiday decorating ideas can be a fun experience that involves the entire family and perfectly expresses the spirit of the season.

Read more Holiday Ideas

The post Quick and Inexpensive Holiday Decorating Ideas first appeared on River View Observer.