Myth 4. I Can't Throw a Party Because I Don't Have Any Time (And 10 No-Prep Parties to Plan)

Ok, folks, this is it.  The fourth (and possibly most believable) myth about why you "can't throw a party."  However, hopefully, I'll be able to convince you otherwise!

Sure, you can spend time making fun things to embellish your events.  But those things are not a must have. You can bake until your fingers turn blue to make sure all your items have been made from scratch, but again...not necessary.

If I had to sum up the reasons to party, I'd say, "To enjoy one another's company and to celebrate life."  I'm sure we could add to that list immensely, but those are the biggies. To do those things, it doesn't take much.

To wrap up the myth series, I thought I'd end with a list of how parties can happen with little to no preparation involved.

Here's 10 easy ways to add a little more partying to your life...

1.  Grab a blanket and take out easy things (carrot sticks, fruit, yogurt, cheese, leftover pizza, etc.)  from your fridge and meet your friends for a party at the park. Take a frisbee or a football to add a little action to your evening.

2.  Host an ethnic dinner party. Decide on a type of food (i.e. Mexican) and ask people to bring their favorite dish.  This could be something you host even on a monthly basis!  You get the best of both worlds...literally.

3.  Have a wine and cheese party.  Add chocolate if you really want to make them happy.

4.  One word for ya...potluck. Always the best food ever, and everyone takes their dirty dishes home with them.

5.  Make the kids happy and have a banana split party.  Ask friends to bring their favorite topping...you provide the bananas and ice cream. Easy and so very fun.  My genius of a friend did this for her wedding reception and it was a blast!

6.  Have a movie night.  You could make this one family friendly or not, but either way, the prep is a cinch.  Just have the popcorn ready...and maybe a little movie theater candy!  Want it on the big screen?  Martha has a great idea for really seeing the stars!

7. Have your friends over for a pizza party...but instead of getting it delivered, let everyone make their own! You could provide the dough, sauce, and cheese, but let everyone bring a different topping.  It's fun to see what people like on their pizza, and you have your dinner and party planned!

8.  Another fun one for kids...have their friends come over in bathing suits and have a water party.  All you really need is a hose and a hot day (which we have plenty of right now!) You can keep it completely outside...even have it at a local park if you're worried about your house getting soaked.  Because it's a water party, give them water to drink and watermelon to eat.

9. Game night is always a blast.  You could start with game stations for the warm up games...Checkers, card games, or board games are classics.  Then, end your evening with a large group game like Charades, Pictionary, or Catch Phrase.  Outdoor games are great too. It's always fun to get a Horseshoe or Cornhole competition going.

10. Last but not least (and probably the easiest!)...wait for it...have a take out party.  Let everyone bring over their favorite take out, and all mix and match family style! Don't forget to grab menus from each restaurant to make sure you can share your favorite local spots.

Remember to simply enjoy the people in your life.  When it comes down to it, the party trends will change, and your guests will forget what was on the menu.  What they won't forget is that you asked them to come over, and party on.