August 2002

    Admit it.  You've attended enough shower parties with corny games and cheesy prizes to last a life time.   You secretly wilt at the thought of one more interminable afternoon slumped back in lumpy furniture watching the guest of honor open her gifts of tea towels, cake stands, and Tupperware. You despair at the thought ingesting one more spoonful of the omnipresent marshmallow and mandarin orange Jell-O™ salad, followed by the "fruit punch" chaser, which looks alarmingly nuclear in origin and consists of a rapidly melting brick of Easter colored sherbet floating in ginger ale.  

   Now, the Summer wedding months are upon us and we bet there is another shower in the works.  Fortunately for everyone involved, it's your turn to host this gig and no one is eating Jell-O on your watch.  You vow to plan something creative, fresh, tasty, and FUN, and we are here to help you do just that.

    Spa at Home parties are gaining popularity because they buck the curiously tenacious rituals associated with musty and unimaginative party planning. There is a new audience of women who would much prefer a pot of homemade cranberry lip gloss instead of a purchased party favor she won because she was the last guest to cross her ankles (who thought up that torturous game? Slap her.)

    We have some Spa Party ideas that both assure you the title of Hostess with the Mostest, and guarantee you'll stay within your budget.  No matter what choice you make, you and the guests will go home exfoliated, massaged, and soothed to silky perfection.

    THE DAY SPA EVENT

    First, decide where you want to host a Spa Party.  You don't necessarily have to host it at your own home, or another guest's home.  In fact, it doesn't even need to be at a residence.  Many Day Spa facilities will host a Spa Party for your guests provided you have a minimum number of guests, and reserve both the treatments and the facility in advance.  The facility may close up shop for an evening and let you host your Spa Party after hours, giving you discount rates for the group, or, set aside certain treatment rooms just for your use. 

    The TallGrass Aveda Spa and Salon in Evergreen, Colorado, offers just such a service.  They have a dedicated room called "The Sage Room" which is a private suite complete with secluded patio, fireplace and vaulted ceiling, ideal for parties and meetings of up to 10 guests. It is the perfect venue for creating an event that combines a meeting, a bridal shower, a birthday party - or any reason for a group to get together - with luxurious spa services. Events can be made even more special with a catered lunch set up in the Sage Room for guests to enjoy at their leisure. The room is available by the hour, half day, or full day, and the spa will create a Spa Retreat package which includes attention from a Personal Spa Host, private treatment room time, a catered spa lunch, and your choice of "Replenishment Rituals" which may be an Aromatherapy massage, Scalp Treatment w/ Hand & Foot Massage, Body Polish, Salt Glow Scrub, Aromatherapy Facial, Antioxidant Facial, or Men's Grooming Facial, and more.  

    This is just one example of how a dedicate room in a day spa can be used to host your party.  Use our comprehensive Day Spa listings to find a list of Day Spas in your area, and begin getting some estimates for your party.

    THE "MOBILE SPA PARTY" EVENT

    If your party is a bit too large to take into a Day Spa for the afternoon, consider the Mobile Spa Party, which comes to you in a variety of ways, ranging from a hired Spa Professional at your residence or, to make the afternoon a little more glamorous, in a hotel suite. 

    Consult your local yellow pages for Massage Therapists willing to "cater" to your party.  Check references carefully.  We're talking legitimate Massage Therapists here, not "out callers."  If your massage "therapist" shows up with no massage table or supplies, or even worse, if he or she is attired in a rip-away Velcro costume, something has gone dreadfully wrong. On the bright side, you may still have a heck of a party, but it won't be a spa experience.  Consider calling a local massage school or training facility. Not only can they give you some ideas for hiring a Spa Professional, but may be able to recommend their best students or soon-to-be graduates for rates less than what you'd pay at a Day Spa.   Finally, consult your local Health Food Stores or Natural Foods Co-Ops.  Often, they will have references to Holistic or Homeopathic Health Practitioners who make "house calls."

    If you have the enthusiastic support of your fellow guests, consider a shared party fee which covers the cost of a hotel suite, the spa professional, and the supplies.  A top of the line hotel suite divided between fifteen people makes for a reasonably priced day getaway. A special bonus?  The hotel may well provide you with an onsite Spa Professional as part of the package, eliminating the need to search for someone on your own.

    You can also hire a Mobile Spa Party giver that comes to you via the Party Plan. Think hand lotion and body scrubs instead of cookware. Many Spa Party businesses are cropping up, and they bring the entire experience with them, from candles to massage oils to tables and linens. You simply clear the space, and they set the scene.   Be sure to check out our SpaFlyer Coupons tab, on our website, and use the coupons for many mobile spa service providers who will give you a discount on spa parties.

    CREATE A HOME SPA PARTY

    Finally, if renting a Day Spa or hiring a spa caterer isn't in your budget, do the favors chez toi.  Or, if you're the type who actually enjoys the idea of turning your house into a Spa for the afternoon, and you want to relish the attention which will surely be lavished upon you when you open the doors and your guests see your newly created Spa Environment, the Home Spa Party is for you.

    You'll need to decide how much time and energy you have.   You can take the easy route by buying a spa party kit readily available online and in stores, but there are none so wonderful we'd recommend any particular brand.  It's usually generic stuff in pretty bottles, and nothing to write home about. 

    If you're a crafty person, you can set the stage for your guests to craft their own spa products under your watchful eye.  If you are apt to say something like "I made these Pine scented eye soothers myself, by weaving the cloth on the handloom I honed from a birch tree I planted last fall, using threads from the wool from my small herd of sheep" ... you are a crafty person. 

     If you have a wreath on your front door which you made from eucalyptus leaves you collected in a basket, berries you collected and dried on your blueberry picking vacation to Maine last year, and twine you crafted from a vintage burlap rucksack you found in your grandmother's attic... you are a crafty person.

    Crafty people will want to allot enough time, materials, and work stations for the guests to craft and make their own spa treatments and party favors, which can range from homemade lip gloss to salt rubs to hair conditioners.   In fact, our own website offers many Spa at Home treatment recipes over the past year.  Scroll through our spa at home collection for easy reference to spa recipes.

    First, set the scene and make a schedule using the following pointers:

• No Phone Zone.  Turn off your telephone, and, insist that all guests silence their cell phones during the spa day. This may be a tough rule to enforce, but we assure you, it will be well worth it.   If you MUST have access to a phone due to childcare, etc., collect all cell phones in a basket and designate one person who is not receiving a treatments to "man the basket" in another room. That person can answer cell phones if they ring and determine if the call is an emergency.   If this isn't practical, then insist all cell phones be set to "vibrate only" and that all important calls be taken and placed outside of the spa day area (a yard or porch is good), and using quiet voices.  We cannot stress enough the level of stress created by constant telephone calls and the elevated decibel level used by persons talking on cell phones.  If you treat your spa day with the same respect for quiet that is required of you in a day spa setting, you'll reap the benefits, and all guests will feel respected.

• Candles—assortment of large ones to use as centerpieces, and votives and smaller candles placed around the room. Don't underestimate the power of sunlight fading into evening in a room full of votive candles. You can get a lot of mileage from that simple trick.

• Have soothing music playing. Many libraries offer music on CD to check out, at no cost. This is a great way to offer symphonic selections you might not otherwise have on hand.

• Scents—fresh flowers, scented candles and oils

• If you are a not a crafty person, purchased or assembled spa kits, as listed below

• Masseuse/Spa Professional—or you and your friends could trade duties for facials, manicures and massages

• Manicure/Pedicure supplies

• Towels, robes—fresh from the dryer and folded into lofty cubes (use your best towels, of course)

• Refreshments

• Pitchers of water or chilled bottles of water (particularly attractive bottles are a plus  ... splurge at your local gourmet store for pretty bottles and leave the plastic sports bottle in your pantry).

• Selection of herbal teas or juices

• or Lunch if you are up to it (recipes provided below).

• Make a schedule of activities, and post it, so that your guests realize they are following a (loose) program.  Not all guests need to participate in all activities.  If you are going to offer a choice, you can schedule two events at the same time -- one group receiving pedicures, and one receiving manicures or a massage, for instance.   This will keep your schedule shorter.

• 11 AM to 4 PM is ideal for daytime events

• 11:00 - 11:30 - guests arrive, change into robes

• 11:30 - 12:00 - stretching or simple yoga poses to loosen up

• 12:00 - 12:45 - treatments

• 12:45 - 1:30 - light lunch

• 1:30 - 3:30 - treatments

• 4:00 - tea time; or departure

• Send out invitations or emails, and call for a Spa Professional at least 2-3 weeks in advance

• Make appetizers/salads night prior or morning

• Move most furniture out of a large room and create an open, uncluttered space, with only comfortable seating and select tables remaining

• Arrange items around the room—possibly create a "station" for specific spa activities

• Set the lights low and light the candles, light or spray scents, arrange robes and towels

• Arrange music

• Have bowls of thinly sliced cucumbers available. This "treatment" for the eyes will cost you a whopping 50 cents for a large cucumber.  Your guests can use the slices on their eyes during a pedicure, massage, or while listening to music.

• Enjoy!

   What if you're NOT a crafty person?

    No problem. There are several great Spa Party kits available for purchase.   Raid the local pharmacy, discount, or department store for an array of polishes, files and masks.  Don't rule out the local "Dollar Stores" for campy and quirky products, as well.  Go for the camp factor when your budget is a concern.  I once found a bottle of Elvis Presley Love Me Tender Lotion for one dollar.  You can also go the Spa Potluck route.  Come up with a list of categories (lotion, soap, perfume, lip balm) assign each guest a category, and ask each guest to bring TWO identical items.  One item goes into the group pile and everyone shares, and one item goes into a gift basket and the honoree takes home the entire booty, leaving the rest of to squabble over the used products.

    You can also put together a very reasonably priced party favor simply by visiting BulkSalts.com.  BulkSalts will let you select your salt's color and fragrance, and then a size, ranging from very small, to large.  We've used the wedding favors as calling cards and at trade shows.   Be creative ... replace "Dick and Jane" and the customary wedding bells with "Jane's Spa Party"    or use your business name and URL.  Each mini packet of salts will come with a coordinated ribbon and paper wrapper. You may also go straight for the mini bags of bath salts, selecting your own fragrance and color, and purchase in lots for as low as .39 each, with no minimums.  BulkSalts also makes tub teas, milk baths, powders, and more.  Don't miss this terrific resource.

    Another great vendor for bath salts is Sonja's Party Supply on Etsy. You can buy a group of 12 favors for $6.00.  Each bag contains 2 oz of your choice of scented and colored bath salts. Choose from pink, blue, green, yellow or purple colors, with lavender or peppermint scents. Each bag is sealed with a color coordinated ribbon.

PARTY FAVORS

Personalized Candles
$2.20

Tub Tea Favors
$4.00

Pedicure Favors
$4.00

Ex Files Spa Party Favor
$9.31 for a set of 12

Spa Party Foam Mask
$3.74

Home Spa Party Kit
$83.00

Spa Party Postage Stamps
$20.25 for 20 stamps

Spa Party Invitations
$2.79

Spa Party lip gloss Favors
$2.88

Teen Spa Party by SWAK
$38.00 for a party of 6

Pedicure Favors
$4.00

Spa Party Foam Mask
$3.74

Spa Party Postage Stamps
$20.25 for 20 stamps

Spa Party lip gloss Favors
$2.88