The Blizzard Party Pack

This morning I awoke to find the earth iced in a rather thick layer of glistening frost. And though I found the sight quite beautiful, it did get me thinking about the coming winter – a thought that can send a shiver up the spine and a frostbitten-like numbness through the extremities of even the most die hard of winter sports fans.

If you've never lived through a Northern Maine winter, allow me to give you a visual. One winter, a few years ago, we got so much snow that you could literally walk up one snowbank, step onto the roof of the house, and walk over the top of the house, before lightly stepping back down onto the snowbank on the other side. And when I was in high school, we didn't just have storm days, we also had cold days – days when it was simply too chilly for students to be walking to school, much less sitting in drafty science labs, hovering over lit bunsen burners for warmth.

But before I begin to sound like one of those old men who had the great misfortune of living in a perpetually inclined world of waist-deep snow and bone chilling temperatures, allow me to get on with today's blog topic – stocking up for winter entertaining. You see, here in Northern Maine (as in most other northern states) one must always plan ahead for the coming winter. After all, you never know when a blizzard might come your way, leaving you buried in a couple feet of snow. Nor do you know how long it will take to tunnel your way back out of the snow-laden house after the storm passes. So you must always have a store of food to sustain you and your family should the weather turn ugly.

Furthermore, since most blizzards will leave you stuck inside with nothing to do, why not host a little impromptu dinner party? Below you will find a brief listing of must-have products necessary to successfully host any blizzard party.

• Purchase several heavyweight tablecloths in various colors. Not only will they protect your table from spills and the like, but they can also double as warm blankets should the heat go out.
  
  
• Plant some decorative flowers or other plants in gardens pots and distribute them throughout the house. Not only will they make beautiful centerpieces on your blizzard party dinner table, but they are also a valuable source of oxygen should you get completely snowed in.
  
  
• Stock up on beer, ketchup, and toilet paper.
  
  
• To entertain the children, purchase a snow-cone making kit with various flavored syrups. Just be certain to avoid any yellow-colored syrups such as lemon or banana. I think discouraging your children from eating yellow snow is best for everyone.
  
  
• And since most children are conceived during the boring winter months (let's face it, there isn't much else to do) be certain to stock up on chocolates, bubble bath, massage oils, and scented candles because one does need a bit of romance, after all.

And now that you know the basics of blizzard entertaining, be sure to stock up on the necessities the next time you go to the store. After all, you never know when you'll be called on to host that next wintery bash.