Don't Wait...Celebrate! Week

DON'T WAIT...CELEBRATE! Week
August 11-18, 2002

THE WEEK, DEDICATED TO THE ART OF
INSTANT AND SPONTANEOUS CELEBRATION

Spontaneous and frequent celebrations are good for what ails you! When you get together with friends, family and workmates for special occasions, you come away with a feeling of happiness, joy and increased self-worth. In today's fast paced life we tend to overlook and ignore the important things that take place--the accomplishments and positive happenings that are worth tribute--however simple. Both personal and business relationships are enhanced by celebrations or deeds planned as one-on-one or group events. You can plan your own Don't Wait...Celebrate! Week activity! This site will outline the details of the week and give you ideas for producing your own salute--at home, school or work. Stop back soon.

Patty Sachs, innovator of Don't Wait...Celebrate! Week

MISSION: TO DEVOTE PART OF EACH DAY TO ACKNOWLEDGING AN ACCOMPLISHMENT OR SPECIAL OCCASION OF A FAMILY MEMBER, FRIEND, SIGNIFICANT OTHER, WORK OR SCHOOL ASSOCIATE WITH EITHER AN IMPROMPTU GESTURE OR SPONTANEOUS AND FESTIVE CELEBRATION GATHERING

PHILOSOPHY: THAT GATHERING WITH OTHERS TO CELEBRATE LIFE'S OFTEN-IGNORED-YET-IMPORTANT EVENTS WILL IMPROVE EMOTIONAL HEALTH, BOOST SELF-ESTEEM AND STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS OF ALL IN ATTENDANCE

THAT A SIMPLE ONE-TO-ONE GESTURE LIKE A CONGRATULATORY PAT ON THE BACK, A GREETING CARD OR AN INEXPENSIVE GIFT WILL ALSO SERVE TO GARNER THE ABOVE BENEFITS

DON'T WAIT...CELEBRATE! STRATEGIES

PREPARATION
* Make note of the special dates, interests, activities and goals of the people around you.
* Keep lists of offbeat holidays and excuses to celebrate.
* Create an Instant Celebration Kit to be prepared for Don't Wait...Celebrate! Opportunities.

PRODUCTION
* Schedule ongoing times to make commendations to employees and associates for exceptional accomplishments and successes.
* Make spontaneous efforts to congratulate and commemorate those near you for their achievements and happy occasions. These gestures can be implemented by mail, phone or in person with one- to-one gestures or small gatherings.
* Plan easy and economical mini-galas to celebrate the occurrences and special moments of friends, family, work mates and associates. A last minute party includes modest food, drink, decor and activity to salute the guest of honor with a pleasant get-together

INSTANT CELEBRATION KIT includes:

* List of party/and gift suppliers with express delivery
* Generic greeting cards and gift wrapping supplies
* Inexpensive "Hooray for You" gifts
* Decorative blank award certificates and small trophies
* Customizable banner of paper or plastic
* Hand-crafted or store-bought crown/hat, place mat, plate, cup, mug or goblet for honored guest
* Brightly colored, generic "celebration" cloth/plastic table cloth, napkins, serving ware
* Festive hand-crafted or purchased napkin rings, place cards and name tags
* Polaroid Instant camera, film and video cam with film
* Balloons and small helium tank available at discount and party stores
* Party hats, streamers, confetti, festive party decor
* Boom box with party music tapes
* Discount coupons for eat-outs or deliver-ins
* Cake decorating supplies, candles and sparklers
* Quickie cake mixes, frozen cakes and desserts
* A chilled bottle of champagne and/or sparkling cider, soft drinks
* Glass/plastic punch bowl, cups and beverage supplies

SUITABLE TIMES
* As a surprise or with adequate warning
* To accompany a meal like breakfast, lunch or dinner
* At a special time of its own including at sunrise or sunset, during coffee break, tea time or after work happy hour, after-dinner dessert or midnight snack
* As part of a sales meeting, conference, class, workshop or break
* To fill a 1/2 hour, a day or a full weekend

SUITABLE SITES
* Home, workplace, school, club
* On land, afloat or in the air
* Stationery or progressive
* Fine restaurant to hot-dog stand
* Fun sites like roller rink, bowling alley or mini-golf
* Indoors or outdoors

SUITABLE STYLES
* Hosted or pot luck
* Sophisticated, sensible or super silly
* In casual/formal wear or in costume

DON'T WAIT...CELEBRATE! WEEK EVENTS FOR BUSINESS/CIVIC

Suggested Use Code: C=Corporate event, Convention, Meeting FC=Fun Center, H=Hotel, HF=Health Facility R=Retailer, RB=Restaurant/Bar, SC=School, Church or Community Center

EVENT #1 A Don't Wait...Celebrate! Luncheon or After-Work Gathering (Code: All) Plan: Informal, 1-2 hour event
* Invite guests for picnic or box lunch or an after-work Sip n' Snack get-together.
* Present guests with a paper crown or toy medal imprinted with the reason for their personal celebration. GathEr this information, silly or serious, from family, friends or work mates.
* Provide guests with crowns or medals to give to others to spread the festive spirit.

Example: Bill Smith has not smoked for three weeks!
Or Sandra James won $50 at bingo!
Or Bobby Lane finished remodeling his basement!
Or Betty Baird was elected President of her Rose Club! etc. etc.

* Announce "reasons for celebration" to the guests during the event, and then award prizes for the best.

EVENT #2 A Don't Wait...Celebrate! Words or Deeds Promotion (Code: All) Plan: The presentation of small tokens of appreciation for a special day or all week.
* Give sincere spoken message of praise.
* Pass a printed greeting on a small slip of paper.
* Share a gimmick greeting such as a fortune cookie.
* Wear a cheerful message on a slogan button.
* Give an upbeat greeting printed on a piece of candy.
* Present a discount coupon for party goods, supplies, bakery goods or soft drinks. (Collaborate with local merchants for traffic-generating coupon offers.)
* Handout a helium balloon, button or magnet with a special Don't Wait...Celebrate! Message or a message of your choice.
* Give a copy of Patty Sachs' pamphlet "101 Reasons to Celebrate."

EVENT #3. A Don't Wait...Celebrate! Prize Drawing (Code: All) Plan: A drawing of names collected by mail or in person.
* Award certificates for party services and supplies.
* Award copies of party planning books.
* Award party-planning consultations donated by a favorite local planner.

EVENT #4 A Don't Wait...Celebrate! Art or Craft Contest (Like "Dumpster Party Decorations" or "Party Treasures from Trash") (Code: All) Plan: A contest and event to commemorate the week
* Invite local artisans (either exclusively professional or exclusively amateur or both categories) to participate in a juried show.
* Invite a panel of local celebrities and press members to do the official judging at a mid-week event.
* Donate the entry fees to a favorite charity.
* Invite the public through advertising and mail.
* Send a release with an invitation to the press member or a representative.
* Produce a festive judging event.
* Create yet another special event to announce the winning artists.
* Raise funds by selling contest entries after they have been displayed.
* Send photographs of the winning artists and/or their works along with an after-the-fact release to local press as well as to your industry trade publication.

EVENT #5 A Don't Wait...Celebrate! Workshop-a-Day Series (Code:All) Plan: Creative classes for customers, clients or employees.
* Offer classes on party planning, decorations, gift-wrapping, bow making, party crafts, table decor and food presentation.
* Invite your quality vendors to sponsor a class with teachers, samples, supplies and cooperative promotion.
* Present class attendees discount coupons for party supplies as a bonus.
* Organize activities like short craft projects along with entertainment such as a clown for children during these workshops.
* Add altruism to your Don't Wait...Celebrate! promotion by charging a small class fee to donate to a charity.
* Plan an after-class networking and product demonstration session with light refreshments.

EVENT #6 A Don't Wait...Celebrate! Best Party Photo Contest (Categories like "Cute Party Animals" or "Beautiful Birthday Babies") (Code: All) Plan: A contest for customers, clients students or neighbors.
* Solicit the co-sponsorship of a photo supply shop or photographer who would provide prizes, judging and event photo coverage.
* Number and post entry photos in a show window or on a wall to be voted upon by fellow employees, classmates, club members, customers, clients or an official judging group.
* Donate entry fees to charity.
* Create an event of judging and announcing winners.
* Present the grand prizewinner with a gift certificate for photo equipment, film, etc.
* Award additional prizes of photo tee shirts, mugs, calendars using winning photos.
* Publish winning photos in newspaper and magazine advertising or in your newsletter.

EVENT #7 "Don't Wait...Celebrate!" Happy Hours. (Code: FC, H, RB) Plan: A week's worth of happy hour promotions
* Present a beverage, a cookie or cupcake with a candle or sparkler, a hat or crown of honor or any wild and wacky gift to all those persons submitting a simple form stating their "reason to celebrate."
* Award daily prizes of special drinks or desserts or event passes to customers who give the most off beat and original excuses for a celebration

* Post instant photos of daily winners prominently.
* Award a grand prize at a super gala "End of Don't Wait...Celebrate! Week." (Whew, surviving the week is cause for celebration!)
* Collect the birth and anniversary dates of all "Don't Wait...Celebrate!" customers. Either post congratulatory greetings on the appropriate date or send a special birthday card to invite them to your establishment for a special discount or gift.
* Research the founding dates of local companies and invite them to celebrate that anniversary by coming to your establishment. Create a special package for them.

EVENT #8 Traveling Don't Wait...Celebrate! Festivities. (Code: All) Plan: A take-the-celebration-to-the-community idea
Organize a troop of neighbors, family members, employees or school/church volunteers to take celebrations to shut-ins, hospital patients or nursing home residents.
* Take light refreshments such as cookies and punch.
* Take balloons, flowers, and small decorations.
* Take a portable tape player or karaoke unit for a lively sing-along.
* Present small gifts, collected from local businesses or handcrafted items.
* Interview guests about birthdays, anniversaries, school reunion years, "most grand-children", etc.
* Take Polaroid instant photos for the facility's bulletin board.

Promote Don't Wait...Celebrate! activities with invitations, e-mails, press releases, posters, flyers, statement inserts, bag stuffers, in-house signs and advertisements.

Please write or fax us about your plans for a Don't Wait... Celebrate! activity or event. we would love to tell about it in our fall newsletter.

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