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Blog by Sarah Biekert, Punctuation Prodigy Local regulations have changed significantly since Thanksgiving last year (with a bit of back-and-forth). We know many of you aren’t ready for a big indoor gathering this year. We’re big fans of finding a way to celebrate no matter what – so here are 10 non-traditional ways to observe Thanksgiving 2021.  1. Share a meal with a neighbor. This isn’t a new tradition, but it’s especially suited to this year. Many of your older and/or immunocompromised neighbors have been spending lots of time alone for the past year and a half. And, let’s face it – most of us, whether we live alone or not, could use some extra kindness these days. What better way to cheer someone up than to bring over a warm Thanksgiving dinner plate? 2. Share a meal with a stranger. The pandemic has also been especially isolating for those who are homeless. If you have qualms about giving out cash, why not share a warm meal instead? Prepare a few extra plates this year, and give them to others in need. 3. Drive-by decorations. To share some holiday cheer with anyone who drives by, consider decorating your yard or home exterior for Thanksgiving. Purchase your own decorations for a DIY project, or hire a company like Card My Yard for decoration and cleanup services. You can even order decorations for a loved one’s yard! Card My Yard Wellington serves Fort Collins, Laporte, Windsor, Timnath, and Wellington; Card My Yard Greeley serves Greeley, Evans, Windsor, Severance, Johnstown, Milliken, Eaton, and Loveland.  4. Video call with built-in games. New video-call apps are multifunctional. Developed with the pandemic in mind, apps like Bunch and WAVE allow you to video chat while playing real-time screen games with participants. Game options range from family-friendly classics like Uno and Scrabble to video games like Call of Duty. 5. Or...play a board game on video with friends and family. If figuring out a new app sounds more like a chore than good entertainment, use the video platform you’re most comfortable with and play with a real board and cards. Make sure the other participant has the same game available. Bingo is an easy video call game for all ages; simply take turns calling. You can even find Thanksgiving-themed Bingo games. 6. Simultaneous movie night. Cue up a Thanksgiving film or favorite holiday movie while on the phone with a friend (make sure to press play at the same time!) or use an app like Teleparty (previously Netflix Party) that synchronizes video playback for a group and adds a group chat (compatible with Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO. 7. Send thank-you notes. Thank-you notes aren’t just for Christmas and birthdays. Take some time to consider the people you are thankful to have in your life, and make Thanksgiving an opportunity to show them how much you appreciate them. Show gratitude for friends, family, coworkers, and your neighborhood trash pickup workers and postal workers. A handwritten note is always extra meaningful. 8. Recipe exchange. Switch things up a bit this year by adding someone else’s favorite recipe to your Thanksgiving meal. Before the holiday, swap a recipe with a friend or family member who won’t be at your house for Thanksgiving. Each participant cooks the other’s recipe – extra fun if you’re on a video call while you’re doing it. You may just find a new favorite recipe.  9. Outdoor games. Colorado weather permitting, let the family burn some energy (or calories) with outdoor games. Outdoor air circulation means you can invite the neighbors over, too. Games like cornhole, Badminton, horseshoes, and charades are fun for adults and kids. 10. Surprise someone with their very own parade. Cooped up grandparents and at-risk family and friends will love watching from the front porch as you drive by in decorated cars or strut down the sidewalk (in full costume, of course). Share some Thanksgiving cheer with those who aren’t comfortable with or able to leave the house this year. Happy Thanksgiving from the My Big Day team! Put our team in charge of your next private, corporate, or nonprofit event and have decades of combined marketing and event planning experience at your disposal. Contact us to get started.  Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken Congratulations to MBD's own Carrie and Kathy. Carrie is celebrating an engagement! Kathy is celebrating a BIG birthday! We gathered together to surprise them this week and shower them with some love! At My Big Day Marketing & Events, event safety is important to us. As an all-women team, some of us have experienced firsthand dangerous situations – and even sexual assault – at parties. While we’re all about fun, everyone needs to feel safe to enjoy themselves. As we enter the holiday party season, here are some tips for both men and women to celebrate safely.  1. Use the buddy system. If you’re going with a large group, divide into pairs so each person is responsible for one other. It’s much easier to keep track of one person after a few drinks than to try to remember who you came with and be sure everyone is accounted for. So buddy up, and look out for your partner throughout the night. Make a plan for how you’ll get home at the end of the night, and don’t leave until your partner is accounted for. 2. Never leave drinks unattended. It takes less than a second for someone to slip a substance into your drink without your knowledge, and date rape drugs are designed to be odorless, tasteless, and colorless. Don’t trust that your friend or acquaintance watched your drink the whole time you were in the bathroom or getting some fresh air. 3. Don’t accept drinks from others. For the same reasons you should never leave your drink unattended, you also should not accept drinks from others. This includes your friends, who may have set the drink down and inadvertently given someone else the chance to add unwanted substances to it. Likewise, don’t drink from communal containers.  4. Maintain situational awareness. Be aware of your surroundings. This is easier said than done when you’ve been drinking, which is why it’s important to utilize the buddy system and pace your consumption. 5. Keep an emergency kit with you. Have a small kit with your ID, phone, keys, and cash or credit card that you can keep on you at all times. Do not set this down or keep it in a loose pocket. If you have space, a phone charger or backup battery is also a good idea. 6. Eat and drink (water) first, and throughout the night. Not only will this give you energy to get through the night, it will lessen the negative impacts of drinking alcohol.  7. Set limits and pace yourself. Decide before you start drinking how many drinks you plan to have. Keep a tally on your phone or have a sober buddy keep track for you. Picking a number and having someone keep you accountable are the easiest ways to keep your intoxicated self from having “just one more.” 8. Avoid conflicts. Small arguments can escalate quickly into physical altercations with alcohol in the mix. If someone tries to provoke you, walk away and do not engage them. If you’re being harassed, it’s time to leave, but make sure to leave with a group. 9. Trust your gut. Sometimes your gut knows more than you do. If a situation feels “off” or uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to leave. It doesn’t matter if you just arrived, or if the party is ending in just a few minutes. It’s never too early or too late. Put your safety first. 10. Avoid alcohol. If you’re in an unfamiliar place and surrounded by strangers, skip the booze. You will be more alert and aware of what’s going on around you. Drinking is best reserved for when you’re with a group of people you know and trust. Put yourself first, and get home safe this holiday season. Our team looks forward to celebrating safely with you for many years to come. Get in touch now and let us plan your next event!  Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken  While the world may be opening up after a year of isolation, fire season in Northern Colorado is forcing another alteration in many July 4th plans. There aren't very many fireworks displays planned to honor our nation's Independence, but that doesn't mean that there aren't other entertainment options! We've pulled together a list of 4th of July festivities for families and people of all ages. Make your holiday weekend plans here: Fort Collins
 Loveland
Wellington
 Greeley
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Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken We all love our moms, many of us are fortunate to be moms... and we want to recognize all moms this Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day! We are thinking of you.... Mothers who have lost children Those who have lost Mothers Mothers of fur children Those with strained Mother relationships Those with strained Child relationships Those yearning to be Mothers Those who have chosen not to be Mothers  Contact MBD Marketing & Events Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken  MBD Marketing & Events celebrates the big 1-5 in June – fifteen years of fun, dynamic, groundbreaking events powered by a team of outstanding women. We’re ready to start celebrating our achievements for the remainder of this year, so we’ve come up with a list of 15 (see what we did there?) ideas for celebrating a business milestone. Keep your eyes on MBD’s social media and website for our upcoming 15th anniversary celebrations, and in the meantime, enjoy these ideas for celebrating work milestones with your employees, coworkers, bosses, and customers.  Update company branding A big anniversary is a great time to implement updates to your company logo, website, tagline, and even name to better reflect your company’s current image and goals. If you haven’t noticed, MBD’s own website and logo have undergone some updates this year, and there’s more to come! Create a timeline to show off business achievements A timeline of business achievements is a great way to reflect on how far your business has come and remind longtime customers of (and introduce new ones to) your company’s history. Looking back on growth is a morale booster for employees and owners and shows current and potential clients that your company is constantly developing, expanding, and achieving goals. Buy anniversary-branded company swag Dress up your employees in some new company swag (think: anything from pins to t-shirts) with a special-edition logo. This could include additional logo elements, like anniversary numbers, new or additional colors, and/or decorative accents. Offer anniversary-themed, short-term offers or discounts For companies that offer buy-it-now products, a discount percentage or amount to match the anniversary is a fun offer to retain customers and attract new ones. For example, a mattress company might offer 20% off a new mattress to celebrate a 20-year anniversary. Businesses that provide services can still find fun ways to incorporate anniversary numbers into offers; a home cleaning service might offer the fifth cleaning free to celebrate a five-year anniversary. Give out humorous and/or sincere employee awards Smaller companies especially can create a fun, morale-building night out of hosting an employee awards ceremony. Awards can be humorous (i.e. “always wears the coolest glasses to work”) or serious, or both.  Take a commemorative photo If your company doesn’t take a yearly team photo already, an anniversary is a great time to do so. For small companies, one photo can capture the entire team – larger corporations can divide employees and supervisors by department for a group photo. We especially love this commemorative customer appreciation “Thank You” photo collage, which is social-distancing friendly since it can be done remotely.  Involve customers in a company trivia game Engage with customers in a social media-friendly game of company trivia. Start by compiling a list of fun company facts, then create a question for each fact. These can be multiple choice or open-ended. Offer a prize, experience, or discount for the trivia winner, and post one question per day on social media for a predetermined number of days or weeks. If you’re worried about missed posts or participation on social media, another option is to have people opt-in to play by email. Design a commemorative logo This one takes some design investment, but a commemorative logo can translate to a full marketing campaign and is useful for a variety of digital and print goods – employee t-shirts, pins, website decoration, social media profile images, email marketing, etc. “A Look Back” infographic by the numbers This fun infographic follows the “before and after” format with two columns: one for the year your business began, and one for the anniversary year. You can choose which items to compare: number of services provided, number of happy customers, number of employees, etc.  Have a “Do Good Day” Giving back is a great way to highlight a company’s years of positive impact in a community and continued emphasis on community contribution. Volunteering doubles as a valuable team-building exercise, and has been shown to increase morale and self-esteem of participants. It’s important for companies to align with and support causes and demonstrate value to a community outside of the products and services they provide. MBD has made it a point for 15 years now to contribute something to our community with every event we create. Display company awards and accolades Take this milestone opportunity to remind current and potential customers of any awards or accolades your company has received over the years. These could be displayed in a front office, listed in a social media post or blog post, or (if they aren’t already) featured on your website. Share and celebrate your company’s achievements! What was popular in your company’s first year? This equal-parts-funny, equal-parts-nostalgic infographic highlights popular music, movies, slang, fashion items, you name it – all from the year your company was founded. You can ask employees to contribute their favorites from that year, or use a research tool to find the biggest pop culture phenomena by the numbers. Share with customers for an amusing, relatable experience.  Record a video message or interview with the company president This could be directed toward employees, customers, or both, and can take a lighthearted or serious approach. Ideas include a thank-you video message, a business-centric interview, or a personal or humorous interview (with questions like: What is your favorite guilty pleasure TV show?) Feature your video in a blog post or social media post for followers to enjoy. Host a celebratory anniversary event In the age of Covid, this may mean a small get-together in someone’s backyard or a larger, virtual meeting or team-building activity or class online. Virtual cooking classes and virtual escape rooms are just two of the many options available for safe, morale-boosting work events. If you’re a NoCo local, consider an after-work party in the work parking lot or someone’s neighborhood with drinks from a local bar like On the Rocks. Compile fun facts Create an infographic or list of fun facts unique to the services or products your company provides. Fun facts can include business items – for example, gallons of lemonade served or number of a product sold – and/or personal items like “number of shows binge-watched by our employees during lockdown.” Visit My Big Day’s anniversary celebration Pinterest board for even more ideas to celebrate a company anniversary or milestone. Celebration is our business, and we look forward to celebrating 15 years of memories and achievements with you!  Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken We know there are many families who will not be gathering together over the holidays this year. Even though families won't physically be together, there are still ways to honor special traditions and celebrate with one another, virtually! Here are some ideas to spruce up your family’s online celebrations this year:
If crazy dress up is not your style, use this gathering as an excuse to ditch the covid sweatpants and fix yourself up a bit! 
Create a Christmas BINGO game, Christmas Pictionary, or a Christmas Scavenger Hunt. The possibilities are endless!
  Wow! 2020 - what a year?! There aren’t quite enough words to describe all of the feelings, emotions, and happenings of this past year. We have a few new words and meanings to add to our vocabularies and vernacular - pandemic (not really new, but used more this past year than probably ever before), virtual, socially distanced, hybrid, and Zoom. As event planners, New Year’s Eve is typically the perfect excuse to throw an awesome party! This year we won’t be throwing any huge gatherings or celebrations. 2020 was quite a ride of ups and downs. But - we’ve survived and made it, and that is something worth celebrating! We’ve come up with an extensive list of ways to say good-bye to this dumpster-fire of a year, and welcome in 2021 - what we hope will be a year full of healing, health, and goodness!
However you choose to say goodbye to 2020 and welcome 2021, we at My Big Day Marketing & Events wish you all the best - health, happiness, and fortune in the New Year! Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken While the physical toll of this pandemic has been highly publicized and studied, we are just beginning to understand the social and emotional effects of this pandemic. Isolation and social distancing, while proven to help limit the spread of the virus, can also have long-term effects on individuals and society alike. One of the most visible social effects of this pandemic is the cancellation of many important milestone celebrations. This has been an issue that is at the forefront of our industry, but it has been felt far beyond. Milestones and events like weddings, graduations, anniversaries, birthdays, and funerals have all been impacted.  Why celebrating and acknowledging milestones is important: Celebrating milestones is how we as a society commemorate the progression of life. These celebrations serve as a connection - with family and friends and beyond. Missing these events can prove to be more than disappointing - they can affect emotional and social development milestones as well, especially in children and youth. While one benefit of social distancing is more dedicated time with family, we miss out on the connections with others that contribute to our development and emotional well-being. Important milestones are visual and experiential representations of growth. Without them, we miss opportunities for growth. Practical solutions: Cancelling important events and milestones can be hard to process - not just for children and youth, but for everyone involved. Milestones are typically “once-in-a-lifetime” events. Processing the disappointment of losing these moments is extremely difficult. Some strategies that might help ease the pain of these missed milestones are:
Ideas and recommendations for celebrating during Covid: As experts in the event planning industry, we have been tasked with coming up with creative solutions for celebrating milestones during these unprecedented times. We have developed and discovered ways in which our clients can safely celebrate life’s most important events. Here are just a few examples of alternative celebration opportunities: Birthdays We’ve already highlighted a variety of ways in which you can help someone feel special on their covid birthday. Our blog “10 COVID-Safe Ways to Make Your Child’s Birthday Special” is full of great ideas that can be adapted to celebrate someone at any age! Graduations Graduations bring a feeling of pride for both graduates and their families. Cancelled graduation ceremonies are difficult to replace, but there are some alternative options that will still allow you to celebrate these great accomplishments!
 Weddings If Covid has forced you to postpone your dream wedding and reception, why not consider the following as an alternative?
 Anniversaries While anniversaries tend to be celebrated by just the couple alone, COVID restrictions can still make planning a fitting celebration difficult. There are a ton of special date night options that can be planned to mark this milestone, but here are a few ideas that go beyond ordering in dinner and a movie:
Funerals Funerals might just be the most difficult event to miss. Families and friends often need the closure and social support that a funeral provides. Social distancing guidelines and the nature of a funeral make it even more difficult to plan. While postponing may be a viable option, some families might not want to delay or prolong this part of the grieving process.
Social Entertainment Just because you can’t frequent your favorite bar or restaurant together, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some fun together while keeping safely apart!
When it comes to celebrating missed milestones, creativity provides limitless possibility. While we know that nothing will ever bring back the actual missed opportunities of these special moments, planning to intentionally acknowledge them is a good practice to adopt. Everyone deserves to celebrate these special times. If you would like help in planning a virtual milestone celebration, please reach out to our talented team of event planners and memory makers. We can help you plan an event that you and your family and friends will remember forever.  Contact My Big Day Marketing & Events Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken
 The Christmas spirit was extended into early January with Blue’s holiday party, built around the storyline from the classic holiday tale - A Christmas Story! Guests were transported back to a simpler time with specialized photobooth backdrops, food, and decor reminiscent of Ralphie’s childhood home in the 1950’s. The Marriott Fort Collins hosted us again and tables were decorated with kitchen colanders in honor of Mother Parker’s holiday culinary feats, Red Ryder BB guns, and of course, the famous “Fragile” Leg Lamps. The only thing missing was a bar serving large glasses of Ovaltine! (Note - there were three open bars for the guests to imbibe from!)
 The evening was full of fellowship between all the various bank branches, company recognitions and awards, and of course dancing! Music and emceeing was provided by our favorite entertainer - DJ Kaaos! Activities also included a costume contest, and door prize drawings for all of the table centerpieces. 
Blue Federal Credit Union is one of our favorite clients to work with, and we were once again pleased to be part of the planning for their always fun company holiday party! If you’ve liked what you’ve seen and heard here - consider using our team to plan your next corporate function, retreat, or party!
Contact My Big Day "Dream Big, Live Big. For Life's Events!" Original Ideas, superior strategies, your own private party planner. ~Event Planning, Coordination & Management~ My Big Day llc Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us Located in Loveland, CO As event planners, we serve the entire Front Range; Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken  |
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My Big Day Company LLC 2006-2022 www.MyBigDayCompany.com
970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 EMAIL US
We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken
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