‘By the second half of the eighteenth century, even though dancing could still raise the eyebrows of some New Englanders, it was the most widespread recreation of the youthful and was popular with all ages. Young adults filled diaries with memories of dances past and dreams of dances future. Special shoes were often worn; dress styles for parties became less restricted and cooler. Dancing opportunities abounded in a wide range of formal balls, wedding recptions, organized dances, improptu get-togethers, and so forth. Just about every kind of activity was sometimes celebrated by dancing. A French visitor to New Haven, expecting a drab social landscape, was shocked when he attended a ball with "a hundred charming girls with bright rosy cheeks" and even more shocked to see another such "enchanting spectacle" in the small nearby town ofWetherfield. Twelve-year-old Anna Winslow of Boston had a few girlfriends drop by one day and they "made four couples at a country dancing". In the evening, an adult house guest "hearing of my assembly, put his flute in his pocket and played tunes to which we danced mightly cleverly" the exhausted but happy little girl wrote late that night.

Although dancing became a ubiquitous pastime in New England, it reached its height in the capitals and urban centres. Boston’s elite held regular winter dances once every two weeks from january through April in the 1760s and 1770s. Attendance ranged from h=one hundred to two hundred, and guests invariably included the governor of Massachusetts, other important royal officials, military officals, and great merchants. At these the usual fiddler and piper of small dances were replaced by five to ten musicians led by a conductor. Often the governor sent out formal invitations to select individuals, prominent visitors to Boston were honoured guests.’

Dinner parties were popular with the better off. Bruce Danicels writes:

‘ John Rowe, a merchant in pre-revolutionary Boston, atended or hosted private dinner parties with from four to forty people at least once a week on average.

Neither the elite nor the people of boston, of course, enjoyed a monopoly on dinner parties. Most extant diaries that provide details of day-to-day living describe them. A few types of dinner parties, often seasonal, became known by name and by the customs associated with it. The most famous, the turtle frolic, took place in port towns, sometimes in a waterfront tavern, sometimes outdoors – and could be counted on to be loud, rollicking, and well attended. Commonly attended by young adults, and visiting seamen, turtle frolicks also attracted respectable people – even some couples – out for a good time.

Oysterbakes were less dramatic but more frequent. These, too, usually took place in summer or early fall and were held on the waterfront or as barbeques.

At the other end of the specturm, in landlocked rural reas winter tea parties became popular in the mid-18th century. The high cost of tea, cofffe, and choclolate gave these nonalcaholic drinks a special status as a treat for middle-class and poor people and for small-town residents who custmoamrily drank fruit juices or lacaholic beverages. Elizabeth )helps,l then a newly married woman, described tea parties in hadley, Massachussetts, in the 1770s. Invited guests received formal written invitations a week or so in advance, usuallly ten to fifteen couples attended. Because the parties were customarily held in winter, people fretted about the possibility of bad weather. About an hour after the guests arrived, the hostess served the tea by "sending it round" which meant passing it cup by cup in a circle made by the guests. When everyone had tea, someone was asked to say a blessing, after which "the hum renewed" and bisucits and cake made similar rounds. After the first cups of tea were drunk, the guests broke up into smaller groups for chatting. Tea parties lasted from about six to nine pm, and were most often held on Friday nights. The men went outside before the women to ready the horses and wagons or the sleighs if snow permitte.d New englanders loved sleighs and considered it a wonderful ending to take one home after a party.

It can work wonders for concentration & removing the blocks you may have for success.

A hypnosis video may not work as they are a ‘one size fits all’, so they may or may not work.

The best route is to do a google search for a qualified hypnotherapist in your area, call/mail them & discuss your needs.

Pam

With that said, hypnosis can only be effective in things you can normally "control" in your life. Like eating, smoking, etc. It can’t, for example, improve your memory. So it *could* work for concentration unless you have an underlying neurological issue that keeps you from concentrating right now. Likewise, if the concentration is related to stress, etc. it might not be effective because the stress in your life would override the benefits of hypnosis.

I hope this information helps some. I doesn’t directly answer your question, but I would rather you be more informed than to just get a "yes or no" and then be disappointing.

A talent night would make it limited to how many actual brave souls would put themselves on center stage (unless it’s an open bar and the booze was flowing…lol).

Miniature golf night? Fake grass and putting balls into holes.

Hollywood Glam Night? Ppl dressing as a favorite character if they want…running old (or favorite would be better) movie clips…posters of famous stars…"Swag Bags" for all the guests….funny "Awards" for company employees (but keep it in good fun…not humiliation). Guests have to guess what famous star they are (attach a name to their back)…and no fair running to the rest room to peek in the mirror!. Questions they ask of others can only be answered by yes or no. Can have the "White Christmas" thing going on somewhere (movie with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, etc). Everyone can pick a "Star" off a tree>>>let it be a "wish list" of children or seniors who need something for Christmas that everyone can donate to. Contact a local children’s home for kids to provide wishes of a toy…or whatever (some kids ask for hat, coat, gloves, scarf, etc). I hope your people are the generous kind…even though parties are about having fun>>>it’s nice to remember those less fortunate to really make the season meaningful!

A great twist on a holiday party is having an "Ugly Sweater" party, but something fun when it’s cold out is to have a warm theme party.

What about Havana Nights, hire cigar rollers (even great to watch for non-smokers), have a mojito bar, tapas and cuban food, music and professional dancers to start off the night.

You can also do a Indian/Moroccan theme with food, belly dancers, and LOTS of fabric, pillows and decor and maybe a sitar player, Bollywood entertainers. Indoor luau with pig on spit and hula dancers.

Roaring 20′s with prohibition flyers around, cigar rollers and card dealers, invites could have a password to get in, hire a jazz band that plays modern music in 20′s style.

Retro party- think 70′s games on tables (barrel of monkeys, pick-up sticks, marbles, jacks, etc.) with retro candy bar was a hit at one of my parties and playing feel good retro hits. Hit up dollar store for candy and games or order online, and goodwill for 8-track tapes.