3 multi-generational holiday parties

Party 1: Let the stars come out!

Theme: The movie bug has been passed around in your family for as long as you can remember. So what could be a more fitting theme for a multi-generational get-together at your place than a tribute to all things Hollywood?

Location: Indoors

Age: All ages

Invitations: Tip your guests off to the theme of the coming attraction by working film reel starsinto your invitation design. If you want to go all out with your theme, you might even think about encouraging your guests to come dressed as their favourite Hollywood celebrities. Just think of how much fun it would be to have Paris Hilton, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise crash your party this year. Well, then again...

Decorations: It's up to you how far you want to go with the decorations -- whether you want to keep things simple by creating a bristol board "Walk of Fame" pathway of stars that winds through your home (naturally, every party guest will get his or her own star) or stick glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling in the main party area (don't forget to dim the lights later in the evening so everyone can enjoy the super-cool effect), or whether you want to go all out by purchasing movie posters and photos of famous movie stars at a second-hand store or through an online movie retailer. Likely, your budget will be what determines whether you go the fun-but-affordable route, or whether you drop so much money on decorations that even the Hollywood event planners start to get wind of your party plans.

Food: Popcorn is an obvious choice (except for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, who could choke on it). But since party guests cannot live on popcorn alone, you may want to round out your movie gala cuisine by offering some uniques delicacies such as star-shaped grilled-cheese sandwiches (for the kids), a star-shaped quiche (for the more adventurous diners) and star-shaped cookies with silver sprinkles for dessert. Or play up the movie theme by offering movie reel-shaped munchies. Just have fun and make it slightly crazy and over the top -- like Hollywood!

Fun and games: The movies themselves will be the main attraction at this particular party (although you may want to challenge some of the adults in attendance to a resounding round of movie trivia after the film has ended).

But first things first, your party will either be a resounding success or a huge flop, based on your choice of movie. (Screen The Exorcist in front of a group of five year olds and their parents will never speak to you again.) But relax: you don/t have to feel like disaster is one DVD button push away. You'll have a hard time going wrong with any of these five flicks:

• Modern Times: The classic Charlie Chaplin slapstick comedy in which Chaplin is repeatedly arrested during a series of on-the-job misadventures.
• The Sound of Music: A timeless movie musical that will have the entire clan singing about their favourite things.
• The Wrong Trousers: A hilariously funny and extremely clever comedy featuring plasticine good guys Wallace and Gromit and an evil penguin.
• Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: A feel-good flick featuring two kids, their eccentric inventor father and the magical car he invents that floats and flies.
• The Incredibles: A story of anything-but-ordinary suburban superheroes)

Other: Don't forget to snap lots of pictures of your guests as they first step foot on the red carpet. (You were planning to have red carpet -- or at least a red bath mat -- to greet your guests in your front hall, now weren't you?)