The Party to End All Parties: A Lighter Look at the End of the World
The perfect way to de-stress and let loose before the entire family comes over for the holidays, have an “end of the World Party”. Many people believe that Dec 21, 2012 will signal the end of the world (as we know it). Many survivalists are stocking up on food, weapons, and fuel. Others are grabbing a six pack of beer and an end of the world movie. It’s time to party! Yours will be a party that no one will ever be able to top, primarily because no one will ever have another party (just kidding).
Invitations
There has been a great deal of controversy over whether the Mayan Calendar is accurately predicting the “end of the world” as we know it. Many people believe the Mayans just ran out of room to continue writing the calendar, some are using this event as another reason to throw one more huge party before the year ends. Print invitations with words like “Please join us for the biggest bash before the big goodbye.” Or “A Farewell Party. We’re not sure when, but we are going to party like the world is going to end.” Try these ones from etsy.com.
Decorations
For a theme, stick with black or dark blue decorations to create a “dark” atmosphere. Decorate the party for both types of parties with black and blue party decorations, such as balloons, streamers and tableware. Make signs that read “We’re still alive,” “Apocalypse (name of year),” “Is it the end of the world as we know it” and “Doomsday (name of year)” on large poster board to hang on the walls. Party Cheap has an entire theme section devoted to the end of the world called Party Like There’s No-Tomaya! and if you are optimistic in that the world won’t end, there are also products with a I Survived the Mayan Calendar theme. So stock on up and get ready for the biggest bash of the year: the party to end all parties.
Activities
Ask your party guests to sit in a circle. Have everyone share their own version of how, why and if they think the world will end. Tell your guests they can make up a story if they want to be funny. Award prizes for the best, funniest and silliest apocalypse stories. For a game of apocalypse or doomsday charades, write down the names of books or movies that involve the end of the world, such as “The Happening” and “The Day After Tomorrow.” Divide the players into two teams. The players must act out the movies to their teammates. If the team guesses the movie correctly in less than one minute, it earns a point. The team with the most points wins the game.
There’s no point in completely maxing out your credit cards, in case December 22nd dawns quietly and peacefully. Who knows if the prophecy will come to be but you should have a party to end all parties if it does!
RECIPES
Death By Chocolate
* 1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate cake mix
* 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
* 1 2/3 cups milk
* 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
* 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 6 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered toffee bars, frozen and crushed
1. In a 9×13 in pan, bake cake according to package directions. Cool and crumble. Make pudding, according to package directions, with milk.
2. In a large trifle or other glass serving bowl, place half of the crumbled cake. Pour half of the coffee over the cake, and spread half of the pudding over that. Top with half of the whipped topping, sprinkled with half the crumbled candy bars. Repeat layers in the same order. Refrigerate until serving.
Hurricane Jello Shots
INGREDIENTS
For the first layer:
1 cup dark rum, such as Cruzan Black Strap or Myers’s
1 cup water
3 (1/4-ounce) packets unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 (13- to 14-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained, stemmed, and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
For the second layer:
1 1/2 cups white rum
6 (1/4-ounce) packets unflavored gelatin
2 cups passion fruit juice
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 15 medium limes)
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 5 medium oranges)
1/4 cup grenadine
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
10 drops red food coloring
INSTRUCTIONS
For the first layer:
Pour the dark rum and water into a medium saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface. Let stand undisturbed until the gelatin softens, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and whisk to combine.
Place the pan over low heat and whisk constantly, scraping down the sides of the pan with a rubber spatula as needed, until the gelatin and sugar dissolve and the mixture no longer feels grainy when rubbed between your fingers, about 3 minutes. (Do not let the mixture simmer, or the gelatin will not set properly.)
Pour the mixture into a 9-by-9-inch metal baking pan and sprinkle the cherries evenly over it (they will sink). Gently shake the pan to distribute the cherries into a flat layer, making sure none are sitting above the surface of the rum-gelatin mixture. Refrigerate uncovered until set, at least 30 minutes.
For the second layer:
Pour the white rum into a large saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface. Let stand undisturbed until the gelatin softens, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk to combine.
Place the pan over low heat and whisk constantly, scraping down the sides of the pan with a rubber spatula as needed, until the gelatin and sugar dissolve and the mixture no longer feels grainy when rubbed between your fingers, about 5 to 7 minutes. (Do not let the mixture simmer, or the gelatin will not set properly.) Remove from the heat.
Remove the dish with the dark rum layer from the refrigerator. Pour the white rum mixture over the dark rum layer. Return the pan to the refrigerator uncovered until the white rum layer is set, at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, run a knife between the jelly block and the edges of the pan. Being careful not to get any water inside, dip the pan into a sink full of hot tap water, submerging it about halfway up the sides for about 10 seconds. Remove the pan from the water and tilt it: The jelly block should slide away from the edges. If it doesn’t, return the pan to the hot water for another 5 seconds.
