Throw a 'Swell' Oscar® Party

Call it the chick's Superbowl. Oscar® night has become the winter television event—a great occasion for super-easy entertaining. Make your place the destination-viewing spot. Invite friends, family and other seat-fillers to dish the fashion, rate the up-do's, defend your favorite star's speech and gossip during commercials. All you need is: snacks for three hours, good seating and a touch of Hollywood glamour to put everyone in the mood. This year, Cynthia Rowley and Ilene Rosenzweig, co-creators of the Swell collection at Target, have a few tips for adding a touch of sparkle to a star-studded night.

The Envelope, Please: Invitations

• Use a piece of Mylar mirrored paper; address it, "And the winner is..."
• Using a gold metallic pen, inscribe invitations with lines from Oscar®-winning films. "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."
• Print invites on a red carpet swatch.
• For a black-tie invite, punch two holes in a piece of cardstock, thread a piece of thick black ribbon through the holes and tie it into a bow tie.

The Set

• Repurpose the silver Swell Glitterati shower curtain from Target as a shining overlay for a bar.
• The Swell ice bucket, melamine trays and pearlized pitchers and tumblers add splash, too.
• Switch the family photos in the living room with shots of your true loved ones—this year's nominees.
• You could also buy some new frames—try the Swell Swinging Squares Frame that looks like a mini version of Hollywood Squares and has room for four celebrities. The photos are, of course, autographed to you (or by you): "Wish I could be there! Luv, Charlize."

Ambiance, Dahling

• Put out a red-carpet welcome mat to lead your guests to the door.
• Deputized a best friend to snap your guests with a Polaroid as they make their entrance.
• Dress up the powder room with props from the make-up trailer: rhinestone jewelry, tiaras, sunglasses, red lipsticks, fake mustaches, beauty marks and a wig or two that'll inspire guests to start hamming and vamping.
• During the pre-show show, turn off the sound and play some feel-good Oscar®-winning soundtracks: Chicago, Titanic, The Godfather, Casablanca, etc.

Food and Drink

• Set up a concession-stand buffet loaded with cinematic snacks.
• Popcorn and toppings, served in paper top hats.
• Milk Duds and Twizzlers all neatly stacked.
• An ice chest full of pop and ice-cream bon-bons.
• Throw in a few things you wish they did serve at the multiplex, like frozen mini burgers to nuke 'n' serve.
• For dinner, if needed, TV dinners! Let guests order from a menu of Salisbury steak, chicken nuggets or fish sticks. Serve on Swell trays dressed with Swell linens and the good silver
• Give your favorite beverages theme names! Imported Japanese beer for Lost in Translation. The Master and Commander Sea Breeze. Seabiscuit juleps, served with a chaser. Or Hobbit Juice (try Art Smith's non-alcoholic Vanilla Citrus Punch).
• Warning: Serving all of these cocktails at once may give your party an NC-17 rating. One or two would suffice.

Fun & Games

• Serve up some icebreakers—trivia questions!
• Instead of identifying wine glass charms, tie trivia questions with multiple choice answers on little cards to wine glass stems with black satin ribbon.
• Write the answers on cocktail napkins in gold metallic pen. Sample question: "What movie did James Bond author Ian Fleming write?" (A: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.)
• Guests have to mingle to find the answers!

Gift Bags
Do your own downsized version of the amazing gift baskets Oscar&30174;presenters and winners get for just showing up!

• Check out Target for Swell goodies like sunglasses, a disposable camera, jewelry and photo albums.
• Package up all the goods in our stylish Swell gift bags.
• Hand out to friends as they leave to catch a "limo" to their after party!

Special Thanks
For all the Swell products mentioned above, visit a Target store near you or shop online at www.target.com.