A party during a storm is not necessarily the best way to go, but it’s a lot better than being on your own in a dark, humid house with nothing to do but listen to and worry about the winds raging outside.
Also on the upside, there’s nothing like having a few pairs of extra hands should things go south.
With hurricane season now under way and the prediction that there will be 23 named storms and that 13 hurricanes will form, now is the time to start party planning.
Below are a few tips to help you get through:
1, Choose your guests wisely
Limit your invitations to people you really like. In the middle of a storm, it would be unkind to send someone packing so maybe cap your choices at family, significant others and really close friends who you know won’t become tetchy when there are no lights, the humidity pumps up, the fridge becomes a no-go zone and toilets cannot be flushed. Keep in mind as well, a blocked drive could mean they are unable to leave for a few days.
2, Food and other essentials
Even if your generator takes away the fear of not being able to cook, do you really want to make a full-on meal in the middle of a storm? A storm is one of those times when diets are put on the back burner. Order pizzas ahead, warm them up if you can and if not, room temperature should be just fine if you eat them that same day. If you have meat in the freezer, thaw it out and stick it on the grill after a little bit of tenderising with the yoghurt in your fridge that should not go to waste. Especially if there’s a crowd in your house, use what you have. Don’t waste it and don’t go grocery shopping for any food items except maybe a few bags of chips.
3, Drinks, a necessity?
Ensuring you have tons of water on hand is hurricane prep 101 – for flushing, for brushing teeth and, of course, for drinking. But what’s a party without alcohol? Depending on the size of your cooler, beer is a good starting point. Black rum and ginger beer are needed for a Dark ‘n’ Stormy or two; rum, fruit juices, simple syrup and grenadine are necessary if you prefer a Hurricane. Wine is yet another thing to add to your bar. There’s white and rose if you and your guests don’t mind topping them up with ice cubes or drinking them warm should electricity fail, but red is likely a safer choice.
3, Music
Assuming your power bank is charged, plug in your phone and choose a playlist. If that’s not an option, pull out a battery-powered radio if you have one and tune in.
4, Lights — and cameras
If it’s a party, you’ll want to have pictures and videos to remember it by. Flashlights and candles will help you to focus on an image and make sure you don’t knock over the bottle of beer someone forgot to pick up off the floor.
5, Games
Traditional board games like Pictionary and Monopoly will pass time and there’s also charades and any number of card games. Pro tip: beer pong might help the time pass even faster.
