New Word #73: Partying

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Parties My Friends Enjoy

There’s no such phrase like “harvest party” or “fruit party”. I invented them just to describe the activities my friends enjoy. Since almost everybody is burdened by mortgages (house, car etc.) and his or her kid’s education costs, people want inexpensive parties.

harvest party: Backyard harvest parties. People who have backyards and who enjoy miniature farm work to grow veggies often throw a harvest party in autumn. Any surplus vegetables will be consumed in the party, or packed into boxes to be taken away by the guests.

fruit party: There are farms in South Jersey where Korean pears, Fuji apples, and white peach are grown. People go there to pick fruits. Each is given one or two baskets of different sizes. The fruits will be weighed in the baskets and paid at the office. I went once, but the sun was so hot that I had to give up after an hour. Thank goodness I was not born in a farming family. I could be the worst farmer.

fishing party: I think the fish or crabs caught in New Jersey’s waterways are not really suitable for consumption, knowing that the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania used to be a big hub for various industries, which dumped wastes in the waters around here. There are fishermen who run fishing businesses and take customers out into the ocean to do some fishing for a day. I think those fishes are good and clean, since they are away from the possible pollution from the land–just my thought and I know my thought can be wrong, more often than I’d like to admit. Anyway, my friends like to go fishing and crabbing in South Jersey, despite my warning. They stand on a pier that juts out into the ocean for about 100 feet, throw a basket with chicken legs and hooks into the ocean. After a while, they drag the basket up to inspect if any fish has taken the bait. I went twice, but I didn’t really enjoy it. I have to say I prayed that no fish would be so stupid or so hungry to fall for chicken legs, which are not part of their regular diet. But unfortunately, fish were so stupid and so hungry. After the fishing trip, we came home and cook the fish. On one end of the pier, there’s a sign saying that these fish are not really safe for consumption and eat them at your own risk. We ignored the sign.

child’s 100 day party: It’s an old tradition that when a baby reached the 100 day mark, the parents would throw a party to celebrate. Some people still observe it.

lobster party or crab party: This is a party for two families. They drive up to Boston to eat lobsters or down to Maryland to eat blue crabs at restaurants their friends recommend to them.

hiking party: A group of friends go on a hiking trail.

Popular Parties

soiree: an evening party or social gathering, especially one held for a particular purpose.

fete: (North American) a celebration or festival.

gala: a social occasion with special entertainments or performances. “a black-tie gala that begins with a cocktail reception”

costume party or masquerade ball: A costume party (American English) is a type of party, common mainly in contemporary Western culture, where many of the guests are dressed up in costumes.

Halloween party: This is a costume party held on October 31. One has to wear a weird outfit or at least a fancy mask in order to attend.

wedding reception: A wedding reception is a party usually held after the completion of a marriage ceremony as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding.

tailgate party: a social gathering in which food and drinks are served at or near the back end of a parked vehicle (such as a pickup truck) that usually occurs in a parking lot before or after a public event (such as a football game or concert).

fraternity party: a party given by a fraternity (an organization of male students at a U.S. college).

sorority party: A group of women or girls joined together by common interests, for fellowship

dinner party: a social occasion at which guests eat dinner together.

Thanksgiving party: This is a dinner party given on the Thanksgiving day in late November, for which people invite strangers to eat at their dinner table.

New Year’s Party: This is a party usually held in a restaurant or a club, where people dance and wear silly New Year decorations on their head.

sweet 16 party: A sweet sixteen is a coming of age party celebrating a teenager’s 16th birthday. People throw extravagant parties for this occasion.

pool party: a celebration in and around a swimming pool.

pajama party: a party for children who spend the night at the house of a friend.