January and February are the biggest letdown months. It’s cold, dark and empty. All the decorations have been removed from our homes. All the celebrating has forced us into hibernation. The stores (if you have the nerve to enter them after the holidays) are filled with clearance items, rejected holiday gifts and are in desperate need of a restock. And what is worse is that everyone is broke and on a diet.

That sounds like the worse time for a party but the best reason to have one. So I propose you have a “I’m Broke and On a Diet Party”.

What in the world is that?

It’s a simple gathering of close friends. Casual attire – I think pajamas or anything warm and baggy (in case anyone put on a few pounds in December). No decorations because we all need a break from all that visual stimulation we had over the holidays.

No alcohol (damn diet!). Just serve different fruit or vegetable infused waters.

For the main course, create a salad bar. It pleases all dieters – vegan, gluten free, dairy free, meat/protein lovers, etc. Just offer several toppings in addition to vegetables like hard boiled eggs, beans, chicken breast, corn strips, cheeses, etc. Everyone can pick and choose to accommodate their diets.

For entertainment, I suggest a card or dice game like Trash or Treasure. This is a simple printable game available on Pam’s Party Printables as a Winter Themed (among others) version.

Let me explain.

Trash or Treasure is played in tables of 4 and a group of 12 work best. Each player brings a bag of stuff – three good things and three gag gifts. Most of the time, this game is played with three good gifts priced at $10 and two at $5. But this is a “I’m broke” party so everyone has to use what they have.

As we all know, one man’s (or woman’s) trash is another’s treasure. It is a great way to have everyone get rid of their unwanted holiday gifts – candles, gift cards to unwanted stores, wine that you would never drink and so much candy!

For the gag gifts, that’s up to your imagination. It can be a broken set of Christmas lights or an empty bottle of vodka. One time, a friend of mine brought hair from her drain in a bag. Talk about a gag gift! It’s up to you how creative (or gross) you want to be. 

To play the game, you sit at tables of four. Your partner (for that round) is sitting across from you. You take turns rolling the dice and flipping over cards. When your cards are flipped, you use your turn to help your partner.

The first team to turn over all their cards wins. The winners get a good gift from the losers and the losers get a gag gift from the winners. The winners move up to another table and switch partners. Another round starts.

You play for a set amount of time (an hour flies by so you might make it two hours). Everyone goes home with what is left in their bag.

Finish the night with an easy fruit salad or gluten free blueberry crumble and a hot cup of tea.