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Remember small guests in party planning

(cns) | Details, details.

In her book “The Perfect Wedding Details” (HarperResource, $29.95), Maria McBride-Mellinger offers suggestions on how to accommodate small children at wedding receptions and parties. Her ideas include renting pint-size tables and chairs, creating a special coloring-book program and serving easy-to-eat food.

She provides this idea for setting up a child-friendly guest table:

• Start off with a 6-foot-long folding table and a 6-by-10-foot white cotton tablecloth, both of which can be rented from party suppliers.

• Then you’ll need a roll of 36-inch-wide kraft paper (calculate 7 feet of paper for the 6-foot table), scissors, double-stick tape, assorted rubber stamps and colored inks, alphabet stamps, six crayons per child, an 8-inch ribbon per place setting, short vases and Gerber daisies.

• After covering the table with the basic white tablecloth, cut the kraft paper so that there’s a 6-inch overhang at each end of the table. To create a simple hem, fold both of these flaps under to make 3-inch drop-offs, then secure with double-stick tape.

• Along the length of the table, crease the paper with your hands to give it a customized fit. If needed, insert tape between the paper and the cloth to anchor the paper in place.

• Decorate the paper with rubber stamps. Alphabet stamps make it easy to individualize place settings.

• Set the table with colorful napkins, ribbon-tied with bundles of crayons, so that children can add their own touches once they sit down.

• Use short, squat vases, minimal amounts of water and simple, colorful flowers (such as Gerber daisies) for centerpieces.

Thank-you basics

Whether for a graduation, bar or bat mitzvah, wedding or birthday, a simple thank-you note is a must for each gift you receive.

No matter the temptation of a computerized (and easy to duplicate) response, the note should be handwritten and mention the gift given. (If the gift was money, do not mention the specific amount, but you can say how you plan to spend it.)

When applicable, be sure to include your new address on the return label.