The Guest Book

a new spin on an old-fashioned idea

These days, the guest book is usually reserved for special occasions and major milestones like weddings, graduations, and anniversaries. But we believe that any gathering holds special significance that is worth commemorating in some small way. So next time you have your people over, try one of these fresh ideas.

Polaroids Encourage your guests to “take a polaroid and leave a polaroid” so that you all have a memory to keep. You can display the pictures by clipping them to a piece of twine that you string up, or keep them in a scrapbook and mark the page with the date.

Champagne Bottle After you pour the bubbly into the punch bowl, dry the bottle off and invite guests to sign their names with gold or silver permanent markers. Use the bottle to hold flowers or taper candles for dinner parties future.

Tablecloth Thrift a solid light colored table cloth or use a canvas drop cloth as a table covering. Have guests sign the table cloth. Each time you use it brings back good memories and offers an opportunity to make more.

Cookbook If you like to cook out of a particular cookbook, have your guests sign and date the page of the recipe you used.

Camp Jar After you’ve emptied your Camp jar to make the cocktails, set out slips of paper and have your guests write messages (jokes? quotes? ideas?) on them and fill up the jar. These make for great rainy-day reading.