Some of my favorite girlhood memories involve the color pink

Select a Theme
Throwing a fun and festive PJ party starts with a theme and a theme color. Some of my favorite girlhood memories involve the color pink. Pink twin sets, pink curlers, even pink Dippity 'Do hair gel. The color evokes memories of the girliest of girls, like Sandra Dee, and even those classic tough girls, The Pink Ladies, from Grease. For my ultimate pajama party, the color pink is the ultimate inspiration. However, your inspiration may be Liz Taylor's violet eyes or a silver disco ball from Donna Summer's disco era.

Send out the perfect invitation
In an era of emails and evites, it is important to remember the simple pleasure of opening a beautiful invitation or letter. Offer your pajama party guests that simple pleasure. Find a wonderful invitation, I've even sent a pair of pink pjs, and mail it off to your best girlfriends. The perfect invitation will set the tone to make this event extra special.

Get comfy at the Pajama Party
Once the pajama party starts the first order of business is to get comfortable! Grab comfy KN Karen Neuburger pajamas and socks in pink or your theme color, and make sure your guests wear the theme color as well. There is nothing more important at a pajama party than a great pair of pjs that look as good as they feel.

Set the table
Don't work too hard, but make it look like you did. When I get ready to decorate a table for my pajama party, I go to the local party store and simply "think pink" -- pink bows, ribbons, napkin holders - they're easy to find, inexpensive, and complete a coordinated look. I even found a use for my old pashmina - it's the perfect luxury table cloth.

Indulge in your favorites - one night won't kill you!

Don't forget the food... and drinks
The pajama parties of your youth always included pizza, an overflowing tin of popcorn, and lots of chocolate. Indulge in these favorites-one night won't kill you! Great looking plates and glasses can dress up the simplest foods. I may be serving pink lemonade, but I serve it in pink martini glasses with little pink umbrellas to dress it up and make it special.

Load the Polaroid
There are things you will do with your best girlfriends that you would never do in front of anyone else. I make my PJ girlfriends wear my now famous "girlfriend caps." I was inspired to create these fun caps because they are reminiscent of pj parties from days gone by when girlfriends would wear rollers and cover their tightly wrapped heads in lacey roller caps. I made my own version of these caps for my girlfriends, and they must wear them at my pj party. It is also a must that they pose for the camera wearing these hysterical creations. You can use this idea or set up your own photo opps using boas, floppy sun bonnets, or princess tiaras.

Make the memory, then save it.
After I collect a stack of hysterical Polaroids that capture the most fun moments between girlfriends, I encourage my girlfriends to create a "PJ Party" page for their scrapbooks. (Even if they don't have scrapbooks, it is a fun activity that allows everyone to be creative.) An important aspect of throwing a pj party is recording the memory and passing it on to future generations. For this reason, I also encourage journaling at the party. I love to see girlfriends writing together. It means that these fun times will never be forgotten.

Bring out the yearbooks
What is more fun than scanning old yearbooks for bad hair 'dos, coke bottle glasses, and knee high socks? A great part of spending time with girlfriends looking back and sharing fond memories. Add a note to your invitations telling your girlfriends to bring theirs. Shuffle the yearbooks and share them. They are a great way to celebrate the past. They also make you thankful for the present-- and your current hairdresser.

Let the games begin
Every pajama party I throw includes games such as a trivia contest or Truth or Dare. You can depend on a game to break the ice and get everyone involved. Don't forget to award great inexpensive prizes for the winners of the games. For my pink-themed bash, I load up on pink bangle bracelets, nail polish, and even pink scrub brushes as prizes. Who among us has ever been Miss America? More than likely, not many! I recently got an idea from a friend in Duluth, Minnesota that is just a wonderful game to play at your PJ party. It is called "The Missed America" Pageant, and it celebrates all of us "average" women who missed out on being Miss America, but secretly dreamed of being her, for just one day. Rather than a pageant of state representatives, the Missed America pageant celebrates the places you really call home. You and your girlfriends can represent anything from the local ball field to your child's kindergarten class. I make sure to include an evening wear segment (we dress up our PJs) as well as a talent competition. This, of course, is outrageously funny. Provide a basket full of boas, dramatic hats, spiky heals, etc. as well as noise makers, kazoos, jump ropes. Your girlfriends can literally pick their talent out of the prop grab bag. Make sure your girlfriends state their platform, (maybe they are hoping for the perfect Apple Martini, rather then world peace.) The one Miss America competition I skip? I have long spared my girlfriends from the swimsuit competition! The pageant is a sure-fire way to get your girlfriends laughing, and to appreciate all the wonderful things that make us all "Missed Americas."

Load the DVD and CD
I want my girlfriends to feel free to dance and sing to their favorite songs. If they are having trouble getting inspired, I have a disco grooves CD or my 80's dance hits collection on hand for emergencies. I also love old movies, and girlfriend stories including Thelma and Louise, A Summer Place, and of course, Grease. John Travolta's swiveling hips never fail to make me melt. The Grease soundtrack has also been the background theme for some of my most memorable pj parties.

Stock up on supplies to pamper your guests

The "Everything but Botox" Bowl
A day or two before my pj party, I shop for the latest in beauty products. I gather all of these items, from pedicure sets to avocado hair masks, into a huge pink bowl that everyone can dig into during the party. Some ideas for your bowl?

* Clay face mask
* Anti-cellulite foam
* Mani/pedi set
* Lots of pink nail polish
* Luxurious body cream
* Hair spray
* Hair gel
* Loofah
* Rollers
* Candles

A Good Dose of Friendship
The one pj party must-have that you cannot live without? A good dose of friendship, of course. There is nothing more important than celebrating good times with good friends.