Welcome Baby Party Tip #1: Keep it Low Key.

Welcome Baby Parties, don’t need so much planning. There’s no need to worry about themes, motifs or seating arrangements. A simple spread will suffice. Make it easy on yourself and have it catered and delivered.

Welcome Baby Party Tip #2: The Baby is the Main Attraction.

The best part of Welcome Baby Parties is there is no need to think of elaborate newborn baby related games. Everyone is there to see the baby! She or He is the headliner for the event! You may want to designate a photographer for the afternoon or hire one for a few hours.

Welcome Baby Party Tip #3: Get Creative with the Giveaways!

When you’re not restricted with a certain decor or color scheme, you can get creative with your parting gifts! Mix and match your giveaways. Select from an array of blues, pinks or any other color.  

At Mirelli Chocolatier, we have a wide selection of decorated chocolates to choose from, such as our “Beary” Cute Pink Decorated Chocolate; a Belgian chocolate truffle, wrapped in matte soft pink wrapping paper and adorned with a shiny silver teddy bear figurine. 

Even our Silver and Blue Elephant Figurine Decorated Chocolate—a Belgian chocolate truffle, wrapped in matte baby blue wrapping paper and topped with a silver elephant figurine with blue accents. This little bit of cuteness makes a great parting gift and keepsake.

Order these or create your own!

Visit Mirellie Chocolatier to see what you can create for your Welcome Home Baby Party.

1. India – “Joota Chupai” - The Shoe Stealing Game When the groom enters the Mandap (covered structure with pillars for weddings) he must remove his shoes. As soon as they are off his feet, the eldest unmarried girls from the bride’s side of the family run off with them. The grooms side must try and get the shoes back while the bride’s side helps the girls make off with them and hide them. The groom must leave the mandap in the same shoes he came in with so after the ceremony, the girls ransom the shoes off to the groom. Sometimes, there’s bargaining, usually the groom has a plan to get them back.
2. China - Chinese Tea Ceremony Both families perform the hairdressing and capping rituals for the bride and groom, similar to many other cultures. The groom then goes to the bride’s home and is blocked by the bridesmaids. Both families are formally introduced during the Tea Ceremony and together they drink Tsao Chün, a Chinese tea. After the Tsao Chün tea has been finished, the couple would receive lai see, a lucky red envelope, given by the family that is filled with money and sometimes jewelry. A feast is served at the end of the wedding ceremonies.
3. West Africa – Pre-Wedding Rituals The groom-to-be first declares his intentions to his father, grandfather, or uncle who then, if he is in agreement, meets with the father of the "intended" bride-to-be. The elders will then collectively decide if the wedding is to be or not to be. Kola nuts are offered and exchanged to seal the deal as well as to celebrate when the official wedding announcement is made. Other gifts are also exchanged such as drinks like palm wine and tobacco.
   
   Brides-to-be are kept in fattening rooms where they "plumped up" before they are sent off to their husbands' homes. Before the bride goes to her new husband's home, she will receive some going-away presents from her family that will help her set up her new home. Gifts include clothes, jewelry, a hollowed-out and dried calabash (used to clean rice, carry water, and as food containers), and more. The day of her wedding the bride is bathed by the older women in her family as they "cleanse her of her childhood".
4. India – Marrying a Tree Traditionally, "manglik" (an astrological combination when Mars and Saturn are both under the 7th house) women are required to go through a ceremony marrying them to a peepal tree, a banana tree or a silver or golden idol of the Hindu god Vishnu in a ceremony known as "kumbh vivah". Legend has it these women are apparently "cursed" and thought to be likely to cause their husband an early death. In order to counter this, they must first be married to a tree and the tree cut down to break the curse.

These were only a few of the traditions we found during our search for fascinating wedding traditions. We’ll revisit this topic again soon and bring you more of our findings. If you know or heard of any interesting wedding traditions we did not mention, please post your comment below and earn some Mirelli reward points!

Fantasia

Belgian chocolate rectangular bar wrapped in light beige coated foil paper, banded with an ivory lace ribbon accented with a marquise rhinestone leaf embellishment topped with a combination two tone sheer and satin flower in gradient Ivory and beige colors. These solid Belgian Chocolate bars are available in your choice of milk or semi-sweet; perfect for bridal showers, weddings, sweet sixteen and other occasions.

Approx. Dimensions in Inches: 3.2 x 1 5/8 x 3/16

Lorence

Belgian chocolate rectangular bar double wrapped in light-beige, checkered style paper, banded with a sheer ribbon accented with gold plated leaf, adorned with a linen fabric ivory flower. These solid Belgian Chocolate bars are available in your choice of milk or semi-sweet; perfect for bridal showers, weddings, sweet sixteen and other occasions.

Approx. Dimensions in Inches: 3.2 x 1 5/8 x 3/16

Serenade

Belgian chocolate rectangular bar double wrapped in light glitter gold/beige paper, banded with an latte satin ribbon accented with two marquise shape rhinestone gold plated leaf embellishments laying on both ends having two gold plated love birds chirping love songs to each other. An enchanting sweet gift to give to your guests at your wedding party or any other festive occasion that you may have. These solid Belgian Chocolate bars are available in your choice of milk or semi-sweet.

Crystal Charm

Premium Belgian imported Chocolate. Our Designers called it "The Crystal Charm" for its simple yet bold and trendy look. This piece is attractive in its modern sophistication. These solid Belgian Chocolate bars are available in your choice of solid milk or semi-sweet (dark). The milk chocolate also comes with praline nuts.

Dazzle

Belgian chocolate rectangular bar wrapped in pastel pink color special foil paper topped with a genuine feather angel wings with a rhinestone stud set in the center. This Dazzling masterpiece emanates an unchallenged charm and beauty which you can't help but say wow! These solid Belgian Chocolate bars are available in your choice of milk or semi-sweet(Dark); perfect for bridal showers, weddings, sweet sixteen and other occasions.

Approx. Dimensions in Inches: 3.2 x 1 5/8 x 3/16

Those delicious little sugar-coated almonds you receive at weddings, baby showers, or other major life events have a deep-rooted meaning a lot of people don’t know about. Did you know Jordan Almonds date back to ancient Rome? Why are they called Jordan Almonds? Are they from Jordan? While the history of these sugar-coated masterpieces is over 700 years old, we have come to find a few consistencies which we can all agree on.

Jordan Almonds are often referred to as dragée. The term dragee means to coat something in sugar to take away it’s bitterness, hence Jordan almonds consist of "bitter" almonds and the "sweet" sugar which is meant to symbolize the bitterness of life yet the sweetness of love. It represents a balance and harmoniousness of marriage.

Have you ever wondered why they come in bundles of five?

At Italian and Greek weddings, the almonds are placed in groups of five, an odd number that is not divisible to whole numbers to symbolize the unity of husband and wife. The Greek refer to Jordan Almonds as “koufeta” while the Arabic call them “mlabas”.

The quantity of five represents the following wishes of the newlywed’s journey as a couple.

1. Happiness
2. Health
3. Longevity
4. Wealth
5. Fertility

In the Middle East, Jordan almonds are also considered an aphrodisiac as well as a symbol of fertility to the new bride.

Ancient Beginnings

Jordan almonds are believed to have originated in ancient Rome, where almonds were covered in honey by a Roman baker and confectioner by the name of Julius Dragatus. His confections were called dragati and were served by wealthy aristocrats at weddings and child births.

The term Jordan is most likely a variation of the French word jardin, meaning "garden", hence, a cultivated rather than wild almond. However, others suggest the term referred to a variety of almonds originally grown along the Jordan River characterized by long, thin, slender, rather smooth kernels in thick, heavy shells.

Have you heard of any other stories or tales on Jordan Almonds? We’d love to know! Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

What are Wedding Favors?

It is common in most western cultures for the guests at bridal showers and weddings to receive party favors. Wedding favors are small gifts given as a gesture of appreciation or gratitude to guests from the bride and groom during a wedding ceremony or a wedding reception. Party favors today come in all types of shapes & sizes, some edible, and some not. This practice has also become standard in other types of formal occasions such as baby showers, engagement parties, retirement parties, anniversaries, and holiday gatherings.

Where did Wedding Favors come from?

The tradition of giving your guests wedding favors is a very old one. It is believed that the first wedding favor, common amongst European aristocrats, was a small trinket box that was made of crystal, porcelain, and/or precious stones known as a bonbonniere. The contents of these precious boxes were generally sugar cubes or other delicate confections, which symbolized wealth and royalty.

As sugar became less expensive, almonds began to be used in order to maintain the prestigious value of the wedding favor. For centuries, almonds were commonly distributed to wedding guests to signify well wishes on the bride & groom’s new life.

What have these favors of almonds evolved into today?

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Our wide selection of colored metallic foil paper, decorated chocolates and embellishment makes it easy to come up with creative designs that will fit your party perfectly. From theme, color scheme and motif, you can create unique and individual pieces that have never been seen before! 

For example, take our Belgian Chocolate Bar in Coffee Brown Metallic Foil Wrapper. The wrapping paper has a smooth surface perfect for embellishments, decor or ribbons. The metallic finish in all our foil wrapping paper gives your decorated chocolate a beautiful shine. 

Attach our Belgian Chocolate Bar in Coffee Brown Metallic Foil Wrapper to our our Belgian Chocolate Baton in Copper Colored Metallic Foil Wrapper, for a pop of elegance, sophistication and fun! 

Adorn everything with holiday season embellishment, like the Leaf Shaped rhinestone brooch from FavorVillage, and you a one-of-a-kind party favor. 

Your creative options are endless! Visit Mirelli Chocolatier and FavorVillage for more. 

Although we love the “traditional” fall colors, we pulled together a couple of our favorite bright colored foil wrappers chocolates that we believe would bring a bold new look for your next holiday party. 

Check out our Burgundy Colored Metallic Foil Wrapper. Stylish, modern and bold, our Burgundy Colored Metallic Foil Wrapping paper are a stunning option for decorated chocolates. 

Paired with one of our embellishments and create an elegant party favor. You can also celebrate in in style with our Champagne Colored Metallic Foil Wrapper. It has a shiny gold finish, for DIY party favors that need a little touch of glamour. 

Add a Leaf Shaped rhinestone brooch from FavorVillage, to either of these colorful options for a more decorative and memorable party favor. 

Find more ideas, inspiration and tips at Mirelli Chocolatier and FavorVillage!

An Autumn Hike:

A hike or a walk in the fall mornings is the perfect reason to get up early! Wake up with the sun and breathe in the fresh cool air. Listen to the crunching of the leaves beneath you and see all the different shades and tones around you. For longer ventures, remember to take some water and snacks to keep you going. Our Sesame and Pistachio Crisps-a classic middle eastern treat with a twist--are a great portable pick-me-up treat. They are perfect take-alongs that’ll give you that extra boost you may need to get you through those inclines.

Drinking Lots of Tea:

Now is the time to wear that oversized sweater, cozy up with a warm blanket on your favorite chair or couch with  a nice cup of your favorite tea. One of our favorite fall traditions is to pair our tea with a plate of something sweet, like our Semi-Sweet Chocolate Almond Clusters. Whole premium almonds roasted to perfection, then dipped in semi-sweet Belgian chocolate to create a rich bundle of chocolate, our Semi-Sweet Chocolate Almond Clusters are the perfect treat for a lazy Sunday afternoon. They’re also great to share with friends too.

Indulge Your Sweet Tooth (with moderation):

From leftover halloween candy to the abundance of pumpkin pies, the season brings out the sweet tooth in most of us. What better way to satisfy your sweet cravings than with chocolates and sweets from Mirelli Chocolatier! 

Our Baklava-Chocolate Wafer for example, is an excellent choice. This particular sweet combines a mediterranean favorite—honeyed baklava— with chocolate wafers, dipped in Belgian milk chocolate to create a sensational dessert. Another treat we’d recommend is our Pumpkin Candy with Almonds and Pistachios. Pumpkin flavored lokum, covered with blanched almond slices and pistachio crumbs. A must-have holiday candy, so deliciously sweet you can have it all year around.  

At Mirelli Chocolatier, we have a wide assortment of chocolates and sweets with adventurous flavors and unexpected combinations. Bring a box of these sweets or a variety of chocolates, sweets and treats to your next holiday party or as a hostess gift. You can even create a customized chocolate box to match the color scheme or motif of your event. Personalized chocolate boxes filled with a feast of sweets are a lovely way to decorate your dessert table.

From decor to desserts, there are just so many creative ways to incorporate Mirelli Chocolatier’s sweets and treats as your party favors for all your autumnal festivities. It’s definitely something that we are thankful for!

There are so many other incredible flavors that are are guaranteed to be a hit for any fall celebration. Let us show you our two favorites. Take our Apricot and Pistachio Florets or our Caramelized Roasted Almond Clusters.

Our Apricot and Pistachio Florets are both decorative and delicious. Using them to dress your cake, as part of your centerpieces or table design. Two dried and sweetened apricots, fold around a ball of fondant in the shape of a flower. Topped with premium roasted pistachios, this treat combines all the colors and flavors of fall without the pumpkin. 

While our Caramelized Roasted Almond Clusters are are sure to be a crowd favorite. It has all the warm, nutty and sugary flavors of the fall that we’ve been waiting all year for. 

A great alternative to pumpkin-spice treats, this sweet pairs perfectly with a dark tea and a cozy night in.

Each sweet is wrapped individually in cello bags and can be easily enjoyed by guests, family, friends and even you! Visit our website to see what other fall-colored sweets you can purchase for your next special event.