If you have a festive bone in your body (and we know you do!), chances are you crave a good gathering when the weather gets warm. There’s something about the easy nature of summer foods, the relaxed general atmosphere and the long days that makes entertaining extra appealing. Here’s our advice: pick a weekend afternoon or evening a few weekends out, design your festive invitation and get it in the mail! Friends will love getting a printed invite for a summer party in their mailbox so they can put it up on the fridge and get excited for the fun.

Whether you’re celebrating a birthday or not, it’s fun to pick a theme and choose food and activities to build on it. Here are a few of our favorite summer party invitations, with menu and fun ideas to match:

Sips and Apps

Mixbook’s new Party Time Straws invitation sends a clear message that there’s going to be fun in the form of drinks! Whether they’re spiked, steeped or sugary, there’s nothing more old-school summer than sucking an ice-cold refreshment up through a paper straw. Consider serving a few special signature drinks – like hibiscus-infused tea, basil-infused lemonade or homemade sangria, then set up a bar with serve-yourself drink dispensers next to glassware and straws. Put out trays of other simple nibbles, crank up some festive music, have squirt guns on hand, and let the fun unfold before your eyes!

Hoedown Throw-Down

Here’s a card that’s perfect for hosting a BBQ birthday…or just for the heck of it! The design has a little banner that designates the event as one to honor a special person, but it’s a small detail that can be deleted easily using the Mixbook editor. Then again, you might just want to make up an honorary person, day or even just a silly reason to have a party. Whatever you’re celebrating, Mixbook’s new Chalked Gingham invitation – with its chalkboard backdrop and red-checked cloth – does conjure up small-batch craft cider, artisan pickles and grass-fed burgers. Or take it campy and make your event all about beer, brats and sauerkraut. Whatever the occasion, guests will arrive ready to take down some serious grub of the grilled variety.

Margarita Extravaganza

Mixbook’s new Colorful Banners card is another invitation that’s perfect for a birthday celebration or just any old festive gathering. With decorative papel picado banners, guests will come ready for margaritas, tacos, chips and guac. String up a piñata for the kids, decorate the tables with affordable carnations in bright colors and your party is practically throwing itself. For dessert, serve up dulce de leche cupcakes, margarita popsicles and churros with salted caramel dipping sauce.