Keep Texting !!!

When Niru went to shopping late with her friends , she received her mom's text saying "WRU???....LOL " she imidiately knew her mom wanted to know "Where Are You....Laughing out loud" she thought her mom is so cool she smiles even when she doesnt know where I'm. After a few days and on constantly receiving LOL at the end of every message niru got curious to know why her mom was acting so funny all the time, it was on her asking that she knew that LOL was not Laughing Out Loud but instead it was " Lots Of Love " from a mother to her daughter.

How many times has it happned that we have misinterpreted an SMS for being unaware of its abbreviations, several times right? SMS an abbreviation in itself " Short Messaging Service " has been on toe ever since the mobile/pager communication came into being then rates of a single sms were 2- 3 Rs to now even when rates of per sms have slashed to 1 paisa. If you are between 18 and 30 and you own a mobile with SMS. And you love sending messages that match your mobile size.You are sure to know and enjoy the spree of sms codes.

Communication now no longer needs long words and fully formed grammatically correct english. It is just meant to be understood by the receiver and has to be space and time efficient. The coolest trend inhibited by the youngsters says "Write less and saying more". "I use short forms alot cuz i dont feel lk writg out a word so i wud just use da short 4m.I feel it is smrt and creative 2 use such shrt-4ms!." my friend smsed and opinionated herself on this issue.

Social Networking sites communities and other forums have thrown out grammar and seem no longer interested in it. SMS's cropped words and grammar-less sentences have helped communication take a big leap.What sms brings to you is a smarter and easier form of english that gives a boost to the confidence of people who arent very thorough in english, they gain the similar kind of respect as an english literate (even though their english is concealed in sms). Talking via chatting has to get less tedious and more enjoyable so when you can sms someone "BBS" ,"GMTA " "GAL" , "LTNS" and so on who will type and write "Be Back Soon"," Great Minds Think Alike ","Get A Life", "Long Time No See".

Not every youngster is to be blamed for writing short forms."I'm 13, me and my friends (most of them) don't use shortforms. We actually type out the whole message. I find it hard to decipher the short forms, which are constantly changing" says Kiya on an internet forum. While Nitya replies "I only convert some of them to short forms when I have too many characters. Imagine if I am only allowed 160 characters for a message, it doesn't make sense for me to pay for 2 if I am just a few characters extra. "
Nobody wants to pay extra for 2 sms's if you can fit in a message in one sms. But its eventually brought lot of people into concern over the original english. "There are SMS users who wouldn't dream of splintering the language," says Moushmi, M.Phil, who teaches English online. "A lot of people I talked to said they took pride in never condensing their sentences. Their punctuation and spelling - they claim - is intact."

Language has grown into many forms ever since the evolution of mankind its a means to make comunication simpler and easier. What english was in the world of Shakespear and Milton would never exist again since its far more pain staking to understand what that meant, even though at one point of time it had been the most purest form of linguistically correct english. Old words have got dressed in completely new meanings and have been from then accepted as such. Do you know "awefull" once meant "awesome" ? The idea of dropping out a few vowels and shortening for convience makes no harm if there is any form of standardization. English is increasingly getting localised. There is British English, American English and Australian English to begin with. Millions of people are SMS-ing their thoughts across the globe. In fact we need to have a common code for SMS. If that comes through dropping vowels and going by the sound, why not? Without any standards marked, abbreviations will always be in confusion.

" The short forms and language used in SMS typing has brought ruin to the English language itself. Frequent SMS users are not able to write correct English- neither the grammar nor the spellings are correct. Even in the English exams, the students use their ‘SMS language’, and are not able to correct themselves in the future, despite losing marks for the same. " remarks Ishita who teaches english in a school, who hates any change in her favourite language. There are some who have adapted to this change despite their unliking A.K Rao an elderly Bank personnel says " I am 48! I used to hate to see shortforms being used by yongsters in SMSs! Like U is used to indiacate You, 4 is used for 'for', 1 is used to say one, R is used for are etc. I used to get annoyed and angry thinking that these kids of today are spoiling the language of English. But now a days having got exposed to this type of language I think you really require imagination and skill, so that your message should be short, easily constructed and at the same time it should be easy for others to understand! I have developed interest in such messages and I try to construct my own messages with such shortcut languages and I feel that I am also travelling with time and not against it! "

There's no doubt that English will always be an important way of communication all over the world, with India being the largest English speaking country the flavour and spirit of english would not be destroyed with a few people abbreviating their messages. The english lover troop in India is still alive and burdened to keep it going to savour the best of literatures in the world. So the next time anyone send you " I<3 U " , dont be a great mathematician solving how come I be less than 3 times of U but instead it could be the pictogram of a heart for "love", and the letter "u" replaces "you" "I Love You".



http://simplyshreya.blogspot.com/

Courtesy - Comments and quotations internet/ opinions personal copyrighted post for newspaper

Shree Saree !!

When Aishwarya appeared in Oprah's show in 2007 , Oprah had expressed her wish to be drapped in a saree and we then saw how our dear ash helped oprah with it. Nevertheless saree has always been a mysterious something, unknown for the world. They keep wondering of how could a whole piece of cloth as long as 9 yards ( nau gaz ) be draped around someone without a single stich yet looks voluptous. It is so amazing for them to find that a woman covered from top to bottom can look sexy and appealing.

" Saree is a sexy outfit, who will oppose this statement? I'm excieted about wearing it in my farewell party, it will make me look glam and ethnic at the same time." said the saree loving college girl Nandita. It is said that the body of an average Indian woman is most suitable for wearing a saree where height being an average 5 to 5ft 4 in and waist size 30 to 40 if drapped perfectly in a saree will actually accentuate your figure. Many people believe that the saree was actually influenced from the greeks and the romans " Toga " (worn by men) and " Stola " ( worn by women ) which were long 6 meters cloth draped and worn over a tunic( slip ). But most saree lovers donot think the same way they feel its the other way round , " Indians influenced the world to wear something new and more versetile, besides what people donot know about toga and stola is that they had to be stiched or pinned at some places while in saree its not so " said Ajay a would be fashion designer.

Indeed Saree is more than 5000 years old, it gets mentioned in Vedas(the oldest exisiting literature 3000 B.C. ). Patterns of dresses have changed throughout the world now and then but, the Saree has survived because it is still mainly wore in rural India. 75% of India's population still wears it for its extremely versatile because it could be worn as shorts, trousers, flowing gown-like or convenient skirt-wise--all without a single stitch or pin! Saree ( originally Chira) came from Sanskrit which meant cloth. From 5 yards to 9.5 yards tied loosely, folded and pleated, it could be turned into working dress or party-wear with manual skill. For day today dress of middle class women, 5-6 yard sari is comfortable to manage household chores. Working class tucks the same length above the ankles and if they have to work in water or fields, they would tuck the front pleats between the legs to the back, and tie the upper portion round the waist. This left them free movement of hands and legs. A gold silver or cloth belt fastened to keep pallu, (upper cover) pleats and folds in tact. Jhansi's Queen Laxmibai, Belawadi Mallamma and Kittur Chennamma have fought enemy troops on horseback, wearing saree in Veeragacche or soldier's tuck style.

Usually the advent of saree is attributed the hot and humid climate of India where the genral middle class was extremely fond of soft cotton sarees and the richer class could wear flashy sarees. Saree in hot climate was easy to wear and a perfect cover from head to toe in broad day light. Also Dhoti, lungi or mundu are abridged version of the saree worn by men. Another interesting thought related to this is that in Indian philosophy, the navel of the Supreme Being is considered as the source of life and creativity. Hence by tradition, the stomach and the navel is to be left unconcealed, though the philosophy behind the costume has largely been forgotten . This makes the realization of sharira-mandala, where in Angikam bhuvanam yasya (the body as the world) unites with the sharira-mandala (the whole universe), as expressed in the Natyashastra. These principles of the saree, also hold for other forms of drapes, like the lungi or mundu worn by men.

While earlier revealing of navel while wearing a saree was largely a spiritual philosophy today its majorly associated with style. Our beloved bollywood has always taken a foot forward to keep up with the trends of saree, fancy work and fancy blouses with materials like silk, gorgette , chiffon, net (see through material) and body stick fabrics are extremely in. Adding more grace to the outfit is the way our celebrities carry their designer coutures. Aishwarya Rai’s inevitable style statement in Devdaas led the masses drooling over her spectacular outfit. Next in a row are many other bollywood stars like Madhuri Dixit, Sushmita Sen, Hema Malini etc. who have always worn elegant sarees. As the fashion designers say, the elegance the demure that is derived when one is adorned in a saree is not to be found when one is adorning a gown.

However unlike our divas there are two views- for and against for the question " Do all women look good in saree ? " , while one says -- " It only suits curvaceous women. Those who have a square body type with long and straight torsos or those who are overweight, do not look good in saree. As far as western and even other Indian dresses are concerned, they can be made in such a way that enhances one's figure by hiding the body flaws. But this can not be done with a saree. " the other says -- " Nothing is hotter than a saree. Those who hesitate from wearing a saree mostly include who are overweight or who do not find it comfortable as their daily wear. However, it all depends upon the proper selection of sarees according to one's body type and the way a saree is draped. That is also the case with other clothings- be it Indian or western. A saree can also be worn in ways that can enhance or hide the flaws of one's body. With the innovations in the field of blouses -backless, halter, tube, full-sleeves, V-neck- sarees can also be made to look good on women of any body type."

Nadipur based Kanya Campus had a strict dress code for students: Saree and blouse. The college administration, however, had no option but to allow students to wear modern dresses. “ Students started criticising and protesting what they called a traditional dress code. Many students stopped coming to the college and our annual enrolment went down because of the dress code. It was then that we decided to allow skirts and shirts. ” says Surendra Bhari, the founding member and chief of the college.

“Saree and blouse are not only difficult to wear, but it is hard to maintain the intricate creases and folds all day. Moreover, we must dress up as per the demand of the time,” say girls."Try rushing to catch a bus in a sari," one young lady pointedly remarked, "and you'll switch to jeans the next day."

Most elderly women have always found saree comfortable and beautiful but they are not sure if Saree would be able to survive in its original form in coming generations too, they believe the golden age of saree is quiet far from over and what now happens is experiments with it just to keep it breathing quiet like a man in ventilator. They have seen their grand daughters ignoring saree and shifting to jeans, even altering saree and making salwaar kameez out of it, thus are not quiet hopeful of its revival.

Ikat, Chanderi, Puneri, Laheriya, Bandhej, Bomkai, Gadwal, Narayanpet , Maheshwari, Kantha and Kanjeevaram sarees to name a few still add to glamour and pomp to our wardrobes. Saree has long survived the time trench from 5000B.C. to 2009, how many more years it will survive further is still a question. What will happen once the generation of women who grew up routinely wearing a sari every day dies out? If not daily lets atleast work to keep up the spree of saree by wearing it once a week/month to begin with...

http://simplyshreya.blogspot.com/

Courtesy - Comments and quotations internet/ opinions personal copyrighted post for newspaper

Marital Blues for Children

" Archana, have you seen naina??" grandma asked. "I dint she must be out with the maid or ajay " replied naina's mother, archana who is a PR in a reputed MNC firm and ajay naina's father who is a Senior Buissness analyst in a firm. Grandma was tensed since last night, after the big fight between naina's parents which made naina cry and shiver in dark in her room. After much asking naina had revealed that she did not want to live with her parents for she was thinking the fight was because of her. Grandma knew of naina's changing behaviour she was often reluctant of doing anything new, dint enjoy things outside, got quickly irritated and often felt low about herself but grandma felt helpless. She knew daily fights have chocked her darling granddaughter's life and all she could do was explain them but it never works.

The story could be same in your home too.How many times have you noticed your child silently witnessing your fight from behind a door or a curtain? Have you ever wondered how harmful it can be for the psychological development of your child? You might be fighting in front of your kids but do you realize that your fight has serious effects on the emotional development of your child. Your fight puts him in an emotional turmoil as the child finds himself helpless and alienated.

All of us before our marriages know that marriage is not a bed of roses its not easy to live into a relationship, there may be ups and downs as well but its so hard to accept it on a later stage. Fighting and making up may be a part of couples lives but couples are so busy making their points, raising voices and using abusing words that they completely overlook the effect it plays on their own child. Children are very observant and sensitive. They are quick to pick up on tensions and undercurrents. However, they donot understand what seriousness and reasons for your fights are. When they hear raised voices and slammed doors they can't help but wonder, "Is it me?". They end up blaming themselves to the extend that they feel like leaving the place completely.

" When parents fight, children feel the tension and the hostility. They become physically and emotionally upset. You can see it in their faces and their body language, even if they don’t say it with words. They may cringe, cower, or hide. Some children hold their breath, start to hyperventilate, or get nauseous. Others will cry. All of them-regardless of how they do or do not show it or say it-are scared stiff. " says Arti Khanna who recently met a child psychologist after reading her child's scared stiff symptoms.

Children love their parents for what they do for them, they know parents are their security covers who would protect them against any odds. Once they see a completely wrecked picture of depressed life's of their own parents , their belief gets shaken in love, faith and marriage. They feel responsible for the big fight and always stay scared , to avoid being the cause of some other fight in future.In due process the child feels anxious, depressed, gets aggression fits and feels trouble interacting with his peers etc. Many children adopt completely wrong ways of alcohols and drug abuse to ignore and run away from this situation. They think it is either very normal to yell and fight and use abusive words, infact start bulling people around themselves or they turn completely timid. They carry lasting images of their parents fighting from their childhoods, long into adulthood. Memories of particular fights can traumatize children and stay with them forever.

In general agreement psychologists say " Most parents disagree with their spouses on one or the other issues on various occasions. No one agrees on everything. Disagreeing with each other is natural and normal. But how you, as parents, handle conflicts with one another has a lasting impact on your children, their emotional health. " They suggest that " Adults need to learn how to resolve conflicts in a calm, peaceful manner through effective communication techniques. If your point can be correct so could be your partner's. Listen to each other. "

In case even after trying a lot you had a massive fight in front of your children make it a point to let them know that they are no way to be blamed for this fight explain them that parents do fight at times but that doesnt mean they love each other or their children any less. Tell them how compassionate you are for them and whatever you said in fight was because you were angry and dint actually mean them.Even in families where parents fighting is not an extreme problem, parents should remember that what they do and say, and how they act towards one another, influences their child, their child’s self-esteem, and their child’s short- and long-term emotional health, as well as their future relationships.

So the next time you enter into a fight spare a thought for the little one around eyeing on you, give him a life of genuine love and affection not forever trauma and stress.


http://simplyshreya.blogspot.com/

Courtesy - Comments and quotations internet/ opinions personal copyrighted post for newspaper

Losing Flabs could be Eating disorder...

Does your child constantly think about food and weight? Engaged in emotional eating? Eats when he is not hungry? Or Does not eat at all ?

Am I Fat? This is the worst fear of the new generation, specially the teenage girl. While the older generation looks at weight control from the health point of view, this is a worry that plagues the average teenager from a more cosmetic viewpoint. Senior citizens reminisce nostalgically about the good old days when women had some flesh on their bones. Grandmothers are horrified by their scrawny grandchildren who say that " Thin is in ".

From size zero Kareena to hottie Bipasha , be it sizzling Priyanka or smokey Rani now everyone is in the same run. Girls from well educated families who do well at school appear to be more at risk of developing an eating disorder. Doctors and nutritionists say " Thin is not in. Size-zero bodies a la Kareena Kapoor may look good on Page 3 and entertainment colour spreads, but they are pushing Indian women towards excessive dieting, and what's more, being 'un Indian'."

This modern obsession with body weight when taken to an extreme can lead to the development of " Eating disorders " like anorexia nervosa, bulimia and compulsive over-eating. A person with an eating disorder may have started out just eating smaller or larger amounts of food than usual, but at some point, the urge to eat less or more spirals out of control.

Eating disorders do not seem to manifest as Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia in non- Western cultures like India, but occur infrequently in milder forms with fewer symptoms.Interestingly in Hong Kong and India, one of the fundamental characteristics of anorexia nervosa is lacking. In these countries, anorexia is not accompanied by a "fear of fatness" or a desire to be thin; instead, anorexic individuals in these countries have been reported to be motivated by the desire to fast for religious purposes or by eccentric nutritional ideas.

Anorexia: Starvation is not the answer

Anorexia nervosa found in 19th century it is the willful pursuit of thinness through self-starvation. Adolescents are most often affected by this disorder. People who have this disorder are really prisoners of their mind. They have a distorted perception of their body, seeing themselves as obese while in reality they are quite thin. The fear of putting on weight gnaws at them constantly. They are obsessive about losing weight, starving themselves to the point of emaciation. Anorexics are fixated on food. Anorexics are usually perfectionists and tend to have low self-esteem. They are often depressed because they cannot meet the high standards that they set for themselves.

According to some studies, people with anorexia are up to ten times more likely to die as a result of their illness compared to those without the disorder. The most common complications that lead to death are cardiac arrest, and electrolyte and fluid imbalances.

Besides unnatural weight loss patients can have coexisting psychiatric and physical illnesses, including depression, anxiety, obsessive behavior, substance abuse, cardiovascular, neurological complications, cessation of menstruation, constipation, discolouration of skin and the growth of fine body hair and impaired physical development.

Bulimia Nervosa : The binge-purge syndrome

Bulimia nervosa first identified in 1979 is characterized by recurrent and frequent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food (e.g., binge-eating), and feeling a lack of control over the eating. This binge-eating is followed by a type of behavior that compensates for the binge, such as purging (e.g., vomiting, excessive use of laxatives or diuretics), fasting and/or excessive exercise.

“I remember in high school, when it started, I was on the track. I ran a lot, and I ate a lot, compulsively at times, tons of ice cream, or fruit, or lots of cookies and sweets. I tried to make myself throw up once afterwards, but couldn’t because I have too strong a gag reflex. Instead, feeling guilty, I exercised constantly." remembers Avanti ( name changed) once patient of bulimia.

They often fear gaining weight, want desperately to lose weight, and are intensely unhappy with their body size and shape. Usually, bulimic behavior is done secretly, because it is often accompanied by feelings of disgust or shame. The binging and purging cycle usually repeats several times a week.

The pattern of binge and purge can result in ulcers, gastric and dental problems, acute disturbances in the chemical balances of the blood which could lead to heart attacks, sore throats, aching joints, and feelings of weakness, dizziness and apathy.

What goes for girl goes for the boy

Although eating disorders primarily affect women and girls, boys and men are also vulnerable. One in four preadolescent cases of anorexia occurs in boys.

“Of all my anorexic patients, about 10 per cent are male,” says Dr Sakshi Chawla, senior dietician, Fortis.Like females who have eating disorders, males with the illness have a warped sense of body image. Nutritionist Dr Shikha Sharma says "Men develop eating disorders in their mid- to late-teens. Sometimes, though, the condition gets out of control and the patient is unable to get himself out of it."

Boys with eating disorders exhibit the same types of emotional, physical and behavioral signs and symptoms as girls, but for a variety of reasons, boys are less likely to be diagnosed with what is often considered a stereotypically "female" disorder say the doctors.

Treatment

The most effective treatment for an eating disorder is psychotherapy or psychological counseling, along with medical and nutritional support and guidance. The treatment should be individually tailored. Treatment will vary depending on the severity of the disorder and the client's particular problems, needs, and strengths.There are a variety of treatment options available: individual therapy, group therapy, nutritional support, psychiatric care, outpatient, inpatient, residential, etc. Please know that there are resources available to assist you and your loved ones.

But it is always good to avoid a situation to such an extreme remember anorexia is just a plea for attention and bulimia is just an addiction to food , parents should keep a close eye on a child's daily intake of food and avoid conveying an attitude which says in effect, “I will like you more if you lose weight, don’t eat so much, look more like the slender models in ads, fit into smaller clothes, etc.” Decide what you can do and what you can stop doing to reduce the teasing, criticism, blaming, staring, etc. that reinforce the idea that larger or fatter is “bad” and smaller or thinner is “good.”

Discuss with your sons and daughters (a) the dangers of trying to alter one’s body shape through dieting, (b) the value of moderate exercise for health, and (c) the importance of eating a variety of foods in well-balanced meals consumed at least three times a day.

“It takes a very long time for a person to completely recover from an eating disorder. So, if you feel that you suffer from it, you should seek help immediately, as an eating disorder can be extremely harmful and life threatening,” says Dr Chawla.

Infusing confidence and trust over one's own body is the best way to keep eating disorders out.

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Courtesy - Comments and quotations internet/ opinions personal copyrighted post for newspaper

Unreal Reality of Celluloid

With Rakhi quetching about her make up on tv " dekho mera kya ho gaya main kya thi kaisi ho gayi hun " and beau Elesh trying to coo and calm her down, we saw the beginning of another farcical and so called reality on tv. Another 2 - 3 months of exaggeration of every possible little " oohhs ouchs and haww's " and sponsers oozing their bundles of money for one promotional ad in between , love it or hate it but most of us cannot really live without this.

Little do people know from where this trend began.The first reality tv show was first aired in the 1950s. It featured a band leader and his family. The show actually started on the radio and was a husband and wife affair. The children were brought in and later, after it had transferred to tv, the kids grew up, got married and their wives were also in the show. It was called The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and had its roots in a spot on a radio show in 1935 and lasted 31 years until it ended its tv run in 1966. How things were featured then and now are no way comparative.

In India shows like ' Sach ka samna ' , ' Indian idol ' , ' Big Boss ' , ' Iss jungle se ..',' Splitsvilla ' , ' Roadies ' and so on ( list is unending ) keep playing with our emotions, we humanbeings are so vulnerable to our emotions that we let any amount of drama and madness in these shows play havoc on us. For example, NDTV Imagine had a big hit in Rakhi Ka Swayamvar (so much so that they're already planning the next in their Swayamvar series with the late Pramod Mahajan's son, Rahul Mahajan) where we were on hunt of who's going to be rakhi's bridegroom and now another hunt for those who want to make another match. These shows make the most of the emotional quotient of the viewers. These are the only alternatives to the melodramatic daily soaps. People believe the characters who are part of these are for real. As a result it becomes easy for the audiences to relate to the participants. To an extend the notion is true but the game is not about social service of showing real or plainly entertainment , its business of TRP's now, that can earn you crores that makes you popular instantly in between huge masses. If one chicken curry can make Shipla win Big Brother why cant anybody else use the same to have public sympathy? Every time when she cried the demand to see that episode increased vehemently. “Cry, shout, create scene and probably do everything you can to grab everyone's attention , that what makes you star" says Namita commenting on reality shows in a social networking site. Ratings of hyped-up reality shows have soared. The first episode of "Sach ka Saamna," for instance, got STAR its highest opening for a non-fiction show. Thirty million Indians tuned in.

"Reality shows always help push TRPs," said Programming Head, Sony TV, Gurdip Bhangoo. While COO, Zee TV, Nitin Vaidya said "Reality shows helps bring in new viewers." Fashion , glamour and real life , these shows are the perfect match for anybody's entertainment bon appetit infact they offer exactly what you want on your dish be it the superstar Amitabh Bacchan , Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan or be it hunting for the best singer or dancer or now be it hunt for your bride from lame public. They play with the mindset that people are always willing to see something different that could either be obscene ( entering into a couple's privacy ) or not so obscene.

Well not everyone hates it , you hunt and you will find several supporters of these shows while serials like Sach ka samna and Pati patni aur woh have got cases registered on them few others have escaped this narrowly, but people still love them. “The participants are willing adults who know what they are doing so who are the politicians to stop them?” asks Bangalore college student Nitin Jain, an ardent watcher of reality shows. Some of the Indian reality shows are adaptations of popular English shows aired on international channels. However while presenting it to the Indian audiences these have been thoroughly Indianised.

Indian audiences have certainly embraced global television trends. The Indian versions of hit shows such as "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and "Big Brother" have turned out to be huge, multi-season hits.

Still, critics ask: Should television channels continue to air unregulated content to the remotest Indian villages? In many rural, single-television homes audiences are not so discerning as to vote with their remotes.Snippets from the grapevine reveal that gimmicks are used to capture an audience. It is believed certain scenes are staged and rehearsed and presented as 'reality' for the viewers after editing.

So, what is the reality behind these shows? This is a question that still remains unanswered...

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Courtesy - Comments and quotations internet/ opinions personal copyrighted post for newspaper

Party Games Ideas

While planning for parties its not just about food and dress not just about decorating home or serving right, what people remember about a party is not just the look but what they feel in that party how they smile laugh and enjoy :) . So today while writing an article for my paper and gathering its information i ended up collecting an interesting set of games and interactive activities that can add fun to your party ... actually I am sure you can find lots on net but i assure you its not collected as in here. So short and sweet check this out :)

Birthday Party Games: Birthday parties are about the big birthday cake, the balloons, colorful costumes and clown caps and parties games, which both the young and the old enjoy. Other than traditional games you can try some new games like:

· Pinata - The children are blindfolded and they take a stick and try to break a hanging container(baloon) that has candies or other small goodies in it.

· Pin Something_ on _Something - In this game, blindfolded kids try to stick a paper 'tail' onto a poster of a donkey, a nose on a clown or animal, a spaceship in an outer space scene and so on.

· Make their Own Place Cards or Placemats - Children can decorate 3x5 cards or construction paper with a variety of stickers, cut outs, crayons, and colored pencils.

· Guess How Many - Fill a jar with candy. Have children write their name on a small piece of paper and let them guess as to how many candies are in the jar. The child who guesses the right number, gets a goodie.

· Freeze - Begin by playing music, everyone moves and dances until the music stops then they must "freeze" in whatever position they happen to be in.

Special Occasion Party Games: The party spirit becomes most evident during the festive months of the year.Festive fever starts and gatherings begin. Treasure hunt, musical chairs, passing the parcel and 'truth or dare' are some of the popular games for parties. Other party games you can try are:

· Solving riddles and questionnaires

· Playing word-building and memory games

· Best dressed person

· Rangoli design competition

· Light a candle game: how soon and how many candles can a person light with 1 match stick.

Office Party Games: Office parties are about celebrating organizational success or major accomplishments in business. They are also about fostering the team spirit by bringing all the employees together. Try these too:

· Give Me - Get a caller to go in front of the room, and call out the names of various items, like: red lipstick,black shoe, nail cutter, a flowery handkerchief : Whoever runs up first with any of the items gets a prize.

· Liar, Liar - Let the guests gather around in a circle, and appoint someone as the score-keeper. Each person tells one statement about themselves that is true, and two that are untrue. As each player finishes his/her turn, the others must vote on which statement was the truthful one. The truthful statement is then disclosed, the person who ends up with the highest score is given the title: ‘The Biggest Liar in the Office!’

Pool Party Games: A pool party is about 'diving' into the waters to 'drown' in the enjoyment. For pool parties try:

· Swimming contests

· Mini water polo

· Underwater treasure hunt

· Underwater football,

· Tug-of-war in water

· Toy troy - you can also have some toys floating in water; divide the group into two teams and ask each team to grab the maximum number of floating objects from the pool.