[pinkyphimu]

this was not something my ac did, but i went to a a "byob" party...bring your own banana. you had to decorate your banana for a theme. there were prizes for the best "dressed," most origional, etc., then we made banana splits! everyone could bring their own banana and then assign a topping or an ice cream, drinks, etc.

for your potluck, you could list out the items you need and let people choose. personally, i always choose a wine or desert, so i don't have to make it! for our holiday potluck, we said people could either bring a dish or make a $10 donation to our philanthropy. some of our new moms were thrilled to make a donation instead of having to cook!