What is Champagne?

Let’s start with some basic information about Champagne. Sparkling wine and Champagne are essentially the same thing except that the production of Champagne meets certain requirements based on its location. When you think you are buying “Champagne” for Valentine’s Day, you are probably actually buying sparkling wine. It doesn’t matter. Buy whichever you prefer and whichever fits into your budget.

How can you create a set of courses that will go with your Champagne? We’ll assume that you are going with a standard Brut Champagne because they are very popular.

Pairing Three Courses

For your appetizer course, you could do nothing but cheeses and bread and it would be wonderful. Choose from popular cheese like Brie, Chevre (goat cheese), Colby, Gouda, or even some Cheddars. Get a little fancier with Camembert. Other appetizers that would go well besides cheese are stuffed mushrooms, a fruit selection, or shrimp cocktail (minus the cocktail sauce).

It takes a special entrée to pair with Champagne because so many foods pair better with red wine. However, that doesn’t mean that there are not some that will pair perfectly for you. In particular, seafood dishes will work well with Champagne. Consider dishes that focus on clams, oysters, or (my favorite) lobster. Many Asian dishes pair well with Champagne, too, as does sushi. Cream-sauced pasta or risotto will also work, but avoid tomato-based sauces. A nice combination of the seafood and pasta would be linguini with clams.

For dessert, you can choose to go the chocolate and Champagne route merely because of their significance for Valentine’s Day. However, you may find that other desserts actually pair better. Consider shortbread, pound cake, or angel food cake. A berry crostata would also be nice. Go very basic with a triple berry blend of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries sweetened very lightly. In fact, the less sweetener the better.

The perfectly paired Valentine’s Day dinner can be as simple as one bottle of your favorite bubbly, a cheese tray, an entrée, and angel food cake. Spend less time worrying about the food so you have more time to devote to your sweetheart.

Tricia Meyer is a mom, blogger, and food lover. She writes wine club reviews of all types but prefers Champagne when given the choice.

The post Pairing Valentine’s Day Dinner With Champagne appeared first on Theme A Party.

Spread the love! Valentine's Day is a fun, frivolous (and sexy...shh!) way to celebrate the person who makes you happy all year long. Throw a romantic soiree for your significant other, a couple you adore, or for a group of close friends who love to party. These fun Valentine's Day party ideas for couples will definitely earn a smile or two this February 14th!

• Valentine's Day party supplies
• Send Some Saucy Invites
• Surprise the Guests of Honor
• Decorate to Your Heart's Content

• Create a Little Ambiance
• Valentine's Day Party Foods
• Party Games for Couples

Send Some Saucy Invites

Get your guests all warmed up in advance by sending invitations that are straight from the heart. Have your invites match the feel of your party, whether you're planning something upscale, light and fun or a little bit spicy.

You can buy inexpensive party invitations almost anywhere, but putting your own together is so much fun. Try these easy ideas:

• "Childlike innocence" Valentine's Day invitation. Go playful (and old school!) by thinking back to third grade and the fun, fancy construction paper invites you made for friends. Using this principle, cut big heart shapes out of red, pink and white construction paper (layer two different colors, one slightly smaller than the other, for a really fun effect). Trim the invitations with glued-on paper lace and write the party invitation in the center or print out and paste the details.

• "Too hot" Valentine's Day invitation. Locate a printable image of a chili pepper on the internet; insert into a Word or compatible document and print, "It's hot, hot, hot -- and it's at our place this Feb. 14th! Party time: (X) Location: (X). Bring a hot/spicy food dish for our pot luck."

• Customizable template invitation. Download your favorite free template -- here's a fun selection, or Google "free Valentine's Day card templates" for the perfect invite.

• E-mail invitation. Evite has a great selection of Valentine's Day cards this year; try this easy option if you're short on time or don't want to chance invitations getting held up in the mail.

• Easy Made-to-order invites Shindigz has a great selection of Valentine's Day cards you can personalize

Surprise the Guests of Honor

If the party is a surprise, make sure you're clear about that when inviting guests. Coy wording for a Valentine's Day invitation is great, but when it comes to surprises, don't mess around: come right out with it! "This party is a SURPRISE for _'s and _'s engagement...please keep things hush!" is a good way to make sure everyone is clear on this subject.

Other surprise Valentine's Day parties for couples can include a special wedding anniversary, a goodbye party for a couple who's moving house or a "welcome to the neighborhood" Valentine's Day party.

Decorate to Your Heart's Content

There's no such thing as "too much" when it comes to Valentine's Day decorating! Think red, pink and white. Other pastels such as lavender and lemon yellow can work well with your decor, too.

Cut huge Valentine hearts out of construction paper or print them off a color printer and tape them to your walls. Hang a few over the party table by streamers in coordinating colors. Fill colorful heart-shaped or Valentine's Day-colored (red, pink) balloons with helium and let them float around the party area.

Here's something we love -- a big, bold Valentine's Heart Entranceway! If you really want to impress your guests, this is how to do it!

• Find all your Valentine's Day decor at Shindigz

Have fun with your party decorating. Be as bold as you wish. Valentine's Day is all about celebrating love in a BIG way -- so don't be shy with your decor!

Create a Little Ambiance

Collect your favorite love songs and let them play in the background throughout the party. Truly romantic songs are great; you can also throw in a few ditties that are sure to get giggles (for instance, "Love Stinks" by the J. Giles Band).

Another option is to set up a TV in the party room and play your favorite romantic movie at party time.

Valentine's Day Party Foods

Aren't parties all about the food? Here are some yummy snack ideas for your guests.

• Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Did we mention "chocolate?" Chocolate hearts, "naughty" chocolates (know your guests' tastes VERY well before putting out this kind of treat!), pink and white M&Ms, and even a chocolate fountain will give your Valentine party delicious pizzaz.

Red Velvet cake, courtesy of Andrea Meyers

• Hot foods. It's a red-hot day...serve spicy foods and drinks! Mexican or Tex/Mex dishes, candy Red-Hots, medium or hot salsa with corn chips, chili, Sangria (alcoholic or non) with a mini-splash of Tabasco sauce for a kick, and jalapeno poppers are all great choices.

• Aphrodisiac foods. Add fun by putting out plates of foods purported throughout the ages to be aphrodisiacs, with a brief printed explanation of each by its respective plate. Supposed aphrodisiac foods such as oysters, almonds, avocados, bananas, chocolate (of course!), honey, pineapple and red wine all fit the bill and are delicious to boot.

• A heart-shaped red velvet cake makes a delicious, decadent party treat.

• Drinks that are red or pink in color (try this cranberry champagne cocktail, or add seltzer or soda to a red-colored berry drink such as strawberry or cherry juice).

• Champagne dinner - Check out this article on pairing Champagne (or sparkling wine) with a romantic dinner.

Party Games for Couples

Have a few fun activities ready for your guests to keep the party rolling. Try these ideas:

• The Newlywed Game. Line up either the husbands or the wives; have the opposite spouse go to a different room. Now ask questions and have the first group answer them ("Where did you go on your first date?" "How would your spouse finish this sentence: 'My mother-in-law makes me --'?" "My spouse's first significant other's name was --." Then have the spouses come in and give their answers. The couple with the most matches with one another wins.

• Host a romantic scavenger hunt, like this one.

• Seat guests and have a few rounds of Valentine's Day Mad Libs (scroll down this page for a hilarious Mad Lib "love letter."

• Candy-in-a-jar count. Fill a jar or bowl with candy (candy Valentine hearts with sayings printed on them are perfect; so are M&Ms, Skittles or "fun size" chocolates). Place the jar near the entryway to your home. Have guests take a guess at how many candies are in the jar as they walk in. Have a piece of paper and a pen handy so each guest can write down his or her guess. At the end of the party, award all the candy to the guest who chose closest to the actual number of candies in the jar.

The post Valentine’s Day Party Ideas for Couples appeared first on Theme A Party.

Princess Tea Party Guide:

Creative Invitations

Plan the party for the afternoon (yes, as in “afternoon tea”). Use wording like the example below:

Enclose a note to the parents that a princess or other costume, a long dress, “jewelry” and/or a fancy hat are all encouraged.

Decorate the invitations with pink ribbons and glitter. Another neat idea is to shape them like teabags or a tea pot.

What’s on the Menu?

Though they want to feel all grown-up, the party guests may not like the typical afternoon tea offerings, like cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches. Have a few traditional tea items available, but have some kid-approved choices ready as well. Try these:

Princess tea party cupcakes, by Janet/Flickr

• Juice or chocolate milk. Many youngsters like tea, particularly if there’s plenty of sugar and some milk stirred in. Still, have an alternate option, especially if these are very young children. Pour into tea cups and allow finicky guests to pretend they’re drinking real tea.
• Herbal tea. Tea, of course, has caffeine. Use herbal tea instead, which is caffeine-free. Strawberry and other fruity teas would make a great drink, but even then, very young kids could still be put off by the taste.
• Finger sandwiches. These are a true tea party tradition. Make sandwiches your guests will love, like peanut butter and jelly, cheese, tuna salad or egg salad. Then fancy them up by cutting off the crusts and slicing each into rectangles or triangles.
• Sweet baked goods. Try shortbread (great for tea-dipping), pieces of sponge cake garnished with whipped cream, bakery cookies and biscuits and jam, all teatime traditional favorites.
• Cupcakes. All little princesses love cupcakes! As an activity, have them decorate their own pre-made (and cooled) cupcakes with pink icing and sprinkles.
• Lemon, milk and sugar. Have lumps of sugar nearby, or a fancy sugar bowl and spoon. Slice lemon into thin wedges and arrange on a plate. Set the milk down beside this arrangement. The guests may or may not want to add them to their tea or other drinks, but they’ll love the genuine feel these tea necessities create.

Tea party goodies, by jadensmommy/Flickr

Setting Up the Party Area

Now that you have the menu planned, it’s time to think about decorating. Remember, you’re looking for a very glamorous feel to make it a real princess tea party.

Tulle is a material that’s both inexpensive and showy—and it definitely brings to mind princesses in tall towers. Use a fluff of tulle decorated with faux “gems” as your centerpiece. Place flowers—roses are great for this; purchase inexpensive craft store flowers to save money—in the middle of your creation. Glitter adds a glamorous final touch.

Tie white, pink and purple ribbons to the chairs around the table. Attach a white carnation, chrysanthemum or rose, or a handful of daisies to one side of each chair’s back.

In terms of color, think pink, white, yellow, purple and spring green. Match the place settings to the theme for your finishing touch.

Tea Service and Proper Etiquette

A “proper tea” often involves courses, but for youngsters, I’d recommend kid-friendly finger foods in one sitting, as mentioned above.

Pour the tea or other beverage directly to the guests at the party table, then let them choose whatever treats they’d like from a separate food table.

Remind the guests to use their manners–this is the one time they won’t mind being told to behave! In fact, they’re likely to compete with one another to see who can act the most genteel…at least this once.

How to Brew a Perfect Pot of Tea

This is for actual tea. You will need:

• a serving tea pot
• a kettle or other pot (for heating the water)
• loose tea leaves
• a strainer

1. Pour hot water into your serving tea pot and set aside while you’re preparing the tea. The pre-warmed pot will keep the prepared tea hotter after it’s poured in.
2. Heat water in your kettle to just boiling.
3. Pour the plain hot water out of the pot, then refill the pot with the boiled water.
4. Add loose tea leaves (about 1 tsp. for each 3/4-cup serving).
5. Give the tea a quick stir (don’t overdo this!), then put the top on the pot. Steep for 5 minutes.
6. Pour the tea and leaves through a strainer into another container. Give the pot a quick hot-water rinse to ensure that there are no leaf bits left inside. Then refill with the strained tea. Serve immediately to seated guests.

For younger kids, you will want to serve lukewarm herbal tea, instead. You will need:

• a tea pot (for serving)
• a kettle or other pot (for heating the water)
• strawberry or other fruity herbal teabags (3 to 5 per quart)

1. Heat water in your teapot to just before boiling. Open the kettle top and set aside for 3 minutes to slightly cool.
2. Fill the serving pot with the water.
3. Add the teabags, steep for 5 mintues. Leave the cap open to let it cool faster.
4. Serve to seated guests. Add sugar or honey for sweetness. Drink when lukewarm.

Entertainment Fit for a Princess

For activities, go for less rough-and-tumble and more refined. But keep the fun factor!

• Play a tea party version of the well-known memory match game, which involves matching pictures by remembering where they are. Print out and cut pairs of tea cups, flowers, tea bags, crumpets and tea pots. Make the game even more exciting by offering a small prize to the winner.

• Play “What’s in the Garden?” Hide little tokens—like faux jewelry and small candies—in your garden if it’s a sturdy one that can take trampling feet. Otherwise, create cheery flowers out of colored paper and attach them to your fence, gate or other upright area; sprinkle the treasures in that area.

• Play a Disney Princess movie for wind-down entertainment near the end of the soiree, or Alice in Wonderland for some laughs. Check Amazon for a list of princess movies.

• Have a “Be a Princess!” makeup station. Use child-friendly, non-irritating makeup and nail polish to make your guests even more gorgeous.

Finally, send the happy partiers home with a great treat or goody box. Ideas include a purse-shaped box with a “pearl” necklace, stickers, rings and plastic flowers. A fun way to end a tea-rific party!

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Kids and adults of all generations love Snoopy, the classic children’s movie/TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas and the whole Peanuts gang. This year, hold a holiday party everyone will love, with cartoon characters that are a tradition all by themselves.

Snoopy and Peanuts Christmas Party Guide:

Putting Together a Snoopy Christmas Theme Party

You already know the famous story, first written out as a series by Charles M. Schultz in his ongoing Peanuts comic strip and later pieced together into the Christmastime staple, A Charlie Brown Christmas. (But just in case, here’s the scoop on this timeless favorite, including clips that will have you getting into the holiday spirit in no time.)

Make the characters a central theme for your party. Peanuts favorites include Charlie Brown, Snoopy (of course!) and his sidekick Woodstock, Lucy and Linus Van Pelt, Charlie Brown’s sister Sally, Peppermint Patty and Marcie, Franklin, Schroeder and Pigpen, to name a few.

Have your party invitations and decorations feature these personality-filled characters, as well as the famous Charlie Brown Christmas tree and fabulous mod 60s-type Christmas decorations; see the categories below for details.

Peanut-y Party Invitations You Can Make Yourself

Charlie Brown and his pals are such a Christmas tradition that it’s easy to find inexpensive, cute invitations at a local party store or online. However, if you’d like to make your very own Peanuts Christmas invitations, try these ideas:

Idea #1: Locate a picture online of Charlie Brown’s spindly little Christmas tree with its lone hanging ornament (see it on the right). Print it out on foldable card stock; fold and then cut the card around the tree’s shape. On the inside, print, “All (our party) needs is a little love. We know you can fit that bill!“, “Find the real meaning of our Christmas party…fun, food, drink and you!”, or another cheery greeting that brings to mind one or more lines from the show.

Idea #2: Find an image of the Peanuts gathered around Snoopy’s dog house (the final “Oh Christmas Tree” singing scene in the movie) and print it on the front of folded cardstock paper; on the inside, print a greeting and enclose a sprinkling of colorful holiday glitter.

Idea #3: Print (or freehand, if you’re the artistic type) images of a mailbox, a la Charlie Brown’s mailbox (where he keeps looking for Christmas cards and invitations); fold to create the card, and cut around the mailbox shape.

To Add Pizzazz to Any Peanuts Party Invitation: Use retro-colorful cardstock for your invitations. Bold greens, blues and reds, groovy lime green and orange and bold prints or polka dots are all oh-so-sixties. Download a border (Google these…you’ll find quite a few for free) along these lines for your party invites.

Decking the Halls: Nutty Party Decorations

Have a ball with your party decorations. Here are a few suggestions:

• Hang oversized foil decorations in classic round or teardrop shapes from the ceiling.

• Place a bunch of old-fashioned glass ornaments in a bowl on the table; add silver or gold garland around the centerpiece in a circle.

• Order a custom banner, or paint/draw one yourself, and hang it above the entryway to the party or over your front door.

• Make a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree! Cut a long branch off an evergreen tree if you have one in your yard (or if you bought a real Christmas tree this year and can find a space in the back that won’t show the bare spot afterward). Stick it firmly into a rectangular piece of Styrofoam. Using Styrofoam-safe glue (some glues can melt this material), glue pieces of old wood paneling or cardboard painted/colored to look like wood around the edges of the Styrofoam. If you need extra weight to keep the “tree” standing, glue a piece of plywood or even an old paperback book you won’t be using again to the bottom. Add one dangling ornament to the “tree,” and make sure it’s heavy enough for the branch to bend over with a sad look. Use as a centerpiece for the party.

• Balloons make any party special. Buy balloons in bright, Peanuts-esque colors – reds, greens and blues. Rent a helium tank if you want the balloons to float around the party area, or buy an inexpensive balloon pump to save time (and your breath!) on the day of the party.

• Print images of various Peanuts characters, in scarves and gloves if possible, and cut them out. Hang them on the walls around the party area.

Setting a Party Mood: Atmosphere and Activities

• If you don’t already own A Charlie Brown Christmas, buy or rent it. Have it playing during the party to really get guests into the holiday mood.

• Play the soundtrack to the show in the background.

• Make a simple dog house shape out out of cardboard boxes; paint it red. During the party, let guests decorate the doghouse with strings of lights, Christmas ornaments and other goodies. This is especially fun for kids, but don’t be surprised if the adults at your party offer to “help” (yeah, sure!) in this fun activity.

• Have an ornament exchange. On the invitations (see above for ideas), let guests know that there will be a Peanuts-themed ornament exchange. Any Peanuts style ornament is acceptable, from the traditional to the uber-silly…invite guests to get creative! Each ornament should be wrapped and then brought to the party. As the host, you will write a number on each package as guests arrive. Later, have each guest pick a number from a hat (try a knitted winter hat for a fun effect) to receive his or her ornament.

• Play Charlie Brown Christmas Bingo. Make grids on square pieces of cardboard or other heavy paper. Write blurbs from the show on the grids’ squares, Bingo-style. Some great quotes can be found here; keep them short (“You do think I’m beautiful, don’t you, Charlie Brown?”, “Do innkeepers’ wives have naturally curly hair?” “See? All it needed was a little love,” etc.) so each fits into a square. Write the same quotes on pieces of paper and toss them into a bowl or other container. Pick them out one at a time and call out the quote. Guests who have a matching quote will place one M&M, on penny or other small item onto that square. The first to get Bingo receives a gift — candy, a tree ornament, a copy of A Charlie Brown Christmas or something similar.

Nostalgic Party Foods

Go retro when it comes to food and drink for your party. The theme lends itself to nostalgia, and guests will love these old-fashioned, tried and true holiday yummies.

• For drinks, try eggnog, apple cider, hot chocolate or party punch (make with juice and seltzer or soda for kids; “spike” if desired for adults). Serve in Snoopy or Peanuts theme disposable cups for ease of cleanup after the party.

• Pop big bowls of popcorn and set them up around the party so guests can grab a handful whenever they’d like. You can also have a batch of popcorn available to make popcorn Christmas tree garland, a fun activity for adults or older kids (watch younger children when it comes to needles — even not-so-sharp ones). String it around your centerpiece tree when it’s done.

• If you’ll be having a luncheon or dinner buffet at your party, serve turkey slices with gravy, mashed potatoes, traditional bread or cornbread stuffing and cranberry sauce. Or for kids, make the party favorites you remember, like pigs in a blanket.

For sweet treats, make mini apple pies, toast up some s’mores and have them available on trays or on disposable Charlie Brown themed paper plates. Bake up (or purchase ready-made) gingerbread men and women and bakery style sugar cookies, and have some fun, traditional Christmas candy available, like ribbon candies or candy canes.

Last but not least, remember to send us your favorite pics of your party or get-together. We love to hear from you. Merry Christmas…and have a blast putting together your Peanuts themed party!

• Browse for Peanuts party supplies here

The post Snoopy & Peanuts Christmas Theme Party Ideas appeared first on Theme A Party.

Here are some great tips to get the party started, including a recipe on cooking the perfect tasty turkey!

Decorations and Serving Dishes

An easy way to spice up your Thanksgiving table is to put down an autumn-colored tablecloth (red, orange, yellow, cream or a combination of these), then place a centerpiece in the middle.

Adding fruits, such as grapes and oranges, and vegetables like an ear of corn or some beans around the centerpiece will add an earthy and very on-trend look.

With your centerpiece in place, you’re ready to add decorations to the rest of the table and the party area. Don’t overcrowd your table—you want to reduce the possibility of spills or burns as guests reach for your delicious dishes. However, handfuls of leaves (have kids cut and color these, or gather pretty ones from outside) in small dishes between the food selections will look beautiful.

If you’re having a very large group or if you’re concerned about breakage, leave Grandmother’s china in the cabinet this year and opt for pretty, seasonal paper plates and plastic cutlery this year.  Go for elegant or whimsical—the choice is up to you and to the personalities in your gathering.

A few candles can definitely add atmosphere, but again, safety is first here. Try battery-operated LED candles, or place burning votives to float in a water dish well out of the reach of guests (toward the center of the table).

• Find Thanksgiving decorations

Cooking the Turkey

You needn’t stick to a traditional turkey if you’d prefer something else instead. Many families celebrate Thanksgiving with a ham, a roast duck or even a turducken.

But if you’re like us and feel it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the Tom, try this fabulous recipe for the juiciest turkey ever:

The Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

Ingredients:

• 1 14-17 lb. turkey (fresh or thawed)
• 15 sage leaves (fresh if possible; if using dried, soak for five minutes before adding to turkey)
• 1/4-1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 medium or 2 small red apples of choice, sliced
• 1 small onion, sliced
• seasonings of choice (such as rosemary and thyme)
• aluminum foil
• roasting pan large enough for turkey to fit easily
• a poultry thermometer

1.Preheat oven to 475F.

2.Wash turkey inside (the cavity) and outside (the skin) with cold running water.

3.Pat turkey dry thoroughly with a paper towel.

4.Lay turkey in your pan breast-side up and gently loosen the skin by running one or two fingers between the skin and the meat.

5.In a small bowl, mix the sage leaves with your herbs of choice by hand, then gently insert all beneath the skin of the turkey and over the meat.

6.Stuff the cavity with the apples and onion (these will NOT be eaten; they are “aromatics” and for smell and flavor of the meat only).

7.Coat the outside of the skin with butter.

8.Place aluminum foil over the breasts; this will keep them from drying out during the cooking process.

9.Place in 475F oven for 30 minutes ONLY.

10.Reduce oven temperature to 350F and cook for 2-3 more hours or until a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the thigh reads 180F (be careful not to insert the thermometer deep enough to touch the bone; this will give an inaccurate reading).

11.If the wings and/or legs begin to brown too much, cover these with aluminum foil.

12.When the turkey’s inner meat temperature reaches 180F, take it out of the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 15-20 minutes. (Do not take the aluminum foil off during this process, and the turkey will continue to cook slightly.)

Slice and serve!

Fun and Games

Don’t forget the activities! Both kids and adults will want to stay occupied while your turkey and side dishes (buy these at your local deli if you’re pressed for time) are heating up. Here are a few ideas:

• Pin the feather on the turkey. This is easy to make or buy. The feather closest to the “center” feather on the turkey is the winner.

• Turkey Bowl. If you are serving Thanksgiving during the turkey bowl, click here for a whole bunch of ideas for this party.

• Gratitude-go-round. The first person in the circle briefly states one thing for which he or she is grateful. The next person repeats the first person’s phrase and adds one of his or her own. As more comments are added, guests will begin to find it difficult to remember everything, leading to laughter all around by the end.

• Invite guests to come dressed as a favorite pilgrim, Native American or a symbol of fall (such as a big leaf or an acorn).

• To get guests in the giving mood, have a Thanksgiving potluck. Supply the big items yourself (like the turkey and the drinks), but allow each guest to bring a favorite side dish or dessert.

Your best Thanksgiving is just a few great ideas away. Add your own creativity to the suggestions above and you’ll host a day to remember.

The post Thanksgiving Party Ideas appeared first on Theme A Party.

Here’s some fun ideas, invitations, decor ideas, food and activities to host a magical party for your child.

Elmo Birthday Party Guide:

Creative Invitations

The best way to create a fun theme is to start with Elmo invitations. Your invitations should follow your theme to let guests know there’s plenty of fun in store.

Use fun, engaging wording on the inside of the invitation, such as “Come on over to Elmo’s World!” or “Sunny day, sweepin’ the clouds away…it’s [your child’s name’s] birthday!” You can find Elmo invites at a variety of places, but it’s so much more fun to make your own!

Fun Elmo and Cookie Monster invites, by Embracing the Three Me’s

Here’s a few ideas:

• “Mouth” invitations – you will need a white piece of paper, and card stock in red, black and orange. Cut out circles in the white and red paper. Glue them together, and fold. You now have the invitation. With the rest of the white paper, cut out a double-circle to make the eyes, small black circles for the pupils, a black smiling mouth, and an orange nose. Paste them to make Elmo’s face. Write the party details inside. (See image on right)

• Felt invitations – with red, white, black and orange felt, cut shapes to make Elmo’s face (furry head, eyes, mouth and nose). Write the invitation on a separate piece of paper and glue it to the back of the felt

• Funny Fuzzy Elmo – with red, black and orange card stock, cut out shapes and glue to make Elmo’s face. Write the party details on the back. Flip to the front again, and glue on large googly eyes. Finally, glue red “fur” on his face (you can find this at a craft store, or use bits of yarn or red craft grass).

Choose Elmo-style wording for your party invites if you’re making your own (and we recommend this – it’s so easy, and so much fun to do). Examples:

• “This is the party, la-la la-la, [your child’s name’s] party!”
• “Won’t you tell me if you’ll come … if you’ll come to my Sesame Street party?”
• “Elmo loves his goldfish, his crayon too … and he loves to see YOU … so please come to [your child’s name’s] party!”

Print the wording on invitations shaped like Elmo’s face – click below to download an Elmo face template for your invites and games.

Another idea is to look in your local dollar store for miniature plastic bowls to serve as Dorothy’s fishbowl; print out invitations, roll up and insert one into each bowl, then add a plastic goldfish or a package of edible gummy fish. This and other 3-D or large size options work best for hand-delivered invites around the neighborhood.

If you’re mailing the invitations, stick to paper, which will be an easier and much less expensive option for you. Just be sure to include a goody, like a page of Sesame Street stickers, in each envelope for the fun factor and to get little guests in the mood to party.

Elmo Talks About Birthday Parties

It’s Dorothy’s birthday today! Elmo celebrates with all his friends, and learns about different types of parties, how to make a cake and how to wrap presents (watch how Mr. Noodle tries to wrap a birthday gift at the 3 minute mark – hint: you don’t need five yards of tape!)

Elmo Decorations

Choose Elmo and Sesame Street theme party supplies such as tablecloths, cups and plates, napkins and a centerpiece on the party table. Sesame Street cut-outs look great on the walls, too. Choose primary colors, crayon themes and Sesame Street themes (see below for ideas.)

If your big boy or girl is turning one, be sure to emphasize this with a banner announcing “(Baby’s) 1st birthday,” 1st birthday cards, and decorations. Banners are also appropriate and will quickly and inexpensively dress up the party area.

If you previously had an Elmo baby shower, and kept the decorations, bring those out too!

Try some of these decoration ideas to create Elmo’s World in your own home:

Goldfish in a bowl. This decoration idea is great because it doubles as a birthday gift, provided you feel the birthday boy or girl is old enough for the responsibility.

Buy a live goldfish, a bowl, goldfish food, fish gravel/rocks and at least one decoration for the bowl. Name the fish Dorothy and present “her” as a gift.

Be sure to keep this fragile decoration out of harm’s way if you’re inviting very young guests, but take each attendee over to the bowl and hold his or her hand to have a look.

Sesame Street sign. Make a big Sesame Street sign by cutting the shape out of a piece of cardboard. Cover the cardboard with aluminum foil. Now paint “Sesame Street” on both sides of the sign. Place it on a broom or any tall dowel or pole you may have around the house and set it up next to the front door or the party entrance. Another option: Paint “[your child’s name]’s Street” on the sign instead of “Sesame Street.” This is also a great idea for a Sesame Street birthday party.

Elmo and Sesame Street characters. Print out pictures of Dorothy, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Zoe, Cookie Monster, The Count and all of Elmo’s best buddies. Hang them on the walls of the party area with double-sided, removable tape.

Walk your feet to Sesame Street. On a piece of cardboard, draw an outline of an Elmo footprint (make it look fuzzy on the edges, but be sure it’s identifiable as a footprint) and cut out the shape with scissors. Using the shape as a pattern, cut as many shapes out of red construction paper as you’ll need to line the way from your front door to the party area.

Elmo’s room. Imitate Elmo’s crayon-drawn room from his popular show by drawing his window, door and computer on large-size butcher paper. If you can’t find the butcher paper, tape together multiple pieces of any size paper or cardboard and draw your shapes on these. Draw on the details, like the window shade, computer monitor and keyboard, and door knob. Hang on the walls of the party area.

Elmo supplies can easily be found at:

• Amazon
• Birthday Express

Elmo Party Activities

If you will be inviting children of mixed ages, be sure to have activities that will keep them engaged and playing with one another, like these:

• Coloring pages are appealing to all ages; have children sit down, color one Elmo or Sesame Street page from a coloring book and hang the artwork on the walls. Give out a prize for each (“most original,” “neatest,” etc.).

Click image to download this Elmo face template

• Classics such as pin the tail on the donkey can easily be customized to your Elmo party theme. Try “pin the nose on Elmo,” “put Dorothy (Elmo’s pet fish) in her bowl” or “pin the hair ribbon on Zoe” for original ideas.

• You can also play “The Freeze,” a game where music is played and the children dance. When you shut off the music, the guests must hold whatever pose they’re in. The first one to fall down is out. Keep going until there’s only one child left. Give that child the Grand Prize (such as a party favor box with pieces of candy or dried fruit slices and a small toy) and a small piece of candy each to the other participants.

• Elmo is very easy to make – Before the party, cut out large red circles (his face), white and black circles (his eyes), yellow noses, and black happy faces. Mix all the paper parts up in a bowl. With some glue, have each child assemble Elmo. This is also a great take-home gift.

• Have a pinata! Children love the fun of seeing their efforts result in a mountain of goodies falling all around them. Be sure to take plenty of pictures; the looks on their faces will make you smile for years to come.

Hooray for Food!

A Sesame Street cake is a must. Want to try making your own? It’s easier than you think. Check out a fun tutorial of your dear party host making an Elmo cake for his daughter’s 2nd birthday.

Elmo LOVES pizza!. Order in, pick up or make your own from scratch.

Because Elmo’s face is so simple, you can easily make an Elmo pizza! Simply make a slightly oval pizza dough, and add two half circles of dough to make his eyes. Add sauce, cheese, and cover with pepperoni for his red face. Add mushrooms for his white eyes, olives for his mouth and pupils, and pineapple tidbits to make his nose. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Yum!

Make punch using red ingredients (of course!) for Elmo. Red fruit juices are perfect. Feel free to add small chunks of fruit if your guests are over three and the pieces won’t pose a choking hazard.

Make Grouch Juice … Oscar’s favorite! Use 7-Up or Sprite coupled with any clear-colored juice, such as non-food color added grape juice. Add drops of food coloring in alternating blue and yellow until you get a deep green color.

Cook up a batch of Sesame Street cookies. Buy cookie cutters in the shapes of your child’s favorite Sesame Street characters. Or look for letter or number shapes, since the show teaches both.

Use your favorite recipe or make things easy on yourself and buy pre-mixed, refrigerated dough. Roll out, cut and bake. Decorate with sprinkles.

Elmo and Zoe Cupcakes. Elmo and Zoe are great friends, so why not combine your party with these two characters. Check out a video (bottom of the page) on making Elmo cupcakes.

Goldfish crackers. They fit in perfectly with the theme, and really, what could be more convenient and inexpensive? Plus, kids love them.

Teddy Grahams and other toddler-friendly foods. Make sure everything you choose is easy for youngsters to chew and swallow. Teddy Grahams and similar treats are perfect for the Sesame Street set.

Chocolate chip cookies. Make your own – these are so easy and there are so many different recipes out there. Or buy a roll in your store’s refrigerated section. Break off pieces and bake. Chocolate chip cookies are Cookie Monster’s favorite munchie.

Make the food offerings creative by serving them out of Sesame Street-themed containers. Pick up a small-size waste paper basket at your local dollar store; cover it with green paper and draw lines so it becomes Oscar’s garbage can.Fill with party goodies.

Another idea: serve foods in plastic goldfish bowls, like Dorothy’s bowl. Or buy disposable plates with Elmo’s face on them; arrange treats on each plate and set out on the party table.

Your guests’ parents may stay for the party, so be sure you have a few “grownup” foods around. Cut raw vegetables and chunks of bread with spinach dip, make veggie or fruit kabobs, and serve sandwich wraps and plates cheese or nuts for adults to snack on while their kids party out.

Or just go for pizza…it’s not just kids (and Elmo) that love a great ‘za!

Dressing Up for the Party

A costume Elmo theme party will add interest for kids ages two and up. On your invitations, ask guests to dress as Sesame Street characters.

You’ll get extra mileage out of this idea later when your child can re-wear the costume for Halloween and for everyday dress up play. Be sure to buy or make a costume in a large enough size so she can enjoy it again and again.

Adults, there’s also adult Elmo-themed costumes available too.

Party Favors

For favors, go for what kids love. Crayons, stickers and small toys (make sure these aren’t a choking hazard for very young children) are popular picks among kids. So are rubber duckies, like Ernie’s bathtub friend.

Or try fun and fashionable Elmo or Sesame Street t-shirts for smaller groups.

Have fun with the theme – there are so many great Sesame Street ideas, and everybody loves Elmo. Get creative and be sure to let us know what you come up with!

The post Elmo Birthday Party Ideas appeared first on Theme A Party.

It may seem a bit morbid to dress up grave sites, dance like the reanimated dead and eat skulls (albeit yummy candy ones), but in reality, Dia de Los Muertos is highly respectful and very beautiful.

Yet a good dash of humor is tossed in as well, showing the fun-loving side of the celebrants who refuse to be afraid of death and instead, go so far as to mock the Grim Reaper during this special celebration.

Day of the Dead Party Guide:

What It’s All About

Traditional Dia de los Muertos wedding figurines. Note the stylized skulls and the touch of humor.

Much like American, Canadian and British Halloween, Dia de los Muertos is a bundle of paradoxes put together into one big, colorful celebration.

And boy … do partiers know how to do it up! Dia de los Muertos is very “showy,” usually involving parades, eating amazing goodies like decorated sugar skulls, wearing traditional Mexican clothing along with spooky makeup and dancing to the beat of hundreds of years of tradition.

Flowers can be seen everywhere on Dia de Los Muertos; on floats, decorative tables and of course, on people, with pretty blooms in the hair and on clothing. Another important factor to the celebration is food (we’ll cover a few fun recipes below).

At  night, family members and friends visit the graves of loved ones and decorate them beautifully in a time-honored tradition of remembrance. “Ofrendas” (offerings) are also made, including soap and wash items so the departed can “wash up” after their long journey to the afterlife, and things for the departed to symbolically eat, especially breads and candies. Inside the house, altars are arranged with photos of beloved ones, and lots of flowers.

If your town has a Mexican community, you may have been to a Dia de los Muertos parade and seen some of the excitement yourself. If not, you can still get in on the fun. Come on, rock those bones this year! Here’s how.

Dia de Los Muertos Party Decor

Exquisitely decorated graves.

For decorations, think 18th-19th century Mexico, mariachi bands and loads of flowers! Bright red and green, black, white, yellow and shiny colors, such as silver and gold, will give your party a real Mexican fiesta feel. Try these ideas:

• Print out pictures of stylized Day of the Dead skulls and put up on the walls. Check out this artist’s work for examples — we haven’t bought from her yet but we love her style.

• Print silhouettes of mariachi bands, complete with sombreros, formal Mexican dress and instruments.
• String red, green and white paper flowers or a garland around your front gate, along the bannister outside, and hang from the ceilings indoors.

• Choose a brightly colored tablecloth, especially one with fringe along the edges.

• Buy an inexpensive pair of maracas and place them on the table as a centerpiece. Surround with flowers.

• Make lots of paper decorations, including tissue paper flowers. Let your kids help…they’ll love it! Use plenty of bright colors. These are easier than you think…here’s a video tutorial from Simplekidscrafts.com:

• Papier mache is a popular Dia de los Muertos medium too. Create skulls by covering balloons with your mache; allow to dry completely and cut each dried balloon vertically so you have two face shapes. Cut holes for eyes and nose and paint on a mouth, tiny flowers and jewelry.

Party Invitations With Spanish Flavor

Look for free clipart or even free children’s coloring pages (you’d be surprised — we happened upon some great finds with this search!) for awesome images to add to your invitations.

If you have an editing program, upload the image and play around with it. Add color and text.

For the intro, insert a Spanish phrase; for instance, “Llegado a nuestro partido” (“Come to our party!”) or “Feliz Dia de los Muertos…ven a celebrar” (“Happy Day of the Dead — come celebrate”).

Skeleton Bride

Also include a “calavera,” or morbid poem, if your friends have a sense of humor. Calavera, which means skull, in this usage refers to a funny, grim epitaph of a living person. Think of something hilarious to say that’s personal to each guest, print out his or her personal message and enclose it.

Let guests know they’re welcome to dress up! Here’s a costume makeup tutorial; add traditional Mexican clothing. (Watch clips of real Dia de los Muertos parades for costume inspiration; this one took place in San Francisco in 2010.)

Want more things to say, but you’re not sure how to say them? Google Translate is your friend. But if your guests don’t have at least rudimentary Spanish, keep phrases simple and on the obvious side. Or translate below in small print.

Add colorful confetti, enclose in an envelope and mail two weeks in advance of the party.

Party Foods – Delicioso!

Everybody loves Mexican food, so your menu is guaranteed to please if you make tacos, burritos, nachos and other delicious goodies. However, to be more authentic and less commercial, try a couple of Dia de los Muertos eats:

• Calaveras de azucar (sugar skulls). These aren’t just yummy, they’re absolutely gorgeous. Order them from your local Mexican caterer or bakery. Or make your own.

• Chocolate coffins. Chocolate coffins are hugely popular for this holiday. Again, buying from a real Mexican grocery or making sure your chocolates are imported from Mexico will ensure you’ve got a truly tasty treat for guests. These are great for goody bags, too.

• Pan de muerto (bread of the dead). Make and mold into a whimsical shape. This recipe got rave reviews (ignore the fact that there’s an unneeded ‘s’ in the name!).

• Atole. This drink, which is actually more like a thin gruel (only tastier), isn’t for every palate, but if you’re feeling adventurous and want to be autentico, give it a try! It includes brown sugar (yum!) plus masa harina, a type of flour.

• Hot chocolate. Not brave enough for the atole? Make good old-fashioned hot chocolate instead. Chocolate is a Native American invention; they didn’t use sugar or milk, but go ahead and make up the creamiest version you can find. Serve with churros or empinadas.

Bailamos (Let’s Dance!): Party Music With a Latin Beat

Latin culture and music are practically synonymous. The well-known mariachi style is a much loved choice for many Mexican celebrations, and Dia de los Muertos is no exception.

Ideally, have space available in the party area for dancing. If you really want to see guests get down and get Latin, have a dance contest. You might be surprised at some of the boss moves you see once people open up and get down!

Download traditional Mexican party music. Amazon.com and other online stops are the perfect place to look for Latin music CDs – more classical albums will be heavy on the horns and guitar; more contemporary forms will have an updated twist but will still evoke that upbeat fiesta feeling.

Do have a party end time, particularly if there are noise laws in your neighborhood (and most towns do have these). Send guests home with little guest packages of hot cocoa and Mexican cookies, mmmm!

The post Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Party Ideas appeared first on Theme A Party.

A Monster High party will generally be more girl- than boy-oriented, though for younger age groups, having boys at the party should be fine. (There are male Monster High dolls too, btw.) This is such a flexible theme and appeals to a broad range of kids.

For guests age 9 and over, though, you’ll probably prefer an all-female crowd — sorry, boys.

So, Barbie, move over: here are my favorite ideas on throwing a freaky-fab Monster High party!

Monster High: The Characters

What a bunch of characters! When it comes to personality (and humor), the Monster High series really has it going on. If your daughter is into Monster High, you probably already know some of its main characters and their quirky characteristics, but if not, here’s the quick version to get you in-the-know:

Frankie Stein: Yep, you guessed it: this character was created by her dad, the well-known monster, who in turn was stitched together by Dr. Frankenstein. Frankie has green skin and neck bolts, is friendly and is athletic, which lends humor as her body parts often fly off in the midst of getting physical.

Draculaura: Draculaura’s humorous tie-in is that she’s vegan; hence, no blood-drinking like her famous daddy. She owns a pet bat named Count Fabulous and is sweet, dreamy and rather poetic, often writing little vignettes about her friends. She loves the colors pink and black.

Frankie Stein

Draculaura

Clawdeen Wolf: This furry chick is, naturally, the daughter of the Werewolf. Her pointed ears are pierced. She’s friendly, outgoing and has a purple cat named Crescent.

Lagoona Blue: Daughter of the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Lagoona Blue is indeed a light blue color. She has a pet piranha named Neptuna and is a bit of a tomboy.

Clawdeen Wolf

Lagoona Blue

Cleo de Nile: The Mummy’s little girl is uber-popular and leans toward the snobby side. Cleo’s pet is a snake, Hisette. Cleo is captain of the fearleading squad.

Ghoulia Yelps: Ghoulia is the smartest student at Monster High, but she only speaks zombie (i.e. groans and moans). Her pet is a blue owl called Sir Hoots a Lot. Ghoulia is shy and enjoys reading.

Cleo de Nile

Ghoulia Yelps

Other characters: In addition to the original set of dolls, Monster High has expanded to include Deuce Gorgon, the son of Medusa and school hottie extraordinaire (he’s a casketball star);  Spectra and Abbey, two minor female student characters; a host of male students and some teachers with quirks of their own.

Particularly if you’ll be inviting boys to your child’s party, you’ll want to look some of these additional characters up in order to give party guests options for dressup or a Monster High costume contest.

Monstrously Fun Party Invitations

If you’re a busy parent and want to pick up some fun Monster High invitations, go for a licensed variety — so cute, so cost effective.

If you prefer to make your own invites, get your own little ghoul in on the action by having her help with selecting clipart images, deciding on text, cutting out a shape on the card if desired, etc. We’ve found time and time again that kids absolutely love helping with organizing their own parties, so put those little hands to work! Try these ideas:

Wording: This should be catchy, cool and fun with a touch of the macabre. (Stick with just “catchy” for the younger crowd.) “Hey ghoulfriends, come to a Monster High Halloween party at [location, date, time]” will work for all ages (even the eye-rolling ones of 12 and up).

Skull with pink bow: The dolls’ trademark half-skull with pink bow makes the perfect shape for your invitations. Download an image, print off copies and let your youngster cut them out. If you want, you can pre-print the party info to appear on the back; just make sure of your parameters so no wording is getting cut out later.

Click to download high-res image

The Monster High crest: This is another well-known image among the Monster High crowd. Download an image of the crest (click the image on the left) and center it on the front of the card to be printed.

On the inside (this is easier if you have a card making program, but depending upon what operating system you have, it’s likely you can find a free program download on the web), print “Class Schedule” with “4:00: tons of fun. 4:15: greets ‘n games. 4:30: movie showing,” etc.

Enclose something fun: Before you seal your envelopes, enclose a mini-gift, like stickers or temporary tattoos.

Advise guests on how to dress: If this is to be a costume/dress up party, be sure to let guests know this well in advance by making a clear note of it on the party invitations. You don’t want anyone to feel left out.

Goulishish Decor Ideas

The decor here is cool with a touch of the macabre. If this will be a Halloween party, or if your child’s birthday takes place on or near Halloween, add more of the creepy decor to really set the mood. Here’s how to create Monster High in your own home:

• The Monster High series is all about girly and kitschy. Choose your theme party color scheme to include purple, hot pink, bright blue and black.

• For dishware, choose an easy party kit. The kids will love it, it’s not a huge expense and this will save you the extra step of washing dishes after the party.

• Think “girl-ified goth.” Match unlikely pairings such as a glittery candelabra draped with faux cobwebs or a stack of innocent-looking school books with plastic spiders on top of the pile. Use your ingenuity — party decor for this theme does not have to be pricey.

• If this is a birthday party, order a personalized Monster High banner for the guest of honor, or create your own using the colors pink and black.

• Buy butcher paper — it’s very wide and is inexpensive — and paint or draw a wall mural. Make Frankenstein’s lab or a graveyard scene, or paint rows of lockers in Monster High colors.

• Balloons, glitter and streamers in hot pink, purple, black and bright blue make a great accent for your party. Hang or float them everywhere — trust us, when it comes to a Monster High party, the girlier, the better.

• If it’s a Monster High Halloween party, include Halloween decorations in MH colors. Purple and black are super hot for pumpkins and other Halloween decor this year, so these should be an easy find. Check WalMart, Target or your local dollar store.

• Look for Monster High party decor now

Freaky-Fun Foods

Whether this will be a Halloween, birthday or back-to-school party, you’ll want to serve some freaky eats. Try these:

Macaroni and fleas: Bake macaroni and cheese and add just a sprinkle of pepper on the top, in the center. The pepper represents the “fleas,” but can be eaten around if guests don’t particularly fancy the taste.

Frankenfurters: Dress up hot dogs with one toothpick through one end of the dog for Frankenstein’s bolts, slivers of olives for eyes and an olive pimiento sliver for the mouth. “Glue” the facial features on with tiny dabs of yellow mustard. Finish with a jagged mustard “scar” across the forehead.

Fruit and/or veggie plate: In honor of Draculaura, who is vegan, serve fresh, sliced veggies and fresh fruit placed prettily on a tray. Be sure to include grapes, which are Cleo De Nile’s favorites!

Bloody punch: It’s a standby but it never gets old. Serve any sweet fruit juice that’s red or purple-colored along with a splash of clear-colored soda for fizz. If you like, add gummy body parts (check out Amazon — at this time of year, they usually carry something along these lines) or freeze ice cubes in Halloween or monster shapes (again, we recommend Amazon).

Cake with a Monster High edible topper: Simply print out the cake topper you wish to create, and submit it to your local cake decor company. They can then take the image and create an edible image on the cake.

Halloween candy treats: These will actually be appropriate whether you’re holding a Halloween or birthday party, since Halloween treats obviously carry the monster theme. Of course, it will be easier to find them in the fall, but don’t let that deter you. Check online for dealers who sell Halloween candy year-round. Candy corn, chocolates or individual candies in orange and black wrappers, Reece’s Pumpkins and other goodies are all choices that will put a smile on guests’ faces.

Halloween frosted cupcakes or a Halloween frosted pumpkin cake: If orange icing is out on store shelves, grab a bunch, along with yellow, and black if you can find it. (If not, use as dark brown a chocolate frosting as you can find.) Frost cupcakes, alternating orange cakes with brown ones, and decorate each in polka dots, stripes or squiggles with the alternating color if you’d like. For a pumpkin cake, use any standard square or rectangular cake pan, bake your cake per box directions or the recipe of your choice, and frost a huge orange pumpkin in the center. Use yellow for the glowing eyes, nose and mouth. Use brown for the pumpkin’s stem and to outline the eyes, nose and mouth.

Chips, pizza, pretzels: The Monster High girls are teens, after all. Serve standard teen junk-food fare. Set out bowls so guests can snack while they play.

Things to Do at Your Monster High Party

Our motto is: keep ’em busy! Generally speaking, the older the guests, the less structured an “activities list” you’ll need. Teens will tend to go off by themselves and create their own fun.

Younger guests need more choices so they have some direction, particularly if they’re shy upon entering the party. Or strike a happy medium: Have activities available but don’t push these; let them flow naturally.

For a Monster High theme party, we recommend:
Play the Monster High Ghoul Spirit video game. This awesome game is available for Nintendo DS and Wii. Give them free reign of the Ghoul Box. This app is available for iTunes, iPhone and the iPad. Get this for the guest of honor and let guests choose their favorite tunes and rock out.

Then, have a “Dance of the Living Dead contest” – award every participant a prize, like a bag of candy, some makeup (check your local dollar store for inexpensive finds) or a friendship bracelet.

Play Monster High trivia. Before the party, gather about 25-30 trivia questions about Monster High. Have guests compete for the most questions answered correctly, or have them split into two or three teams.

Monster High dressup. Have costume pieces available.

Have a Monster High makeup station. No ghoulish guest is going to say no to this. Let them decorate one another to their glamorous best!

Make MH school ID tags. Go on the Monsterhigh.com website and have guests make up their own school ID tags or other free printables.

Hold a mad science class. Buy inexpensive plastic containers of colored slime or glow-in-the-dark slime. Also hand out plastic bugs and small plastic body parts or any other truly disgusting, inexpensive biological-looking items you can find. Allow guests to mix and match their own gruesome concoctions.

Play Pass the Note. Fold up a piece of paper. Have guests pass the paper around while you play music. Stop the music randomly. The person holding the note at that time is “out.” The last note-passer to remain is the winner. Send home candies, Monster High stickers, Monster High striped socks or one of the series’ books as party favors.

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What is the Lalaloopsy Collection?

Lalaloopsy started out life as “Bitty Buttons,” a line of eight unique rag dolls. Each had a back story and was “designed to teach kids that everybody is unique in their own special way,” according to MGA Entertainment.

The original dolls were named Crumbs Sugar Cookie, Jewel Sparkles, Peanut Big Top, Bea Spells-a-Lot, Mittens Fluff ‘N’ Stuff, Dot Starlight, Pillow Featherbed, and Spot Splatter Splash.

Not long after their launch, the name of the series was changed to Lalaloopsy. Since the series launch in 2010, these dolls have really taken off. They’ve been compared to Tickle Me Elmo and Cabbage Patch Kids as a kids holiday must-have.

Getting Started: Party Invitations

Mail invitations two weeks before the party. Of course, you can always evite or text your guests’ parents. We love making things around here, so I’d always go for something DIY.

Buttons figure into Lalaloopsy, as the dolls have a sewing theme (“sew magical, sew cute“). The dolls have adorable button eyes as well.

Download and enlarge a picture of a pastel colored button. Print “You are sew invited!” or “We’d sew love to see you” on the front. On the back, print the party information. Cut around the button’s shape and mail.

Alternate idea: print out images of individual Lalaloopsy dolls. Print the party information on each doll. Have your child cut them out. Personalize each card and send. Of course, you can also personalize each invitation in the text before printing, and print individually.

Mango Tiki Wiki. So cute!

Coral Sea Shells doll.

Fun Idea: Ask Friends to Dress Up!

Why not make this a dress-up party? Ask guests to come as their favorite Lalaloopsy dolls. Or, let them use their imaginations to come up with the perfect “doll” and copy that idea in their costume.

If the party will be dress-up, let guests know well in advance. Send an evite, email or text to the families about three weeks ahead of the party. This will give everyone time to gather materials for a great costume. TIP: We find thrift shops and Goodwill stores GREAT for this! Put together lots of colors and fabrics for a fun, doll-like look.

Lalaloopsy Party Decor

Your party decor should be playful, of course. Think pastel or bright colors, a dollhouse-like atmosphere, gingham, stripes and polka dots, wool and knitting, gardens, flowers and friendly pets. Here are a few ideas for creating a very Loopsy atmosphere:

• Wool: Fill a tin bucket with spools of thread and place on the table as a centerpiece. Cute!

• Buttons: Start collecting buttons a month or so before the party. Have your child enlist in guests’ help by asking them to gather old or unused buttons. If you need to, you can find buttons at craft stores, too.  When you have a decent collection, have your child help you string all the buttons on a length of yarn. Tie knots between buttons to keep them spaced. Tie at both ends when done. Drape in loops on a wall, across the birthday girl’s chair or across the front of the gifts table.

• Balloons: Use lots of balloons in Loopsy-esque colors. Tip: buy a disposable helium tank or rent one from your local party store. Balloons that drift and dip around the party area are so cute and whimsical.

• Fabric: Buy or gather cute pieces of gingham and other fabric. Cut into triangles. Staple to a length of yarn and hang as a banner.

• Dollhouse: Drape gingham pieces over windows and tie back. These will give the party room a doll house-like feel. Tie pastel ribbons around chair backs.

• Characters: Make oversize printouts of your child’s favorite Lalaloopsy dolls. Cut out. Hang on walls using removable tape. (Test an inconspicuous section of your wall first to make sure the tape won’t lift your paint or paper.) A cute way to hang Lalaloopsy doll pictures is to have them holding hands in a row, cut-out accordion style (click here to learn this tried but true craft).

• Flowers: Have your child draw lots of flowers. Cut them out and hang on the walls or suspend with string from the ceiling.

Sew Cute Party Food Ideas

Pastel button candies, yum!

Pastel and “girly” (sorry … there are boy dolls!) colors are very Lalaloopsy. So are craft ideas, sewing and especially buttons. Match the food to these ideas. For instance:

• Pastel-colored candies – if you’re having the party some time near Easter, you’re really in luck, but you should be able to find pink, blue and yellow candy regardless.

• Frosting – Use pastel-colored frosting on cupcakes, the birthday cake, or cookies. It’s very easy to create this yourself from vanilla frosting. Add food color one drop at a time and blend until you achieve the tone you want.

• Colors: Serve pink, orange and other whimsical-colored foods. These can be healthy if you really try. How about watermelon, sliced peaches, sliced cantaloupe and tangerine sections? Also, try rainbow sprinkles on top of colored frosting add charm (and yumminess).

• Colorful pasta: Cook up tri-color pasta. Toss with a little tomato sauce or a white sauce, or just top with cheese. You can also refrigerate cooked tri-color pasta and add vinegar, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper for a fresh pasta salad.

• Cookies: Make button sugar cookies. Roll cookie dough and cut out in circles (try different sizes for variety and fun). Bake per directions. Frost with a pastel-colored frosting. Add four dots for the button holes using a dark-colored squeeze icing. Add sugar sprinkles. Delicious.

• Button-shaped candies: Have necco wafers, round butterscotch pieces, Life Savers, peppermint candy discs, etc. as buttons for a cupcake or cake decoration. Cut fondant is another great option. Dot each candy with dark icing to imitate the button holes. Allow to harden slightly on the candy. Now stick the candies on top of the frosting. Lay them flat or have the buttons stick up by inserting them partway down into the icing.

Activities For Your Bunch of Li’l Dolls

• Find cute costume pieces at your local thrift store. Have guests play dress-up.

• Download Lalaloopsy and other doll images. Print out and give to guests to color. Hang their creations on the wall.

• Let guests take turns dressing up the birthday girl’s Lalaloopsy doll (if she’ll allow it!). Take a picture of each child with the doll wearing the child’s fashion choices. For the thank-you note later, use the child’s picture.

• Give jewelry as party favors. These bracelets are adorable. OR: put out plenty of stringable materials and lengths of yarn and have guests make their own bracelets to take home.

• Gather at the monitor and watch webisodes from the Lalaloopsy site — these are really fun!

• Buy colorful bags ahead of time. Cut out circles for “buttons” and put a guest’s name on each. Tie to a bag. These serve as goody bags after the party. Fill with candy, stickers, pieces of jewelry and other favors.

We’ve focused on girls, but there are Lalaloopsy boy characters, too. I wouldn’t recommend boys over four or five at a party, however. If you do include boys, add splashes of bolder color and be sure to focus on male Lalaloopsy dolls so it doesn’t feel like the party is “for girls only.” You really can work this party to suit anyone. Have fun, doll!

• Look for Lalaloopsy party decor now

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Most parents don’t look at back to school as a positive experience for their kids, but you can change their perceptions with the right party. If you frame it right you can turn even school supplies into an exciting and welcome aspect of this previously dreaded time of year.

The key is to take the sting out of the fact that school, homework, and early mornings are coming back full force. If you can create a new tradition by way of an excellent end of summer party that just so happens to embrace the new school year ahead then you are sure to hit a home run with the kids.

This does take some effort and of course a bit of creativity but you can get even the biggest school hater to feel excited about what lies ahead with some well planned activities.

Show What Your Summer Was All About

Create an activity whereby kids can create their very own storyboard to showcase what their summer was all about. You can do this in the way of an individual scrapbook page or even a smaller poster board, and either way will work perfectly.

Invite them in advance to bring pictures and pieces of memorabilia from their summer for a fun activity. This will not only entice them to be part of something fun, but it will take their mind off of the mundane school days that lie ahead.

Set up an area of the party where you have these scrapbook pages or mini poster boards for them to use. Then put out glue, markers, crayons, stickers, scrapbook sayings and decorations, construction paper, and anything else that can help them to decorate them.

Encourage the kids and help them to put together their individual page that utilizes whatever memorabilia and pictures that they have with them. The kids get so excited about creating this excellent memory of the summer and sharing their stories, and it makes for a nice way to end summer and kick off the upcoming school year.

Ta Dah—New Shiny School Supplies to Take Away the Pain

Turn the boring old school supplies into something very exciting. Display cute little racks of pencils, folders, markers, and the like for the kids to choose from. You don’t have to go broke on this as you can find some great discounts but if you display them properly they make for a very welcoming little addition to the party. Turn these into favors and a fun decoration—think of having erasers and ink pens hanging from the ceilings!

You can even turn this into a fun activity by way of creating an auction. Wrap up fun school supplies and don’t tell the kids what’s inside each one. Then create an auction where the kids can “bid” on each package until they all end up with something.

School supply shopping was never so fun and this ties in perfectly to the theme and the time of year. You can make the grand prize a new backpack filled with unique school supplies including locker decorations and a pencil carrying case. They will love this and it’s so easy for you as the parent to pull together.

A Party of All Parties to See Old Friends Again

Keep in mind that sometimes kids don’t get to see some of their school friends for the entire summer when schedules get busy. Create a fun party for them to reunite and reconnect with old school friends so it’s a much easier transition. If you have access to a pool then a pool party is always an excellent venue for this, but otherwise a backyard bash with fun games and good food always works.

You can create your own lunch line for the kids to come through to get their food. Create a cart where they can grab favorites like little bags of chips, pizza, apples, and cookies to create their own a la carte feast.

You can go the route of a big BBQ with hamburgers, hot dogs, cole slaw, and S’More’s to end the summer. There’s nothing like an ice cream sundae bar to sweeten up this positive party. Put out various flavors of ice cream, hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, and of course sprinkles for a nice ending to a great party.

You can line the backyard with favorite games like Frisbee, water balloon toss, and even a relay race. The whole idea is to get them back with their friends before school starts and to make it fun.

This takes their mind off of the sad part of summer ending, and instead focuses on the fun times they have ahead with good friends. Back to school doesn’t have to be such a bummer, and this party is the perfect way to ensure that the kids go into the school year with a great attitude and wonderful ending to summer.

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