Hula Dancers
Luau, meaning "feast" in Hawaiian, has become synonymous with party these days. But add presents, cake, hula skirts and leis, and a birthday party cannot get any better than this! Whether your party is during the summer heat or the chill of winter, a luau is sure to be a hit. Throwing a successful luau is easier than you think. All you need is a trip to the party supply store, simple ingredients and a little tropical imagination. Does this Spark an idea?
Setting the Aloha Mood
Planning is important to set the proper tropical mood for your birthday luau. To begin, find Hawaiian invitations to mail out. If you cannot find ones that you like, consider buying blank postcards and decorating the cover. Guests will be excited to receive a tropical postcard inviting them to a luau.
Next, find Hawaiian music to play during your party. Don Ho has a wide selection of ukulele music; Elvis also has many Hawaiian hits sure to please your crowd. Many music stores sell general Hawaiian music that will get your guests ready to hula.
Colorful Decorations
Decorating for a luau is fun as well as a good investment. Luaus are wonderful parties for any occasion and will not go out of style. Bright colors are important for luaus; party-supply stores carry various paper cut-outs of flowers and other Hawaiian pictures that can be hung around the party area. Find paper Hawaiian signs to hang around the house, spelling words in English and Hawaiian. Purchase brightly colored flowers and place them in vases on brightly covered tables. Place coconuts around the house and hang a banner that announces the birthday luau. Light scented candles in each room and hand out leis to the guests. Encourage guests to dress in hula skirts and Hawaiian shirts. Grass skirts can be bought in bulk at party supply stores as well as online. If you need last-minute decorations, lay out beach towels, sand-castle tools and sunglasses for an instant centerpiece.
Tropical Food
Throwing a luau doesn't limit you to only Hawaiian food, but it does give you some added options. Sweet barbecue meatballs are great for this party. Just combine frozen meatballs with grape jelly and barbecue sauce in a crock pot and heat through. A fresh fruit salad will look lovely on your Hawaiian-decorated tables. Ham and pork are popular in Hawaii and will be good to serve if you have a large guest list. Tropical fruit punch can be made quite easily and inexpensively. Some recipes ask for frozen orange juice concentrate, cranberry juice, soda and a few scoops of rainbow sherbet. For the children, prepare tiny peanut-butter-and-jelly tea sandwiches with little umbrella toothpicks stuck in. Traditional party food, such as cheese and crackers and other dips can be easily jazzed up by serving them in floral dishes or topped with an edible (or silk) flower.
Tags: around house, birthday luau, find Hawaiian, Hawaiian music, hula skirts, party supply, your party