All My Children

For an indoor party it’s a good thing to think of balloons — they always look festive. So do the traditional decorations for a Christmas party of paper chains, holly and ivy, tinsel and glitter, stars, shining balls and bells. But you will want other ideas for parties with a particular theme.

Friees

Fold long strips of paper concertina-wise. On the top section draw a character (a Pooh character for a Pooh Party, a lamb, a rabbit, a witch, or a pirate, for other kinds of parties). Make sure that at least some part of what you draw touches the paper at each side. Carefully cut round the picture — but not round that part of the outline which actually touches the two edges of the paper. Then, when you spread the frieze out, you’ll have a whole row of characters linked together.

If you use coloured paper and an easily recognised shape — like a cat (black paper would be good here), a witch, or Pooh himself — the frieze could just be a silhouette. But in most cases you would need to fill in the details and colour each character. It doesn’t take long with a felt pen.

Small friezes could be pinned round cakes or lampshades, or used to decorate the tablecloth; larger ones could be hung round the mantelpiece or from strings as one hangs Christmas cards.

If you don’t cut away the bottom of the paper but leave a flat base, you can fasten your friezes in circles so that they stand up and you could use tape to secure them to the table.

Place-markers

There’s something really partyish about looking for your name at the place where you are going to sit, and place-markers can carry out the party theme.

Cut pieces of thin cardboard measuring about 2 by 5 inches. Fold in half, with fold at top. Draw and colour an appropriate picture on the front, and write the guest’s name inside, or you could use scissors to cut the place-marker into a special shape. For a Pirate Party you could have a skull and crossbones!

The Festive Table

A plain tablecloth can look partified with very little effort. Cut long strips of coloured crepe paper and pin them, either flat or twisted spirally, diagonally across the table. You could pin more strips in the opposite direction, making diamond-shaped spaces on which to stand the food. Bright colours are best for winter parties, pale ones for, say, an Easter Party when spring flowers are on the table.

Small children love to take home a posy of flowers, and if you have a garden, and if it is the right season you could put one by each place. They can be very small posies, with stems wrapped in wet cotton wool or paper, covered in foil so that the flowers don’t wilt.

At a Christmas or Birthday Party the iced cake is usually the centrepiece of the table, but for other parties you will need more ideas. Depending on the size and shape of the table, your base could be an old tray, a piece of wood or stout card, or a big dinner plate. A handbag mirror makes a good lake, and greenery for trees can be stuck in plasticine. You could make a road scene, using tiny model cars and a miniature garage, or a farmyard, or a snow scene, with igloos perhaps. These are easily made by drying (in the airing cupboard, or in the oven when it is cooling after cooking) the two halves of an orange from which you have scooped out the contents. Then cover them with adhesive and cotton wool, and put them near your lake in a snow scene made of white detergent powder mixed with water. Try a tablespoonful of detergent first, and see how far it goes, spreading it over stones or round bits of rock to give a hilly effect or for making an igloo in a winter scene. A cake-decoration sledge and polar bear would look attractive, and you could arrange ivy or other greenery round the edge of the plate or tray to make a decorative finish.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
This year’s Perfect Party Decorations

• Planning a Super Fun Party
• A Bring-a-Friend Party
• Tidy Bear Festive Party Ideas
• Teach my kids Playing in –house Games I used to
• A new baby's skin Care
• Passing the Baton: Instilling Values and Virtues in the Next Generation
• Crybabies: What Happens When The Tears Won’t Stop? Part 1
• A Pooh Party
• Safe Sleep: Reducing the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• Great Party, how to write an Invitations Card

Trackback URI | Comments RSS