By terren in Virginia
Last week, I attended the Fall Festival at my daughter’s elementary school and had a great time. The festival consisted of the children being able to dunk their principals into the tank filled with water. Pony rides, hayrides, inflatables, and a maze were available outside, and tables were set up for tattoos and mini manicures on the inside of the building. Throughout the two-hour event, a cakewalk and silent auction of themed-gift baskets took place. However, two of my favorite areas were the disco room and the decorated pumpkins display.
The disco room was set-up in the music room. The lights were turned off to create authenticity, and a colorful strobe light was the biggest illumination in the room, besides the glow necklaces and bracelets some children wore. The music was fun and upbeat, so many children who were headed to the outdoor activities had to stop and wiggle their bodies first. As soon as the children walked into the room, they were on the dance floor. The disco room was the only room my daughter visited twice while we were there.
If I had gone to the event alone, I would have spent most of my time looking at the pumpkins. They were phenomenal! The pumpkins on display were decorated by the students and their teachers. When seeing the pumpkins, however, I got the feeling that the teachers did most of the work. My daughter’s class created Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head pumpkins. They painted two pumpkins brown and added what seemed to be the actual parts from the toys: eyes, eyebrows, mouths, ears, and so forth. They were adorable. Another class had created the monster from Where the Wild Things Are, and it looked exactly like him, fuzzy hair and all. One class decorated about fifteen miniature pumpkins to look like students reading books in a classroom and a larger pumpkin to look like the teacher. These pumpkins were not just decorated with paint, but with various accessories such as wigs, feathers, glasses, and clothes. My favorite pumpkin creation was based on the book Recess Queen, according to my daughter. The class used a huge pumpkin to make the head of Mean Jean and topped it off with black hair and a crown. The pumpkin girl also wore a red jumper.
Both the disco room and pumpkin decorating can be used at celebrations other than a fall festival. The disco room would be fun at a birthday party for young children or a pajama party. Whereas decorating pumpkins at a fall birthday party or a fall celebration would be a hit with guests of all ages be a hit.
October 31st, 2009 by Yolanda D. Young | Posted in Season Celebrations, Tips | Comments (0)
By Selma90
When I was growing up, bobbing for apples was an autumn game staple. You knew if you went to any party during the fall, a tub or pool full of floating apples promised fun for children and adults. We didn’t worry about sharing germs; everyone was more concerned about having a good time. It’s been years since I’ve seen children chomping down on floating apples and with good reason. People realized bobbing for apples isn’t sanitary. Despite this realization, apples can still be included in your fall festivities.
Including apples in your celebration can be as simple as putting a variety of them in a bowl as a centerpiece for your fall event. Later, you can use these apples for a game of Name that Apple and have guests compete to name each apple variety. Other options include making candy apples, apple fritters, or apple pies and serving them to your guests. Cold or warm homemade apple cider can be your beverage of choice for an afternoon event. If you’re looking for an apple craft to make during the festivities, covering apples with cinnamon cloves makes a fragrant deodorizer.
You can still do a variation of bobbing for apples. You can give guests apples to place in front of themselves on a table. Have your guests compete to eat their apples without using their hands. The water may be missing, but your guests will still have a great time munching on their apples.
October 10th, 2009 by Yolanda D. Young | Posted in Party Planning, Season Celebrations | Comments (0)
by kekka
Around November and December families, friends and co-workers begin discussing having a Christmas gift exchange. Many people love the idea of participating in a random Christmas gift exchange. Others politely decline to participate. Why would anyone not want to participate in a gift exchange? Reasons can vary. Some include lack of extra cash, disinterest, and fear of receiving a useless and thoughtless gift. Below are several suggestions that might make more people want to participate.
1. Set a price limit. Setting a price limit for gifts is one way that may put the gift giving on equal footing. Your group can agree that all gifts should cost around $10, for instance. Another option is to decide that all gifts must come from a dollar store. Some people just are uncomfortable purchasing a $40 gift for a co-worker and receiving a $1 gift in return.
2. Bake gifts. Baking gifts gets away from the holidays being so commercial. Yes, you may run into the same problem of people being unsatisfied with their baked gifts. However, a greater chance exists that the gifts’ costs will be in the same price range if this is a bigger concern. With a baked good, the emphasis should be more on the time that was taken to produce the gift.
3. Have a theme. Instead of participants buying random gifts, organize the gift exchange around a theme. For instance, some people exchange Christmas ornaments during the holiday. A fun gift theme is holiday socks or holiday candy.
Yes, everyone knows it’s the thought that counts when it comes to buying and receiving gifts. However, at Christmas time who wants to hear someone say, “Bah humbug” when receiving a gift? These tips should make a Christmas gift exchange more acceptable to more people.
August 6th, 2009 by Yolanda D. Young | Posted in Holiday Celebrations, Season Celebrations, Tips | Comments (0)
by multitrack
Orange, greens, and yellows take over in the fall months. The leaves’ bright green foliage transforms to bright yellows and oranges. Cooler evenings replace hot summer nights. Announcements of fall festivals and parties on the weekends grab the attention of those ready to indulge in the fun fall celebrations bring. One of my favorite fall festivals is held in late October around Halloween at a local Warner Robins church in Georgia.
When you arrive at the gate, you and your family, if you plan on eating, receive free wristbands. Usually, their menu includes hot dogs, potato chips, soda, popcorn, and funnel cakes with powdered sugar. The hot dogs, funnel cake, and popcorn are prepared on the spot. Did I mention that you can eat and drink as much as you’d like?
In the past, they have offered pony rides and hayrides. Also, carnival-like games are set up under two tents for the children’s amusement and sweet tooth. You win candy if you beat the game, and you win candy if you don’t. Children bring their own bags for collecting their treats. However, if you forget to bring a bag for your children, church members have them at the entrance of the festival. Also, the festival includes a costume contest for children and face painting.
This local church puts on this free festival every year, and the community embraces this family-friendly event by coming out in large numbers every time.
July 30th, 2009 by Yolanda D. Young | Posted in Season Celebrations | Comments (0)
by jpctalbot
As long as I can remember, spring has been my favorite season. After having been bundled up in thick coats, hats, boots, ear muffs, and gloves, as a child, I welcomed spring’s warmth, which meant less clothes and more outdoor activity. For me, the arrival of spring in June is something to celebrate. A Spring Fling, a fun-filled event, is one way of celebrating spring’s arrival.
A Spring Fling can be held indoors, but an outdoor Spring Fling is more appropriate if the weather permits. A Spring Fling should have a carnival or festival feel. So serving funnel cake, fresh squeezed lemonade, grilled chicken or hamburgers, and fresh fruit will really set the event’s tone.
You can set up booths or stations with different activities to engage your guests. Arts and crafts stations for making kites, tissue paper flowers, and bird houses or feeders, for instance, will keep children and some adults entertained. You can have other stations for blowing bubbles, jumping rope, and doing chalk art. If your budget permits, incorporate pony rides, dunking booths, and bouncy houses into your Spring Fling.
Live or recorded music must fill the air. People should be singing and dancing. If you can, hire various performers to share their talents at the Spring Fling.
A Spring Fling can be for a large group, or you can organize a more intimate event. The main goal is to celebrate spring’s arrival with friends.
July 30th, 2009 by Yolanda D. Young | Posted in Party Planning, Party Themes, Season Celebrations | Comments (0)
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