Create a Harry Potter Themed Party

Harry Potter's all the rage, thanks to the wonderful fantasy series by J.K. Rowling.  The final installment, Deathly Hallows 2 will be released on 15th July 2011.  This is the perfect excuse to conjure up a Harry Potter party!!

Not only are kids reading more than ever, they want to share their love of wizards and witches with their Muggle friends.

Any fan of the Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and its talented students will enjoy attending a party featuring these famous characters. There are many ways to decorate a room with different items that will turn any special event into a magical time for all. The good times will begin with proper invitations depicting the entire Hogwarts gang.

One of the easiest ways to use Harry Potter party supplies to make any event more enjoyable is to deck out the table with items featuring the different characters. Plates, cups and napkins sitting atop a special themed tablecloth are just for starters.  

Check out www.thepartypeople.ie for our range of Harry Potter supplies.

Turn your party room into Hogwarts Hall with a few waves of Harry's magic wand.

Plan the Party

Party Set-Up - A few hours before the party:

• Welcome the guests with a sign at the front door that reads "Platform 9 3/4."
• Decorate your party room like the Great Hall at Hogwarts School.
• Make "snitches" by spray painting Styrofoam or rubber balls gold, then glue feathers on each side, and hang them from the ceiling.
• Cover the walls and ceiling with glow-in-the-dark stars, moons, and lightning bolts.
• Set out stuffed toy owls, broomsticks, magic wands, and potions.
• Cover the table with a paper cloth featuring stars, moons, and lightning bolts, and add matching paper products.
• Harry Potter party supplies can also consist of plastic banners that can be draped across the room.

• Colorful balloons are a must for any type of event for children. Even older kids will enjoy the colours and fun of having balloons around the area. The room can feature as many creative decorations as possible, adding to the magical atmosphere.

Party Time - Welcome the Wizards and Muggles:

• Ask the guests to come dressed as a Harry Potter character from the series, such as Harry, Dudley, Hermione, Ron, Draco Malfoy, or Nearly Headless Nick.
• Give everyone Harry glasses and "tattoo" a lightning bolt on their foreheads with felt pen.

Join Harry Potter in some Games and Activities:

·         The party will not be complete unless Harry Potter party games are played. Play a version of Quidditch, Harry's favorite game, by providing the kids with a ball, some broomsticks, and a large area to play in. Divide the group into two teams, set up two goal lines on either side of the yard, and have the kids try to brush the ball over their own goal line while straddling the broomstick.

·         If the youngsters are provided with various types of fruit punch, they might want to pretend that they are mixing up magic potions and see what concoctions they can come up with.

• Have a Harry Potter trivia Contest and ask questions based on the book - or a 'Who Said What?' game based on Harry Potter quotes. 

Serve Cauldrons of Snacks and Wash them down with Magic Potions:

• Buy a plastic cauldron or use a black pot for serving the food. Fill it with soup, pasta, or beef stew.
• Serve "magic potions" in plastic goblets. Offer multicolored drinks - red, blue, green, orange - for added fun. Called them Rum-Runners.
• Make Harry Potter cookies using a Harry Potter shaped cookie cutter.
• Provide Harry Potter desserts, such as apple pie, trifle, jam donuts

Say Good-Byes with Hogwarts Gift Bags:

• Give the kids magic wands, jellybeans, wizard caps and capes, copies of Harry Potter books or tapes, Harry glasses, and press-on tattoos.
• Place them in Harry Potter gift bags or small fabric bags tied with ribbon / velvet cords.

To view our range of Harry Potter partyware, log on to www.thepartypeople.ie

Fun Kid's Party Food - Part 2 of 8

Welcome to the second of our 8 part series on creating fun party food for or with your kids!

Last week's recipe was for cupcakes, so we thought we'd keep it healthy this week :-)

Here's how to make some fun sandwiches to fill your little ones up before they get to the cupcakes.

OINK OINK SANDWICH:
(A great addition to any Peppa Pig themed party - check out our Peppa Pig range on www.thepartypeople.ie for your next party).

What you'll need: (makes one portion)
- 1 slice of white bread;
- 1 cheese slice;
- 4 currants to garnish;
- 2 slices of ham;
- 1 spring onion; and
- 1 tbsp cheese spread e.g. from a tube for glue.

Instructions:

1. Cut out the pig's body from the bread using a 3 1/2 inch round cookie cutter and two circles using a 2 inch cutter.
2. Cut out eyes from the cheese using an icing nozzle.
3. Cut one small bread circle into two, then one half into quarters to make the ears.
4. Shape the remaining bread semi-circle into a shout and cut a piece of ham to fit it and the ears.
5. Assemble the pig by placing the little circle on top of the large one.
6. Add the ears, snout and eyes - you can use a small blob of cheese spread as glue.
7. Add currants to the eyes and snout.
8. Lastly, finely trim some of the green part of the spring onion to make a curly tail.
9. Watch your kids go crazy for this cool twist on a ham sandwich.....

Hungry for more???  Then try out the CLOWN SANDWICH

What you'll need: (makes 1 portion)
- Slice of orange cheese;
- 2 slices of brown bread, buttered;
- Cherry tomatoes and cucumber to decorate;
- 1 tablespoon cheese spread from a tub (for glue); and
- Carrots, grated with a lemon zestor.

Instructions:

1. Place a slice of cheese between the buttered pieces of bread.
2. Cut out eyes from the cheese using small round cookie cutters or the nozzle from a piping bag.
3. Using a vegetable peeler, take a slice of the green part of the cucumber. 
4. Make small irises (for the eyes) using a small cookie cutter.
5. Place the irises on the eyes and position them on the bread.
6. You can use a small glob of cheese spread as glue.
7. Arrange the grated strands of carrots on the top of the bread.
8. Add a cherry tomato nose.
9. Using a small knife, cut a chunk out of the top slice of bread to make a cheesy smile.