Posts Tagged ‘Hawaiian luau’

Don’t ‘Wipe-out’ this party season.

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

Hawaii is widely considered the birthplace of surfing and it’s amazing climate and coastline provide some spectacular surfing conditions. So, as Hawaii becomes the first US State to offer Surfing as an official Secondary School competition sport, why not hold a surfing-inspired party to warm up now the weather is turning cooler?

Decorate your party room with a Beach Scene Setter, add a Surfer Couple Cut-out prop and some Surfboard cut-outs around the room for a Surfer’s Paradise feel. Impose a beachwear dress code (boardies, Hawaiian Shirts, bikinis and grass skirts) to get the guests in a surfing mood, whack on some Beach Boys classics on the stereo and get surfing, Dude! For a perfect way to keep those tinnies chilled, grab an Inflatable Surfboard Drinks cooler. Your fellow party goers are sure to be stoked as they carve up the dance floor and ride the sound waves of your beach party.

Share

Hawaiian Traditions

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

u66988If you’re planning a Hawaiian themed party or fancy dress event you’ll no doubt want to make it as authentic as possible. Hawaiian fancy dress costumes, music and party games are great ways of achieving this, but adding little traditional touches from Hawaiian culture can really colour those island vibes. Most people will be aware of the tradition of handing out flower leis to guests and the culinary tradition of the Hawaiian luau, but here are a few lesser known island customs you might consider to help make your Hawaiian fancy dress party extra special.

No shoes, no worries- Hawaiians almost always take their shoes off before entering a house, so why not encourage your gusts to kick off their shoes in true Hawaiian tradition.

Encourage guests to bring food- If you’re throwing a buffet type event, you could ask each guest to bring a dish of their own. Bringing a gift for the host in the form of food is common amongst pacific islanders so the more the merrier!

Blow on a conch- If you can get hold of a suitable conch shell then bring it along to the party. An ancient tradition known as the ‘blowing of the conch shell’ still continues today to mark special occasions.

Dance the Hula- Hula dancing is one of the classic forms of dance native to Hawaii, and tells a story accompanied by traditional Hawaiian music. Learn a few steps of it and try to teach it to your guests!

Share

Hawaiian themed weddings

Monday, September 20th, 2010

grass skirtIf you’ve always dreamt of a colourful Hawaiian wedding on a paradisiacal island beach, there is one way to make it happen without spending your lifesavings on flying your family and friends half way around the world for your big day.

The answer is to hold your Hawaiian themed wedding right here in the UK.  Clearly you’ll want to pick a summer day with the strongest chance of good weather, and, this being Britain, it’s a good idea to have a marquee on standby just in case. Once you’ve set a date, its time to pick an attractive beach location to play host to your wedding. Somewhere on the south coast, such as Torquay or Brighton is perhaps ideal, and Torquay has the advantage of already having palm trees.

When you’re sending out the wedding invitations, let your guests know of your intentions, and give them some ideas for fancy dress wedding attire. For a low-key affair, grass skirts and Hawaiian shirts may be just the thing. For something a little more classy, long flowing tropical themed dresses for the women and white shirts for the men might be a better choice. Have ushers on hand to pass out traditional Hawaiian flower leis to guests as they arrive.

For the reception, a Hawaiian BBQ, or luau, followed by a beach party and tropical cocktails, can provide the perfect end to your Hawaiian themed wedding.

Share

Top trivia for your Hawaiian themed fancy dress party

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

hatThe Hawaiian luau food is sizzling on the barbeque; everyone is dressed in either grass skirts or Hawaiian shirts and sporting flower leis while they sip tropical cocktails; island rhythms are pumping out from the stereo, but still there’s something missing.

Add an extra touch of authenticity to your Hawaiian themed fancy dress party by entertaining your guests with some little known facts about Hawaii.

•    Hawaii is the only US state not located on the mainland. It is also the only state to consist entirely of islands, and is the sole grower of coffee in the US.

•    The Hawaiian islands are in fact the exposed peaks of a volcanic mountain range.

•    The islands produce a significant proportion of all the pineapples, orchids and macadamia nuts in the world

•    Hawaii did not become a state of the USA until August  1959

•    Hawaii is one of the most ethnically diverse locations in the world and is home to substantial populations of Japanese, Filipino, Chinese and Caucasian Americans

•    At a distance of just over 2000 miles from California on the one side and almost 4000 miles from Japan on the other, Hawaii is the remotest inhabited location on earth.

•    There are only twelve letters in the Hawaiian alphabet.

•    Life expectancy in Hawaii is higher than anywhere in the continental US, with females expected to live for 80 years and males 75. It is also the least overweight US state.

Share

Hawaiian cocktail recipes

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

Cocktail strawsIn previous blogs we’ve looked at essential elements for any Hawaiian Luau, such as fancy dress costumes, music, food, Hawaiian party supplies and games. This week we take a look at another fundamental aspect for holding your own Hawaiian themed party in the sun this summer: cocktails.

For all of these tropical Hawaiian recipes you’ll need a blender, measuring glass, ice and a cocktail shaker. Then it’s just a case of breaking out the cocktail glasses and having a good time.

Banana Lover- For this fruity number you’ll need a shot of Amaretto, a shot of Banana Liqueur and two shots of orange juice. Add half a peeled banana and then blend the lot together with ice.

Blue Hawaiian- Take a shot of Blue Caracao, a shot of white rum, half a shot of coconut milk and a small glass of pineapple juice. Mix the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker and then slowly pour over ice.

Hawaiian Honeymoon- Perfect for sunny relaxing days, this one goes down smooth. You’ll need a shot of Pernod, pineapple juice and lemon juice, mixed with two shots of Bacardi, two shots of orange juice and a quick splash of Grenadine. Mix all but the Pernod together and pour into a cocktail glass. Then carefully pour the Pernod so it floats on top and drink with a straw.

Isle of Coconut
- If you like coconut you’ll fall in love with this tropical Hawaiian recipe. Take two shots of white rum, half a shot each of coconut syrup and lime juice, then add dashes of lemon and orange juice. Blend with ice, pour and enjoy!

Share