Leis help set the tone for a cool luau party.
Luaus are Hawaiian feasts. Bring the feel of the islands to your back yard or dining room with a few colorful accessories and tropical-themed games. Set the mood with Hawaiian music, or play beach favorites by Jimmy Buffett or the Beach Boys. Hand out leis to your guests as they arrive, treat them to a buffet of food and serve cool drinks in novelty plastic cups.
Decorations
Since a luau is traditionally a feast, set up tables for your guests. Line the outside rims of the tables with a green or raffia table skirt. Purchase the skirts at a party center or make your own by cutting a plastic tablecloth into strips and then fringing the edges. Add Hawaiian flowers, such as silk orchids or plumeria, to the table for color. Other colorful decorations can be purchased from a party store or online through companies like Oriental Trading Company or Party Express. Look for "aloha" signs, blow-up palm trees and Hawaiian-themed table wear.
Place tiki torches around the luau area. If you are holding the event indoors, make a tabletop tiki torch. Draw a tiki god-style face on a piece of brown paper. Cut out eye holes and a mouth and wrap your creation around a cylinder glass candle holder. When the candle is lit, the face will glow.
Hawaiian Names
Let your luau guests adopt Hawaiian names for the party. Put a floral sticker on the side of blank name tags and create a list of fun Hawaiian names. Encourage guests to choose a name and write it on their name tag with a permanent marker.
Look through a baby name book for ideas, or refer to the Parents Connect link in the Resources section. Write the meaning of each Hawaiian name on this list so that the guests can choose their names with the meanings in mind. Play a game at the end of the party to see who can remember the most Hawaiian names or can match the meanings to the names.
Luau Games
Hold a hula hoop contest at your luau. Set up music and provide the guests with hula hoops. Give guests prizes for the best attempt and fanciest moves as well as the longest time.
Have all the guests stand in a line holding hands for a game of Hula Pass. You can also split the party guests into two teams to make it a competition. The object of the game is to pass a hula hoop from one person to the next all the way down the line without letting go of anyone's hands.
Divide the guests into two teams for a hula dancer relay. You will need several leis, hula skirts, coconut bras, if desired, and beach hats or crowns. The first person races to put on all the items and then hula dances for a count of 10. They can then take everything off and tag the next person on their team.
Tags: Hawaiian names, guests choose, guests into, guests into teams, hula hoop