A 13th birthday is cause for celebration.
When planning a 13th birthday party, you may find yourself facing a challenge. As this is the age that officially marks the transition from childhood to the teenage years, the birthday child may be expressing more grown-up interests that you are not used to accommodating. Throw a party that your 13 year-old and guests will enjoy by basing it on a theme that interests the birthday girl or boy. Does this Spark an idea?
Slumber Party
Memories that last a lifetime are made at slumber parties. Simple decorations include balloons and streamers. You can either provide pillows, blankets and sleeping bags, or ask guests to bring their own. Rent some favorite movies and let kids entertain themselves, or plan some activities for them--makeovers, video games and scavenger hunts, for example. For food, order pizza and a hero sandwich, set out bowls of chips and candy, and offer the ingredients for ice cream sundaes.
Lucky Number 13
Though some people consider the number 13 to be bad luck, others regard it as a lucky number. In honor of a 13th birthday, go the lucky route and turn it into a theme for the party. Hang horseshoes around the party area. If you are lucky enough to find actual four leaf clovers, place them in pots in the center of the table--if not, print out images of them, cut them out and scatter them around tables. A rainbow is another lucky charm--you can frame pictures of them and hang them on the walls, or blow up balloons in the colors of the rainbow and place them around the party area. Hand out rabbits feet as party favors.
Luau Party
Celebrate a 13th birthday tropical style with a luau-themed party. Decorate with fake palm trees, tiki torches, coconuts, pineapples and bouquets of tropical flowers. When guests arrive, greet them in the traditional Hawaiian way with flower leis or puka shell necklaces. You can give the girl guests grass skirts to sport. Play island-inspired music and have party goers compete in a hula hoop competition. See who can hula hoop the longest. Play a game of limbo. Serve guests Hawaiian-inspired fare including ham, pineapple pizza, coconut custard pie and virgin pina coladas in coconut shells.
Tags: 13th birthday, around party, around party area, hula hoop, party area