Luau Party – Hawaiian Theme - Homemade Birthday Party Ideas

Tiki Torch Candles and Totem Poles

Cake Decorating with Edible Flowers

I adapted this chart from one published by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service – Basically theirs had several more flowers listed, but these are the only ones that would be suitable for cake. I mean,you don’t want to put onion flowers on your cake, or something whose taste is described as bitter, or strong. I eliminated all the ones that weren’t sweet. At the bottom of the chart is a list of books that the University recommends, to learn more about edible flowers.

Common name	Scientific name	Flavor	Color	Comments
Anise hyssop	Agastache foeniculum	Anise	Lilac	Self seeding perennial
Apple	Malus spp.	Floral	White to pink	Eat in moderation since flowers contain cyanide precursors
Bee balm	Monarda didyma	Minty, sweet, hot	Wide range	Perennial
Chamomile	Chamaemelum noblis	Sweet apple	White	Perennial; drink tea in moderation — contains thuaone; ragweed sufferers may be allergic to chamomile
Dandelion	Taraxacum officinale	Sweet, honey-like	Yellow	Perennial; use young flowers, mature flowers become bitter; flowers close after picking
Daylily	Hemerocallis spp.	Vegetal, sweet	Wide range	Perennial; may act as a diuretic or laxative; eat in moderation
Dianthus	Dianthus spp.	Sweet clove flavor	Wide range	Perennial; remove the narrow base of the petals (bitter)

Elderberry	Sambucus canadensis	Sweet	White	Perennial; do not wash flowers since it removes much of the flavor

Fennel	Foeniculum vulgare	Mildly anise	Yellow-green	Normally grown as an annual
Hibiscus	Hibiscus rosa-sinensis	Mildly citrus	Rose, red	Showy edible garnish

Honeysuckle	Lonicera japonica	Sweet	White to pale yellow	Perennial; do not use other honeysuckle flowers
Johnny-jump-up	Viola tricolor	Wintergreen	Purple and yellow	Annual; the petals have little flavor unless the green sepals are included; contain saponins and may be toxic in large amounts
Lavender	Lavendula spp.	Sweet, perfumed flavor	Lavender	Perennial; use sparingly due to intense flavor; lavender oil may be poisonous
Lilac	Syringa vulgaris	Varies	Lavender	Wide variation in flavor — from no flavor to green and herbaceous to lilac
Linden	Tilia spp.	Honey-like	White	Frequent consumption of linden flower tea can cause heart damage
Mint	Mentha spp.	Minty	Purple	Perennial; each type of mint has its own unique flavor
Pineapple sage	Salvia elegans	Sweet, fruity	Red	Perennial; flavor has a hint of mint and spice
Red clover	Trifolium pratense	Sweet	Red	Annual; raw clover flowers are not easily digestible
Rose	Rosa spp.	Perfumed	Wide range	Perennial: remove the white, bitter base of the petal
Sweet woodruff	Galium odoratum	Sweet, nutty, vanilla	White	Can have a blood thinning effect if eaten in large amounts
Violet	Viola odorata	Sweet, perfumed	Purple, white	Perennial; use candied or fresh

Luau Party Foods

Pineapple party foods are fun to look at and to eat. Slice a pineapple in half and hollow it out, then fill it with tuna salad or chicken salad or even just some veggie dip.

Fruit kabobs make great tropical luau foods – line up grapes, chunks of watermelon, cantaloupe, berries, mandarin orange slices, bananas, pineapple, apple chunks and pear wedges, then display them by poking the bamboo skewers into a pineapple

Use a fishbowl to serve goldfish crackers and call them “koi”

Macadamia nuts are tasty, add them to trail mix or party mix

Place a large bowl inside of a beachcomber hat, to decorate the table.

Luau Party Games

Maggie Stewart from Associated Content has published a fantastic article with 15 Luau party games for kids to play. Look for The Great Shell Search, Musical Beach Towels, Lay on the Leis, Crazy Beach Dress and Dash, Luau Coconut Roll, Coconut Bowling, Hot Flamingo, Fish-Fish-Shark, Beach Bingo, Pin the Coconut on the Palm Tree, Pass the Kiwi, Flip-Flop Frenzy, The Great Poi Eating Contest, Sharks and Minnows, and Guess the Shells. Click here for 15 Luau Party games.

Flower Fairy Birthday Streamers

Make fairy party decorations.

You can make paper flower streamers and it’s so easy. Picture a giant Hawaiian lei, strung up from the ceiling, trailing down chairs, they’re beautiful.

These worked well for our Tinker bell party, but would also do well with a Hawaiian Luau, or a tropical party, a Secret Garden party, even a Barbie or Dora the Explorer party.

Cut several 6 inch circles from a stack of colorful tissue paper.

Pinch together the center of the circle, and staple. Then, snip into the “petals” about 1/2-1 inch deep and then “wrinkle” the petals. That’s all there is to it. To string them up, thread a needle with fishing line and “sew” them together, use a knot at the bast of each flower 9wrapped around the staple) for stability. They can be close together or far apart. I liked mine with about 10 inches between the flowers because I hung them with white Christmas lights and green ivy. I also added ribbon to the ends of them. The gola was a wild and messy look that’s part cartoon magic and part nature.

How to Write Poetic Invitations

STEP ONE-
Make a list of everything that has anything to do with your theme.

For example- if it was a Hawaiian Luau, I’d make a lit of things like “hula, luau, pig, sand, waves, beach, island, pineapple, fruit, lei and things like that

Then I’d answer the 5 w’s

Lindsay’s birthday party in the big picnic area at the park saturday at 2pm

Then I’d start to look for rhymes

Lindsey- is king of like Island-y
picnig area that’s big can rhyme with pig

Aloha. I, Lindsey and feeling Islandy,
please come to my Luau,
you’re sure to say wow.

We’ll meet at 2pm and roast a pig
at the park, in the area that’s big

Come at two
I’d like to see you

And we’ll have some good times
eating limes
because they rhymes

Anyway- they do not have to be perfect. The goofier the better. It gets the point across.

Homemade Birthday Party Ideas

Easy Balloon Arches

Print Pictures on Cake