How to throw a "Harry Potter" party!

Harry Potter--nothing's hotter. If you're reading these books by J. K. Rowlings aloud to your children, you know about Harry's adventures at the Hogwarts School, World Quidditch matches, and all the magic in the stores. Bring some of the magic into your own home with a Harry Potter party--a perfect way to bring the books to life.

The Connecticut mom said that her kids were too young to read the books, so they created a magic party instead. "We made 'magic' outfits and Mom the magician did some tricks," she explained.

Costumes can be as simple as a face-painted lightning bolt--use a cold cream, disheveled hair or braids, and a cape (the Invisibility Cloak) made from a large bath towel. During the rainy-day party, mom had to be creative with material she had on hand so the kids each made their own 'magic hat' and chose a 'magic wand' from plastic straws. In upstate New York, "Rachel (9) was at our friends' house and she found some capes and hats. Then she printed a sign about the party on the computer."

Create the Great Hall by draping a tablecloth over your kitchen or picnic table. Top it with candles, a Hogwarts' "Sorting Hat" (a big hat from a consignment shop or novelty hat stand) and your favorite snacks (We have it on good authority that chips and sandwiches count as wizard food.) For dessert, make up a batch of fudge as the "rejuvenating chocolate" found in the third book. How about a bowl of jellybeans and some licorice ropes just like the Every Flavor Beans and Licorice Wands introduced in the first book? Serve root beer to mimic Harry's "butterbeer."

Peggy L. said, "I set the table with a lace tablecloth, used real gobblets, and had a lot of candles. We baked a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting instead of fudge."

Once your characters are assembled, let them create their own wands using a dowel stick cut to length and decorated with feathers, floral tape, glitter, glue, leaves, etc. Provide a table full of stuff and let them at it. And then watch as they try to make the dog or cat disappear! One mom reported, "Instead of using dowel sticks I bought squiggle straws and we attached ribbons to them to make them into magic wands."

Another hands-on activity is broom decorating. Whether it is an individual broom for each participant or one for a team or the whole group, they can choose just the right gadget or gizmo to make their broom the fiercest and fastest. The upsate New Yorkers improvised on the activities. "We played hot potato. We also made rain sticks to go along with the magic theme."

Although Harry's Quidditch matches have him zooming around at altitudes too high for your guests, Potter fans will love to play Seeker-in-the Middle. This variation of the keep-away game, Pickle, uses a medium-sized superball, handball, or tennis ball. The object is for those players in the middle to snatch the ball from the two players throwing the ball back and forth. When a player catches the ball, he or she changes places with the one who threw the ball.

Make sure you have plenty of film at hand. If you've got a real devotee with artistic impulses, have him draw a large character on a cardboard stand-up with a hole for the guest to put his head in and pose. It can be as much fun as Halloween when everyone gets to pretend and experience the make-believe world of favorite book characters, in this case, Harry and his friends.

Web sources: There are a bazillion or so Harry Potter sites on the Web, and not all are worth spending time on. But one worth checking out is the publisher's site, Scholastic. Harry Potter sites can be busy so be forewarned. One mom said, "I tried to get some pictures printed off of a web site, but I kept getting bumped so I gave up."

How to throw a neighborhood block party

Summer will soon be here, and one of life's better moments is to meet the people you wave to as you drive through your neighborhood. Back in the 50's you didn't need to have these parties because everyone in a 10 square mile radius knew each other from school and church. Not so today, soooo here's our tips for throwing the ultimate block party.

1.
Step 1

Put a flyer in neighbors' mailboxes inviting them to meet to discuss a block party. At the meeting, discuss possible dates and who will do what. See 373 Plan an Organizational Meeting.
2.
Step 2

Distribute sign-up sheets for tables, chairs, glasses, plates, napkins, utensils, barbecue grills, side dishes and other party essentials. Have plenty of trash cans and bins for recycling bottles and cans. Rent a portable toilet if necessary.
3.
Step 3

Plan the food and drinks. Call it international night and have each family make a dish that is unique to its heritage. Or have everyone bring their own food to grill. This is a surprisingly effective way to get strangers to mingle easily--they feel less awkward with something to do. Have everyone prepare his or her favorite cocktails and munchies for a happy hour. Don't forget nonalcoholic punches for those who don't drink alcohol and for kids.
4.
Step 4

Dress up the block with colorful decorations. Buy lots of balloons and have everyone tie them to trees and fences on their property. You might consider a block theme color and decorate accordingly. Ask each family to make a family banner to display on its front lawn. Hang pin~atas for the kids. Tiki torches and lots of twinkling lights are festive when the sun sets.
5.
Step 5

Organize entertainment. Bring in pony rides or a mobile petting zoo or rent an inflatable jumping structure for the kids. Ask the neighborhood fire station to send an engine by if it's available. Plan party games for kids and adults alike, such as a water balloon toss and an egg race.
6.
Step 6

Rock the street with music everyone will enjoy. Hook up a CD player outside or splurge on live music (see 335 Hire a Band).
7.
Step 7

Contact town officials to see about getting the road barricaded if it's a large enough group. You'll need to supply a map of the area where you'll be holding the event, including cross streets for barricades.
8.
Step 8

Send invitations to everyone on the block. Get the kids involved and have them stuff the invites in everyone's mailbox (check first to see if this is legal in your area).

How to throw a "Oscars" party!

How to throw a "Oscars" Party

1.
Step 1

Make sure that you have plenty of comfortable seating and that everyone will have a clear view of the television.
2.
Step 2

Make a 90-minute mix tape of recognizable movie themes to play in the background before and after the ceremony. Put the tape deck on repeat.
3.
Step 3

Dress for the Oscars. Wear tuxes and evening gowns with rhinestone necklaces.
4.
Step 4

Announce guests over a microphone as they arrive. For example, "And now please welcome last year's winner of the best supporting soccer coach, Stan Murphy."
5.
Step 5

Provide appetizers and both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.
6.
Step 6

Pass out pens and ballots listing all the nominees and have everyone vote on who they think is going to win before the ceremony starts.
7.
Step 7

Tally results after the ceremony ends.
8.
Step 8

Present a fake plastic Oscar to the person who got the most right. Encourage the winner to make an acceptance speech.