I must tell you, I’m a little bit of a character-birthday snob. I’ve gone back and forth in my head, “Should I, or shouldn’t I?” I guess it’s my own desire to create something more unique for my kids birthdays that steers me away from picking up a package of [Your Child’s Favorite Character Here] invites and just going with it.
There’s nothing wrong with a character birthday. I must admit, I do think some of the shows my kids have watched or are currently watching are quite creative... I love how the Backyardigans invent adventures, dress up and have a great time, all in their own backyard... this is what childhood is all about!
So, your child wants a [Your Child’s Favorite Character Here] party. What should you do? I read this GREAT article several years ago, and it really stuck with me.... here’s the gist of it:
Go with the STYLE of the character and/or character’s show...
What do I mean by this... well it’s simple, look beyond the character and tell me what you see. The article I read took Sponge Bob Square Pants as an example. Can you imagine, a Sponge Bob party... could get pretty obnoxious, right? Not at all. Beyond Sponge Bob and Squidward is Bikini Bottom where they live... a tiki inspired underwater land. Great hawaiian motifs, oranges and turquoise, and of course a pineapple. Now think of a party-- colors, decorations, music, food, etc... How could you have a Sponge Bob party and make it more than just something commercial.... Think of Hawaiian music, tiki inspired fabrics to hang, drape on the table, fishing nets, a centerpiece of pineapples stuck in sand, bright turquoise cups and orange paper plates... and of course, maybe one Sponge Bob pillow.
You did it! A Sponge Bob party that doesn’t SCREAM Sponge Bob... he’s there of course, but so are we, immersed in the style of his world... Bikini Bottom
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