The Winter Olympic Games are coming to Vancouver in February 2010, and everyone is gearing up for the fun. Instead of just sitting in front of the television and passively watching, why not make it a fun family and friends event? Here are some ideas for party foods, games and decorations to make your Winter Olympic Games party a gold medal winner.
Invitations: Making invitations can be a fun craft for kids, and helps to build the anticipation. A simple invitation can be made from gold or silver paper (craft or scrapbook supplies). Use a large glass to trace a circle and cut out the 'medal'. On the back, write the date, time and party info and your 'Olympic Village' location. You can staple ribbons onto the medals so guests can wear them around their necks. You can also cut out rings or draw 5 colored rings to look like Olympic rings.
Themes: Guests can come dressed representing an Olympic Winter Games event or a participating country. An alternative is to put country names in a hat and have everyone draw a name as they come in.
Decorations: If you have lots of winter sports equipment, spread around some skis, hang some skates and hockey jerseys, etc. You can also make your own decorations (kids love this) by making flags for each country. This fun yet educational art project can be done inexpensively, with large sheets of papers, and markers or poster paint. Finished flags can be displayed on the walls, or participants can put their flags on a stick and march in a 'parade of nations' to Olympic music. If someone is good at face painting, you can also paint small flags on guests' cheeks, or pictures of skis, skates, medals, etc. Guests can also make event passbooks, and record each event with the winner's name, country and time.
Food: Since the Olympics are multi-national, you can have foods from the different countries: German pretzels, Swedish meatballs, French pastries; Swiss fondue; New Zealand kiwis; Italian pizzas, etc. An international cheese tray is also fun, especially if you cut everything in cubes and get the decorative toothpicks with international flags to put on the respective cheeses, sausages,olives, etc.. For dessert, you can make cupcakes and ice them in the Olympic ring colors, and lay them out like Olympic rings on the tray.
Games: You can organize an Olympic outdoor party - involving skating, sledding or races in the snow. Make a fun obstacle course, an endurance challenge or silly Olympics. Have extra (craft) medals and podium presentations for the winners. (To be sure everyone has a good time, try to ensure that everyone goes home with at least one medal - even if it is a team sport or an honorary medal).
Other fun indoor games are Olympic trivia or charades. You can also have a 'fun bet' sheet were participants make their guesses for medal counts for each country, or pre-event questions like: who will have best outfits; who will finish last; who will fall, etc.
The Winter Olympics only come around every four years. Use it as a great excuse to get into the spirit and spend some quality time with family and friends.
Invitations: Making invitations can be a fun craft for kids, and helps to build the anticipation. A simple invitation can be made from gold or silver paper (craft or scrapbook supplies). Use a large glass to trace a circle and cut out the 'medal'. On the back, write the date, time and party info and your 'Olympic Village' location. You can staple ribbons onto the medals so guests can wear them around their necks. You can also cut out rings or draw 5 colored rings to look like Olympic rings.
Themes: Guests can come dressed representing an Olympic Winter Games event or a participating country. An alternative is to put country names in a hat and have everyone draw a name as they come in.
Decorations: If you have lots of winter sports equipment, spread around some skis, hang some skates and hockey jerseys, etc. You can also make your own decorations (kids love this) by making flags for each country. This fun yet educational art project can be done inexpensively, with large sheets of papers, and markers or poster paint. Finished flags can be displayed on the walls, or participants can put their flags on a stick and march in a 'parade of nations' to Olympic music. If someone is good at face painting, you can also paint small flags on guests' cheeks, or pictures of skis, skates, medals, etc. Guests can also make event passbooks, and record each event with the winner's name, country and time.
Food: Since the Olympics are multi-national, you can have foods from the different countries: German pretzels, Swedish meatballs, French pastries; Swiss fondue; New Zealand kiwis; Italian pizzas, etc. An international cheese tray is also fun, especially if you cut everything in cubes and get the decorative toothpicks with international flags to put on the respective cheeses, sausages,olives, etc.. For dessert, you can make cupcakes and ice them in the Olympic ring colors, and lay them out like Olympic rings on the tray.
Games: You can organize an Olympic outdoor party - involving skating, sledding or races in the snow. Make a fun obstacle course, an endurance challenge or silly Olympics. Have extra (craft) medals and podium presentations for the winners. (To be sure everyone has a good time, try to ensure that everyone goes home with at least one medal - even if it is a team sport or an honorary medal).Other fun indoor games are Olympic trivia or charades. You can also have a 'fun bet' sheet were participants make their guesses for medal counts for each country, or pre-event questions like: who will have best outfits; who will finish last; who will fall, etc.
The Winter Olympics only come around every four years. Use it as a great excuse to get into the spirit and spend some quality time with family and friends.
