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In making luau decorations you get a head start at having fun at your own luau party – before the guests even arrive!
Plan a Hawaiian luau and throw a FUN-fabulous party for any occasion – birthday, graduation, wedding anniversary ... or even if you have no occasion at all.
You can have a lot of fun and still keep costs to a minimum by being creative with a pair of scissors, lots of magazines, a glue stick and an imaginative use of Styrofoam and plastic fish.
Think Bright and Sunny Tropics
Think palm trees, coconut leaves, pineapples, bright tropical flowers such as hibiscus, orchids, frangipani, surfboards, Diamond Head, erupting volcanoes, humpback whales to channel the spirit of Hawaii into your party.
Create collages with pictures of sun-drenched beaches, turquoise blue oceans, beach shacks, sailboats and ocean sunsets to use as party invitations. Send out the luau invitations in Hawaiian and leave it to your guests to figure out the translation ;)
Decorate the sides of tables with make-believe grass skirts by cutting green garbage bags into long thin strips not more than 1-1.5” wide.
On a warm day, have a table or ceiling fan working lazily to create an impression of an ocean breeze blowing softly through the hula skirts.
Themed Luau Parties
Establish a theme when it comes to making luau decorations – would you like a marine motif or a beach party? Or would you like to invite the Goddess Pele to fire up the event?
If using an ocean theme, find plastic tropical fish from the local party or toy store and hang them from the ceiling on clear fishing line.
String them at different lengths to give the illusion, when looking up, that you and your guests are on the ocean floor and the fishes are swimming overhead in the open ocean. Drape plastic seaweed from floor to ceiling and pin up fishing nets on the walls.
Create the appearance of an ocean floor by painting giant clam shells onto cheap secondhand white sheets and draping them over your sofas and lounge chairs. Hang a giant inflatable humpback whale at the doorway to welcome guests and get them into the spirit of the luau.
Beach Culture at a Luau
Making luau decorations with a beach vibe is easily done.
Spread beach mats on the floors, cover low-rise tables with beach towels, throw beach balls all around the room.
Among the most fun luau activities is having guests come in self-decorated flip-flops to compete for a prize for the most outrageously crafted pair. The winner goes home with a coconut!!
But Hawaii is not all about sun-drenched beaches and fun in the sun... There is a deeply mystical and ancient side to the islands as well.
To recreate the ambiance of the old Hawaii, hang large wooden masks on the walls. Give your imagination free rein in making luau decorations with a ritualistic effect e.g. you can create own totems out of Styrofoam cubes and a couple of pots of paint. Look to pictures of old heiaus (temples) for inspiration.
Position the temple totems in various corners of the room, dim the lights, use only tiki torches and candles for lighting and paste glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling to create the appearance of a night sky.
Or, create your own smoking volcano out of chocolate (everyone will want a bite of it!) and simulate steam from red-hot lava with clever use of dry ice.
A few good ideas go a really long way in making luau decorations – in the spirit of Aloha, don’t take anything seriously and “hang loose.” Make sure your party has an authentic touch - use the food ideas and exotic drink recipes on this site.
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