Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Cowboy Birthday Party

WESTERN-THEMED BIRTHDAY PARTY
When it comes to kids' birthday partiesit's a struggle sometimes to come up with a fun theme that's affordable. Check out the party idea below found on the The Thomas Ranch website. The Thomas Ranch was founded in Bisbee Arizona in 1902 by Edward E. Thomas. The ranch is located in the South-Eastern section of ARIZONA, in Cochise County, most known for the city of Tombstone. The Thomas Ranch website http://www.thethomasranch.com/thomas_ranch_104.htm

Invitations
For the Do-It-Yourselfers, search and find the Template you want to use, insert information and print. It’s that simple.Sample Layout of Invitations:

Wanted Posters: This is one way to customize your party. Insert your Childs picture and add your custom text. Mail or hand these out. Placing these inside a Straw Western Cowboy Hat and telling them to wear them to the party is one great way to have a special and unique invitation.

Bandanas: What is more Western than the Bandana? Writing directly on the bandana with permanent marker (for those of you who have great hand writing, or have your child write it) is a great Western Based Invitation. Ensure that the kids know to wear this around there neck as an entrance pass to the party. (using tracing paper to ensure all of these turn out the same is a simple way to help elevates ruining some of the Bandanas).

Stock Paper: Stock Paper is in every store around the Country. It is a simple and cheap way to go if you are not talented with a computer. All you have to do is open your word processor and type up a standard invitational greeting and print. Ensure that you test your print on a blank piece of paper, prior to printing on the stock paper. Store away the remaining papers that you don’t use for use later down the road.

Sample Invitational Text Layouts

#1 Howdy Partner! We’all will be needed all of You’ins to be joining us to help celebrate Outlaw (your Childs name)’s __th Birthday. Y’all get ready for the best Rootin-Tootin best time of your life. Come on down to the _Your Last Name Ranch at (add your address).

“So saddle up your Horse and mosey on down to the Barn Party. Give us a Holler at (enter your phone number).

See Y’all there! (date and time)

#2 Yee Haw! The best danged Shindig in town is about to happen. Y’all is invited too. Mosey on down to (your Childs name)’s __th Birthday Party. We will be throwin’ this at Your Last Name Ranch at (add your address).Have your Sheriff give our Sheriff a Holler at (enter your phone number).

#3 Wanted: Y’all to come on down to the fastest, bestest, western hoedown ever. Sheriff (your Childs name)’s __th Birthday Party. Yee Haw! Time for the shoot out is at (enter date and time of party). Give us a shout at (enter your phone number).

It is a simple process, just sit down and think of western based words when you think of a Cowboy and jot down your own “Hankering” words.

Decorations
Red and White Bandana Tablecloth (you can use any design you want, red and white or blue and white are the most popular). Use Bandanas for place mats.Cut outs of Cowboys, Cowgirls, Horses, Cows, Barns, and ECT. Placing Hay Bales in the backyard and around the house is one easy way to accent the party. Cowboy Hat Center-Piece filled with Candy. Cowboy Boot Cups. Placing Pieces of wood around the house would also create the Old West feeling. Build a Real Old West Town (cut-outs) out of Cardboard. Saloon, Jail, Hotel, Ranch Store are all perfect examples.

Guest Arrivals
Welcoming your guests are one of the biggest and easiest steps that happen during the party. Have someone greet your guest wearing all black and a black Top Hat, have them measure your guest for a coffin.

Favors / Give-A-Ways
Tiny Mint Candies wrapped in a Western Print:
Western Straw Hats:
Bandanas
Deputy Badges:
Toy Give a ways--Gold Coins, Gum or Chocolate, Gold Nugget Gum Bags, Cowboy Ranch Brand Tattoos.

Party Games
Branding the Kid, using Temporary Tattoos
Brand the Steer.
Pin the tail on the Horse.
Rope the Steer.
Make your own vest.
Showdown at High Noon. This uses squirt guns.
Snake in my Boots.

Food and Drinks
When you think about the Old West B*B*Q always comes to mind. So we will focus our attention there. You will have a Western B*B*Q for this Western Based Children’s Cowboy Party.

Appetizers
Salsa and Chips
Bean Dip and Chips
Beef Jerky
Deviled Eggs

Main Course
Beef RibsB
arbeque Pulled Beef Sandwiches
Steak (for those who can afford it)
Hot Dogs and Hamburgers (make sure you have B*B*Q sauce on them)
Chili Dogs (hotdogs with chili on them, makes a messss but it great fun and memories)
Grilled Vegetables
Potato Salad
Baked Beans
Corn Bread

Drinks
Sarsaparilla – Sioux City Sarsaparilla is the best our family has found.
Root beer
Lemonade
Kool-Aid

Desserts
Cake (in the shape of a Sheriffs Badge, Horse Head, Western Theme)
Fruit Cobbler with Ice Cream on top adds a special Old West flair to it. (Apple is the most traditional of fruit cobblers, but you can serve whatever the fruit that is in season, add Vanilla Ice Cream on top)
Moo Cream (nothing more than Ice Cream)

Care to share a birthday-party theme that was a big hit at your house?

6 comments:

Linda Henderson said...

We had a Dora the Explorer party for my granddaughter since she loves Dora. Everything was decorated with Dora stuff and the cake had Dora on it. She loved it.

Rebecca Winters said...

I wish I could have attended a party like this! How could it be anything but sensational! Thanks for the great idea.

Becky

Trish Milburn said...

I don't have any kids, but maybe I'll do this for my 40th birthday next year. LOL! Hey, maybe it'll help me forget I'll be 40. Gasp.

Linda Warren said...

Marin,
Now that's some party. Western all the way.

I went a bridal shower (couples) for my cousin not too long ago. The theme was western. The name tags o the tables were tiny hats with a stick in the middle holding the tag(the tags was blue or red gingham fabric). The name was printed in black on the gingham. A bow made out of straw decortaed the top. Red bandana's were used for napkins with red and blue table cloths. An assortment of daisies in a small rustic tin bucket adorned the tables as centerpieces. The bucket had a rope tied into a bow on it. Of course, they served barbecue. It was very bright and fun. And western for her cowboy husband-to-be.
Linda

Anonymous said...

My child's Kindergarten teacher chose a cowboy/cowgirl theme for the entire classroom. All the students are "pardners" etc... Some of your ideas, such as the sheriff's badges and bandanas, will work great when they have a class celebration.
Thanks!

Anonymous said...

*sniff* I've never had a theme party or even been to one. . . but sure wouldn't mind having one. And I definitely have a couple ideas; Star Wars, but Darth Vader-y stuff. . . Phantom of the Opera. . . well, those are my top two (and for the moment, my only two, but I'm sure more would come if I sat a while to think about it. LOL) ;)

Lois