11689

Presidential Party

August 2005

Ryan in Manistique, Michigan USA

Honorable Mention

My son's latest obsession is the "U.S. Presidents". He challenged me this year to come up with an original theme party as I usually reference and find most of my ideas off of this site for his birthdays.  Unfortunately there was not much to offer in the line of "Presidential Themes"!  But, after a short brainstorming period, my mind was racing with ideas.  I began with an invitation that had a picture of my son's face superimposed on a photo of the president in front of a flag, speaking at a podium with the presidential seal on the front.  It read:  Declaration of Invitation   We the people of the ______ House  of (CITY, STATE) in order to form a more perfect Birthday, a birthday conceived in the notion that all kids should have fun and eat cake,  would like to invite you to (Name)'s 9th birthday and Presidential Gala!  It will take place on Sunday, March 20, 2005 At the (gray and) White House Address 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.  (Name) is running for his second term as President and he needs YOU, His dearest friends to aid in his campaign and inaugural celebration.   We served popcorn cake with red and blue jelly beans, sparkler candles, and red, white and blue rocket/bomb popsicles--Instead of traditional cake and ice cream.  I had found red and blue table decor and one of my best finds was a pkg. of patriotic republican napkins leftover from this past years election on clearance at a party store!  My son had asked for voting to be done at the party, so I made a voting booth out of a folding room divider decorated with red white and blue accessories from the dollar store.  I typed up and printed Ballots for everyone, placed a chair, clipboard and pencil in the booth and each child had to vote at one time throughout the party.  My son was listed as the only presidential candidate, of course and all of the other children were listed for various offices...such as V.P, Secretary of Defense, etc.  Before the party ended votes were tallied and all people were given an office to hold.  We assigned duties to those who didn't win the election slots.  As all children arrived I gave them each a campaign button that I had made at our local Newspaper with my son's picture and it said "________ for President!"  They also received a blue and red baseball cap.  Some children came dressed in suit coats or ties and of course my son wore his suit.  The attendees were assigned a task at campaign headquarters.  I had printed up various pictures of red, white and blue elephants/donkeys _______ for president in different fonts, etc.  Four sets of children were responsible for making campaign posters.  I gave each group a bag of markers, a blue poster board, glue sticks and a baggie of clip art.  They had to draw a portrait of my son on one part of the poster--I had provided a white paper with a patriotic frame around it for their picture.  They also had to write a brief description as to why they felt he would make a good president.  These turned out great!!  They were a great morale booster for him and look super on his bedroom wall now.  I had the teams sign and date the back and had them laminated for safe keeping.   One pair of children were assigned the task of writing and videoing a commercial promoting my son's campaign.  I had printed up 100 dollar bills with my son's face in the center.  My son and his prior appointed Secretary of the Treasury (the youngest boy at the party) made rounds while his friends were working on their campaign assignments and challenged them to patriotic tasks such as singing the Star Spangled Banner, Saying the Pledge, doing 10 Push-Ups, Running Around the house shouting ________ for President, polishing his shoes, etc. Each of these was worth $$$$.  He also rewarded them for their hard work on his campaign.  So, they were trying to collect money throughout their projects.  This money was used to buy patriotic themed prizes at the end of the party, such as USA coloring maps, Flag Pencil Boxes and Hackey Sacs, various goodies found at dollar stores, etc.  The person with the most money purchased first, then second most, all the way down to the least money picking their prize last.   Finally, one set of two children worked with my husband to write my son's inaugural address.  This was, of course, quite silly.  But he had to read it aloud after the votes were tallied and people named to their offices. We video taped everything which will be a wonderful keepsake...and who knows--  Maybe he will be President someday!  

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