Mad Hatter

Plan an enchanting adventure in Wonderland for all your party guests. This guide will help you take care of all the party details, and help you create your very own Alice in Wonderland theme party.

When inviting guests to your Alice in Wonderland theme party, make sure they are prompt. Invitations with the line, “don’t be late for a very important date” are sure to get your guest’s thinking of an adventure in Wonderland. For a more hand-made invitation, make a Queen of Hearts playing card with the guest of honor’s face as the Queen.

Bright colored decorations are the best way to create a magical Wonderland adventure for your guests. There is no such thing as too many Alice in Wonderland party decorations. Make signs leading to the house saying, “this way,” “that way,” or “other way.” Hang bright colored paper lanterns above the table; decorate with bright and beautiful butterflies and flowers. Use large, bold colored butterflies to draw attention and small intricate butterflies twisted around teapots to show off attention to detail.

When setting the table for your Alice in Wonderland party, think tea party! Use a pink tablecover, inexpensive tea cups and saucers, and of course, traditional tea pots. None of these tea sets need to match, in fact, the more mis-matched, the better. The Mad Hatter wouldn’t want a matching table, and neither should you! Make finger sandwiches and cupcakes and post a sign next to all food plates that reads, “eat me.” Also, tie a note to each tea cup that says “drink me” so as to recreate Alice’s experience with food and drink in Wonderland. For a real treat at dinner have some of your favorite Alice in Wonderland characters appear! Dine with the Mad Hatter, by dressing one of the parents up as this colorful character with a simple Mad Hatter costume kit, or have anyone serving the tea wear the Mad Hatter hat. Don’t forget the title character, Alice. Dress up as Alice herself and entertain your guests with a reading of the tea party scene. Plus, for a quick way to give away prizes, hide a stuffed mouse in an empty teapot or under one of the chairs, and whichever guests comes across the dormouse first wins a prize!

Don’t get so carried away with the tea party that you forget the playing card party supplies. Decorate the room with huge playing cards, or playing card cutouts. You can even focus in on the hearts suit, and decorate with red heart shape cutouts. This brings another favorite Alice in Wonderland character to life, the Queen of Hearts. You may have the Queen of Hearts show up at your party as well! Dress another parent in a black dress and red robe. Don’t forget the red Queen’s crown and of course, flamingos. The Queen of Hearts can instruct the guests on what games to play or activities to do. She can lead the guests to the backyard for a game of croquet; try it with upside down flamingos! Or just use novelty flamingo lights and yard flamingos to lead the way to the game. The Queen can also have a sidekick, use playing card cutouts on front and back of a black shirt to make a playing card guard costume. Or for a simple white rabbit costume, dress another parent up with bunny ears, rabbit mittens, a bright colored vest, and have him carry around a jumbo pocket watch. These characters can move the guests from activity to activity. They can organize card games, croquet or some kind of “Simon Says” in which the Queen is “Simon” and everyone has to follow her instruction.

These are just a few ideas to get you started in planning your Alice in Wonderland party. Just remember when you are creating a Wonderland in your house or your backyard, there is no limit. Be as bright and bold as possible and your guests will believe that they have fallen down the rabbit hole on their very own Wonderland adventure.

Guest Blogger: Jill Wittkopp (centurynovelty.com)