Harry Potter Inspired Magical Children's Birthday Party

Our son requested a magic themed party for his 5th birthday. Initially I had thought of hiring a magician or perhaps coercing my husband to do some tricks for the children, but nothing was coming together. Still, I was up for the challenge. I love Harry Potter and though my son is too young to have read the books and our children don't watch tv, I was still inspired to include my favorite (and age appropriate ) bits and pieces from the novels. In the end, the party was a great success. He (and I) couldn't have been happier :)

The Invitation

The invitation is based upon one of the party activities- and should look like a magic potion book. It was really fun to send out this invitation because people were really curious about what activities we would be doing at the party. To make the invitations,  I bought a box of blank,  colored  card stock and a bag of card stock scraps (yes, I paid for a bag of scraps - don't tell my husband ! ). I cut the scraps into triangular shapes to make the corners and ovals for the center medallion, glued them on and and decorated it with glitter glue. On the inside, we found an ink stamp at the craft store that had all the pertinent  info,  we just had to fill in the specifics.

 For the envelope, we used an owl paper punch and punched through the empty envelope so that there was an owl shape in both the front and flap of the envelope. Once we  inserted the colorful card into it, the owl really stood out.

* A quick note: I found these fantastic Harry Potter / Hogwarts Express  Train Ticket  Invitations on Etsy and also found templates for the Hogwarts Acceptance Letter / Invite online that were both super cool, but perhaps more appropriate for older children. Check them out if you get a chance.

The Party
We had the party at out home with stations set up for the four activities on the docket that day:


#1 - Cape Fitting:
Upon arriving, each child was asked to select the cape of their choice and was then assisted with putting it on. To make the capes, I kept it simple. I chose three different colors of velvet fabric (dark blue, dark purple and light purple) and cut them into small cape sized rectangles. I found glue backed velcro circles, attaching a set to each cape. Easy, quick and no sewing involved since I left the edges raw.

#2 - Magic Wand Selection and Decoration:
Prior to the party, my children and I wandered the back yard and found all the wands we would need for the party. We looked under various types of trees, finding sturdy, dry sticks and branches. Some already had the bark cracked off, others needed it removed. At the party, we made a station placing the "wands" in a mason jar, and put out tempura paints, glitter glue, ribbons, water, paintbrushes, and lots of paper towels. Remember to make an area where the wands can dry.


#3 - Magic Potion Book Creation
This is a project that I found at Oriental Trading Company. They sell the kits and supplies on their website, though you could perhaps source out your own supplies if you wished.  The 'books' are really cardboard boxes with magnetic flap closures / lids.

A finished potion book. We used fabric pens to not only decorate the front but to also add "pages" to the top, side and bottom.

*Before the party - I cut and glued  the colorful foam covers on the books (placing a rubber band around them to hold the foam on until dry). We made the books a variety of colors so there would be something for everyone. Also ahead of time, I cut various colored triangles for the corners and ovals for the medallions though I did not affix them to the books.

Stacks of potion book boxes with covers pre-glued, and stacks of colorful triangles and medallions. Cups of fabric pens were placed around the table at each station along with bottles of glue

At the party, let the children choose their book and glue on the corners and center medallion in the color of their choice, with Elmer's Glue. Use fabric puffy pens / glitter puffy paint pens to decorate the books. We had made an example and placed it out on the table so that the children (and parents) could see how the finished project should look. Again, remember to make a place for them to dry.

For the Boxes
We found (age appropriate) magic wand spells on a Harry Potter website  and made a small sheet of them rolled into a scroll and tied with a ribbon to place in their magic potion boxes.

We also found old skeleton keys on Ebay, cleaned them up with soap and water and let the children choose one for their potion book.

Scrolls of magic wand spells tied with orange ribbon and skeleton keys

 #4 - Magic Potions
Out last activity was to make magic potions. Before the party we made jars of "potions" using water, food coloring, glitter and essential oils to make Elf Magic, Star Dust and Fairy Dust.  We then made separate bowls of Unicorn fur (cut fibers from leopard fabric), lavender flowers, glitter and Dragon Scales (something we found in the spice aisle that resembled scales). We made a tray of all the potion supplies and gave each child two cobalt bottles. They were able to mix all the ingredients to their liking which was great fun. Just have paper towels on hand!

 Everyone was given an empty  goody bag to load up their creations at the end of the party (some of which were still wet - so brown paper grocery bags could work too) .

This was a super fun and pretty easy party to put together. We hope it inspires you to create a magical party of your own!

Blessingways: Celebrating the Mother To Be

It seems that everywhere I go these days, I find a glowing woman resting had hands atop a round, round belly, walking with a waddle that signifies a change to come - soon. I assume many of these women have spent the last few months preparing for the arrival of there soon to be born babies and perhaps some have had baby showers thrown in their honor. Baby showers are a fun and often silly, light hearted celebration of the baby to be born. The games, gifts and conversation are all centered upon who he or she will be,  what they will do. However, the baby shower doesn't acknowledge the change that the woman is going through, becoming a mother for the first time , or a mother to more than one (or two...), hence the Blessingway Ceremony.

The Blessingway is a rite of passage marking the magnificent transition occurring in a woman's life when she becomes a mother. It is a ceremony for the mother and attended by the women she is the closest to (sorry co-workers and random associates). Some women like to include their partners in the pre-baby celebrations, and that's wonderful and encouraged, but the Blessingway is a woman only event-  invite the guys and children to the after party.

There is no formula for a Blessingway, though there are some elements that are often included. You can pick and choose the elements that speak to you and tailor a celebration that fits your style, wants and needs. Though this is not a religious ceremony and has nothing to do with belief systems, religious denominations and the like. IN this ceremony, you are creating a sacred space in which to celebrate and honor the mother to be in her rite of passage to motherhood and to support her in what ever she needs during your ceremony time. Here I will discuss the various elements and options for a Blessingway, but remember, you can be as creative as you want.

Creating a Blessingway Ceremony:


The Guest List
As noted above, this is a ceremony for only the closest friends and family. Lap babies are usually ok  but older children should only attend if they can remain quiet and seated for a long period of time. Men, younger children and other friends can attend the "after party".

Sacred Space
It is usually a good idea to include the mother to be in the preparations for the ceremony, though it is usually hosted by a midwife or trusted friend / family member. It can be held in her home or that of a friend, though public spaces are probably not the best choice. Choose a location will everyone will be comfortable, since the ceremony can last anywhere from 1- 3 hours. The women will be seated in a circle, with the mother to be at the head of the circle. Make sure you have seating appropriate for all attending (age, health, pregnant, etc). Fill the space with candles, flowers, scents, or anything that makes the space both celebratory and sacred. Some women like to make an alter. If this is her desire, make sure you have the appropriate space and supplies, including a box or something for her to take it home in, if the Blessingway is not held in her home.

Warming Up
As the guests arrive, finger foods and tea, wine or other beverages are offered to allow everyone to arrive and get acquainted before the ceremony begins. Because the ceremony can take some time, try to keep the  meet and greet time to a minimum.

The Ceremony

Creating the Circle
You are creating sacred space and the way that you do that can be done in  a variety of ways. Some women like to enter under a tunnel of their friends interlaced arms, as if being birthed into the circle. Some women just prefer to have everyone head into the living room and form the circle without the tunnel. Once seated, you may call in the directions, if you are comfortable with that, asking the spirits to help you form and protect your sacred space during the course of the ceremony . The directions are hailed giving an attribute to each that in relation to women and birth. For example:

Spirit of the East - of new beginnings, spring, babies, new love, the new role of the mother to be, shedding her past self and emerging a new woman.

Spirit of the South - of passion and fire, of birth, strength, desire

Spirit of the West - of water and the womb

Spirit of the oath - of  ancient wisdom, ancestors, thousands of years of women giving birth

during this time you can cleanse each women around the circle with sage, or  a spritz of flower water etc.

Honoring your Connections and Each other
The host will ask each guest to take turns around the circle speaking to their relationship with the mother to be, how they met, how long they have known each other etc. It is fun to their the stories that connect each woman to the mother.

Wishes
Often the guests are asked to bring a bead or a stone, pendent, or other trinket that will be made into something later. In  turn, each woman takes a turn around the circle making a wish for the mother, the new baby and/ or  the family, infusing that wish into their object. For example you might wish for a quick birth, a healthy baby, an easy labor, a good sleeper, rest and private time for the new family. The objects can be turned in to necklaces, bracelets,  set into stepping stones or placed upon an alter after the ceremony is over. We have done stepping stones for each of our children and made them at the after party pot luck so that the children could participate.

Candles
Some mothers like to ask that each guest also bring a candle for her to light during her labor, letting her have the strength and love of the women in her life as a glowing reminder in her birthing experience. If you wish, you can also bless with candles with a wish, or just simply set them aside for her.

Transition
To signify the transition of woman to mother or mother again, the women in the circle brush and restyle the mother to be's hair differently than what it was when she arrived, or by brushing an adorning her with a flower wreath, ribbons of other accoutrements.

Next, she is seated in a chair and given an herbal footpath,  one or two women massaging her feet in the hot water. When she is done and her feet are dried, they are then rubbed with cornmeal, a symbol of fertility. This last part is usually done by either the next women to give birth, or anyone wanting to have a child, though, anyone is welcome to do it.

Making a Web
Lastly, a ball of yarn is presented to the mother, who winds it around her wrist (and without cutting it) passes it to the woman next to her, who winds it around her wrist and passes it until everyone in the circle is connected to the one piece of yarn. This ritual is symbolic of our connectedness as women. We are giving her our strength and support as she journeys into birth and motherhood. When the "web" is complete (and this is a little tricky), you cut the yarn on either side of you and tie the piece around your wrist  into a bracelet. It is said that the yarn may loosen and perhaps even fall off of the guests wrists when their friend goes into labor (though I've never experienced it).

Closing the Circle
To end the ceremony, you can dismiss the directions (if you called  them in the beginning) thanking each one for the attributes they offer, or just simply thank the guests for participating in such a special gathering.

The After Party
Food and refreshments are served afterward to give everyone a chance to settle back into "normal" life again. Spouses and children may attend, or this can be an opportune moment to allow guest who can't stay for the whole event, to slip out quietly.

These are just a few ideas to help you create a  special gathering for the wonderful women and mothers in your life. Many books have been written on the topic to offer further ideas, though most have these main elements, with other elements added. I hope that you will honor the women in your life with such a special celebration.

Blessed Be!