Luau Party!! 12-14 yr old  Steps to planning a luau: 1.) Make a guest list, parents and children should do this together. But make sure you get the right mix of kids, b/c you wouldn't want your birthday to turn into a knock-down, dragout fight! And check with your guests about what time and date works with their schedule. Mine will be from about 4:00 – 10:30. (Keep in mind my birthday is in the summer I'm turning 12 July 7th!) 2.) Make a list of things you need. Such as food, decorations, prizes, and that sort of stuff.  I highly recommend oriental trading www.oriental.com  b/c they sell things in groups of 12 so that would be best for a party. 3.) Make a plan of what to do and when to do it. I suggest opening gifts in the middle of the party or your child will most likely give you the silent treatment. Upon arrival: Greet guests with 1 lei and 1 bracelet. Give them a name tag that has their Hawaiian name on it http://www.hisurf.com/hawaiian/names.htm Have table set up and at each plate have a matching lei and bracelet. Tell each guest to find a lei and bracelet on the table that matches theirs (have a few) and that will find their seat.(You can also have numbers on the bottom of the plate for order in busting the pinata.(Birthday girls/guys always go first!;))  Craft: Have a table with beads and string etc. Tell them to make necklaces, bracelets, anklets, etc.(You can do this while you're waiting for everyone to arrive) Games: 1.) Travelers Journey: Divide up into teams (Pick numbers or something like that so no feelings are hurt) Have 2 suitcases/bags filled with a pair of large overalls or pants, shoes, an old camera, a gaudy shirt, and a hat. Have them make a line about 20 feet away from the things. The first person has to run and put everything on get the bag run back tag the next person run back take it off. The rest of the team does the same thing. The first team that is finished wins! 2.)Fortune Wheel: Make a spinner w/ 4 colored sections. And for each section have 2-4 (or have enough so each guest gets 2) envelopes with the colors' name on it and a small prize inside. Each person spins, and gets an envelope with that color on it! In this game everyone wins! 3.)Who's Who:  Get each guests name in Hawaiian. Write them on slips of paper. Have each guest pick a slip. The guests then try to guess whose Hawaiian name they have! Each person that gets the name right gets a prize. To spice the games up you can buy a hula skirt and coconut or shell bra and in the games whoever wins gets to pick someone to wear them until the next game!(Except on the team games) Decorations: Blue, pink, orange, and green are very tropical! So you can take blue and pink streamers and twist the together and put them from one corner of the ceiling of the party room to the center. Do the same with orange and green. In each corner get balloons the same color of the streamers and tape them in place. In the center of the ceiling get a HUGE bunch of balloons and place there. You can find LOTS of tropical decorations at Oriental trading. Also check out Dollar Tree and Spend-a-Buck Food: I am serving pizza (cant go wrong ;), fruit trays, candy pizza (take brownie mix and pour it into a thin cookie sheet. When it's cool put red colored icing over it(tomato sauce). Next put shredded coconut on it(cheese). Then you can cut small 'pepperoni' out of fruit by the foot.) coconut pudding, an ice cream sandwich cake(chocolate cake cut in half and vanilla ice cream in the space) and am decorating it  like an island scene. I am making a small green island in the corner, I wil put brown sugar around it for sand. I will place a Lilo and Stitch bobblehead (lilo's older sister) and surfboard on the island. And the rest will be blue (water) and I will put a dolphin or 2 in it. I am buying Hibiscus cups 8.95 dz., Parasol Picks 4.95 gross, Autograph Hula Bear 4.95, Leis 5.95 dz., Bracelets 4.95 dz., Pink Carnation straws 1.95 dz., Hibiscus tablecloth 1.95, Hawaiian Shirt invites 2.95 dz., Nylon Hair Combs 4.95 dz. Off of oriental trading. My decorations, candy, and prizes will be bought at Dollar Tree (EVERYTHING'S A DOLLAR!) I hope my ideas have helped you, this site has SURE helped me! Ciao