First, birthday dad & I explained to the kids that "real" pirates used individualized flags so that unsuspecting ships knew exactly WHICH pirate was about to board them. To illustrate the point, we directed their attention to our downloaded pictures of pirate flag designs used by real pirates through the ages. We then equipped the guests with 14" x 11" pieces of black contruction paper, black & white pirate clip-art (hourglasses, cutlasses, skulls, skeletons, fists, anvils, etc.), scissors & markers and challenged each guest to create a pirate flag of their own ... something that would at once identify them (perhaps by making reference to their newly acquired pirate names) as well as inspire terror in the hearts of the potential victims. Their finished flags were then hung on the walls to become part of the decoration. As guests waited for others to finish up their flags, we offered face-painting services - a scurrilous selection of scars, beards, curling mustaches, and skull-and-crossbone "tattoos" to complete their piratical disguise.