50s theme party with new info

[Esther]

DH has a 76 Vette and his daughter Cindi (member here) and her DH both have classic cars. I'm thinking to give a simple outside (swimming/picnic) party with a kind of 50s theme for our family and also another one for the guys my Dh works with. My DH has a lot of Corvette memorbilia and still has his little records, 45s,  from when he was a teen and had a record player in his car. I just ordered "sock hop" napkins, Fabulous 50s stickers, and 5 centerpieces that are black and white music notes. There are some old large records 33 1/3s in the basement that I'm thinking of heating in the oven until they are flexible and shape them like a bowl for chips or french fries. Of course there'll be 50s music. I made 2  throw pillows and 2 bed pillow size pillow covers out of route 66 fabric that could sit on the lawn chairs. I made up a huge batch of chili dog sauce and am thinking to serve hot dogs with lots of different condiments, french fries or chips, maybe jello for the kids, veggies and dip and have the makings for rootbeer floats on hand. I have trays already that are bright colors and wash easily in the dishwasher. I'll make up a fruit punch/iced tea/water for drink and just use regular paper/plastic cups. I don't know if I'll use a table cover because I have 5 round patio tables that 4 are white and one is green. I was going to use white table cover if I do. I'm looking for those spoon straws for the floats and wished I could find in disposable plastic or paper, coke cups. You know those that were smaller on the bottom 2/3 and then curved out larger the last 1/3. I have found them in glass but don't want to spend that much.

OK, anybody have any thoughts to add to what I've mentioned. I think I'll make invitations with my rubber stamps. If I do, I'll post a picture of it. I doubt people will dress up much because this is for all ages. I was thinking to buy some plain black or brown tie shoes from Salvation Army and spray paint them to look like saddle shoes. If nothing else, I could put them around for decorations along with a pink poodle skirt and role down sox. I already have a silver poodle so he'll fit right in. LOL.

[miguynmkoi]

Sounds like you have quite the imagination for your party already!  I especially like melting the LP's into bowls.  Have FUN!

[Julles]

I belong to a group of people - all ages, but mostly 50ish - and we LOVE to dress up for special event parties!  So I'd suggest that they do dress up, if they choose.  And have some little things they can put on if they don't come prepared... anything from the Dollar Store... Jimmy Dean shades, pom poms, bobby socks, pony tail bands and hairbands, hmmm.... what else?

How about trivia of rock 'n roll stars, or any other '50's themed topics?  People always grumble, but once you start, it's fun.  Or you could have the questions typed up and laying on the table, for people to discover and answer on their own.

When my parents had their 50th anniversary, I went to the library and on microfisch you can look up old newspapers.  You can also usually find the papers or magazines.  And also there is a huge book of what happened in every year since about the 1800's.  I got prices of a dozen eggs in the year my mother was born, for instance.  The year television was invented, the year a particular historical event took place, etc.  Collected photos of all the kids at various ages, and coordinated the clippings of events with births of children, etc., and posted it all on a huge board.  You could look up what happened in various years throughout the '50's and make a collage or board.  People spent a lot of time reading our board, and my parents still have it.

[Esther]

Julles, the reason I said people probably won't dress up is that there will be people here every where from ages 87 to 3 and only 6 of the 26 was here in the 50s. Actually it wouldn't be hard for the women to dress up by wearing cuffed jeans with a button up shirt tucked in and a little scarf tied around her neck. That's probably how I'll dress. All of the younger adults will appreciate the classic car part though.

It would be interesting to do the info about that era though, prices etc. Maybe I could get somebody to do that for me. 8 are too young to be interested and 2 are too old to care. LOL.

[livetogarden]

Esther....old records of any type are worth money......don't melt them!!!! Maybe you could just place them around for decorations. Of course the young ones will have to be told what they are. 
Cath

[Esther]

These records aren't fromt he 50s that I was going to soften for bowls. I don't really know what they are as they were left in my basement by my 29 year old son when he moved out. I would only do a few anyway. Yah, I was going to hang the little ones around too. Those don't have the jackets. I think my son taped all the old ones and put them on one long tape. I don't know if anyone in the family still has a record player that works or not.

I banged around on the internet looking for 50s ideas or tableware. I found a site that had all the Burma Shave signs so I copied a few on Word and will put them around. Also was reminded that hula hoops, gaudy songlasses and engineer boots, were a fad.

[Esther]

The invitations have been sent so you should be getting yours soon. LOL. I made up postcards because they are cheaper to mail. There will be two parties on the same weekend. One is on the 30th with maybe 20 people attending. That's Pete's gang from work.  I'm planning small steaks, (the boss is buying the meat) cheesey potatoes, jello, veggies and dip, and root beer floats. 

On Sept 1, the other group is family and may be up to 28 depending on who comes.  That menu is chili hotdogs and all the trimmings (dill pickles, picklerelish, cheese, chili sauce, onions, catsup, mustard, mayo), fruit punch, jello, veggies and dip, would have liked to do french fries but don't do deepfry and that would be a lot to keep crisp, chips, and root beer floats for dessert.

I bought some "sock hop" napkins, some 50s stickers to slap on the table covers, some black and white musical notes that were called a fountain for centerpieces. I have some large Coke cups that will hold the centerpieces. I'm going to try to come up with some 50s fun facts and put it on pages just for fun reading.

Oh and I was reminded that capris and "pedal pushers" were all the rage and of course right now we are wearing them again. I stumbled across DH's class ring so have it on a chain already. I ordered a pair of bobby sox that have pink poodles on the cuff. And I ordered a "switch blade" comb for DH. He right now has a shaved head so I hope it grow out enough to try a flat top. He already has a beard so sideburns won't be any problem. He has a leather jacket with a stand up collar and just a white t-shirt/shirt with rolled up sleeves and jeans with rolled up cuffs should work. My hair is so short that a boufant look probably won't work very well. I'm too fat for a crinoline and circle skirt. 

Here's what the record bowls look like.  

[ponderer]

Pretty nifty Esther!

[Esther]

 At the dollar store I bought plastic long handled soda spoons in 4 bright colors, 16 ounce plastic cups in the same bright colors for the floats, hot pink plastic tableclothes, a plastic Coke plate (to tape up for a decoration), pon pons and a cheerleader megaphone, bright colored straws, AND I FOUND 3 litre bottles of rootbeer at the dollar store so got 6, Good and Plenty candy, Bazooka bubblegum, and Atomic Fireballs (jawbreakers).

Hotdogs at Meijer were buy two packages, get two packages free, and hotdog buns were on sale too.

I already have the punch base, large jar of dill pickles and made up about 3 quarts of chili hotdog sauce. Part was from a can and part homemade. I'm putting scoops of vanilla icecream in cupcake papers in a container in the freezer so we don't have to fiddle around scooping the day of the party. I purchased a package of cheese sauce base that makes up about two quarts. I'll have to chop up a bunch of onions and make some pickle relish.

I got a light blue, white, and light green plaid short sleeved button up blouse and a pale blue chiffon neck scarf at the Salvation Army, (it was half off and senior citizens got 25% off today). So the blouse cost $1.50 and the scarf was .75. Not bad huh? I'll wear white capris and white canvas tennis shoes and of course Pete's class ring on a chain around my neck. Or maybe I should wrap it with yarn. Remember?? Sure wished I could get a wig.

Speaking of SA (Salvation Army, not string algae LOL), I found a pair of Bushmaster felt pack boots, with the thinsulate packs for Pete that I don't think were ever warn, $9.99. I don't think they knew what they had there. These are the ones with the rubber shoe part and leather uppers.

So I pay up front in SA and have to walk through the store to the parking lot in the back. So I look some more. Found a fan that can be put in the wall or built into the ceiling or of course sit in an open window. It's about 18" square and has 6 speeds, 3 going in and 3 going out. Got that for $5.55, used the senior discount again. LOL.

Kinda went over my grocery budget but you can't feed 40-50 people for nothing.

I

[Esther]

I surfed the web today looking for the prices of restaurant food in the 50s. I found a few things and made up the rest.

[Julles]

It's getting better and better, Esther.  I like the Pete's menu.

Don't you just love resale stores?  It's to where I simply can't buy anything new in a regular store anymore, not clothing, anyway.  Right now, I'm potting my vips in plastic gimmee cups for kids (McDonalds), which I got about a dozen for 80 cents at Value Village.

[Julles]

when is this party taking place?

Here's another idea:  I saw a movie on TV this morning where they played a game where you have tea cups sitting in saucers, lined up on two tables, several yards apart, across the yard from one another.  Each competitor takes one saucer and cup, and walks across to the other table, picks up another saucer and cup and stacks it on top of the first, then walks back to the other table to repeat.  Whoever picks up the most cups and makes it back to the table first without dropping any is the winner.

Kooky, but fun, and it gets the on-lookers hooting and hollering, too.

[Esther]

And the teacups don't break if the stack tumbles? Would I use my Noritake china? I don't think we're going to have games. There will be ages from 3 to 66. Mostly the kids and kids at heart will be swimming and the really little ones will be playing in the kiddy tub with boats and fish.

I will put together a 50s trivia page just for fun for the adults. I did think to put together a game type thing with either phrases from 50s music and see if people could finish the line or tell the person that performed a song. But the trouble is, my DH would win. He is really good at it. So rather than a game type, it would be something for them to do for fun if they wanted to while sitting around.

When I get the trivia thing done, I'll post it.