INVITATIONS
The fifties, being the era that gave birth to rock and roll, are famous for those small vinyl albums. You can pick up many at thrift stores for just a few pennies each. Take them and cut out some paper in a circle to cover the label and glue it on. Make your invitation on the record label you created stating the time, place and date of the party. If you want your guests to dress up in costume, indicate it. Slip it into a large yellow envelope and distribute the invitations to your guests.
DECORATIONS:
Get more vinyl records and hang them on the wall. This is especially great if you can find tunes by Elvis, Buddy Holly or other popular artists from the 50's. Get some black and white post cards of Elvis, Jimmy Dean, Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe, and hang them around on the walls as well, and some posters of classic cars. If you have or can rent a juke box it will really be in the spirit of things-- if not, just play some classic rock and roll to set the atmosphere.
REFRESHMENTS
Think 50's malt shop specialties: burgers, fries and pizzas for food. Malts or ice cream sodas for beverages. Some old Coca cola glasses make great serving glasses for the 50's. For a cake, make a large, round cake and decorate it like a record. You can usually also find party theme plate, cup and napkin packages decorated for a 50's theme at party store outlets. If you can come by one of those old portable phonographs, even if it's broken, you can use it. Set it out on the table and put a well cleaned album on it. Place some appetizers on the album. Put a circle of white frosting in the middle and write "Happy Happy Birthday Baby," on it with icing or gel, and put the child's name.
ACTIVITIES
Play "Rock Around The Clock." This is a game like musical chairs. Cut a large circle out of a white drop cloth. On the edges, place large sticker numbers, from one through twelve, to make it look like the face of a clock. You can cut out some large, cardboard "hands" and paint them black, and stick them to the middle. Let children stand on a number. Play the famous tune, or another popular tune, as the children dance around the clock face, stepping on each number in turn. When the music goes off, whoever is on the 12 is out. Keep doing this until there is one player remaining. Another great activity is having a hula hoop contest-- hula hoops are inexpensive, fun, and were a big hit in the 50's.
GOODY BAGS
Make or get each of your guests a CD of 50's tunes. Take a picture of them at the party in their 50's get-up and print it out in black and white, attaching it to the front of the CD case. On the back label, commemorate the event by writing your child's name and date of the party. Give one to each of your guests as they are leaving, or send it to them as a thank-you note for their attendance.
