Hawaiian Luau Theme Party 101

Most people think of modern luaus as large scale productions at resort hotels that usually include a real kalua pig in an underground oven, live Hawaiian music, and real hula dancers. But you can capture the essence of a luau simply by having a Hawaiian theme party right in your own home. Throwing a successful Hawaiian theme party basically comes down to three simple things: attire, atmosphere, and food. If you can pull off these three things, you are sure to have a party that your guess will remember.

Hawaiian Clothing
The easiest way to give your party visual pizazz is to have all your guests wear colorful Hawaiian shirts and dresses. Let your guests know about the Hawaiian theme ahead of time so they have time to get their clothing if they don't already have some. It would also be good to have leis for all your guests as they arrive, just as they would when they arrive at a real luau. You can easily find cheap silk or plastic leis online that will do the trick while keeping you under budget. And for the women, a nice real or fake flower to wear behind the ear would add a nice tropical touch.

Tropical Atmostphere
In addition to having your guests wear their favorite Aloha wear, it's important to make sure they walk into a festive atmosphere when they arrive at your party. There are 3 easy steps to accomplish this. First, play Hawaiian music on a CD or MP3 player that can be purchased and downloaded from many sources on the web. Second, use simple props or wall decorations that are available at many local party supply stores. Tape plastic decals of coconut trees to your walls or scatter flowers on the food table and drape it with a raffia skirt. If you are having a backyard party, set up an inflatable palm tree or some outdoor torches. And finally, use colorful or tropical colored cups, plates, and napkins. Set everything up, step back, and take a look at your party site. If it looks and sounds like Hawaii to your mind's eye, then you're probably good to go.

Luau Food
As important as attire and atmosphere are to your party, ultimately it will be the food that will put your party over the top. If you really want to make your Hawaiian party feel like a real luau, you should include at least a few iconic luau foods. If you make only one luau dish, make it kalua pig. There are many recipes on the web for simple kalua pig that you can make in your oven or crock pot. Other popular menu items include things like poi, lau lau, poke, mahi mahi, haupia and many more. The more luau foods you include in your menu, the more adventurous and exotic your party will feel.

Final Thoughts
The key thing to remember for the Hawaiian theme party, and all theme parties in general, is to make sure your guests have a great time. You don't have to spend much to have a successful party. You could even have a simple pizza party with all your friends in Hawaiian clothing and still have a great time. On the other hand, if your goal is to host an event that will be talked about for years to come, you might as well go all out with real torches, live music, real flowers, a tropical drink bar, and anything else you can imagine. The bottom line is to have fun and create memories to last a lifetime, or at least until your next party.

About the Author
Scott Murakami has been the manager of the online Hawaiian clothing site http://www.alohafunwear.com for over a decade and invites you to learn more about some of the fun things about Hawaii that make life in the islands unique.