Oh, please HELP!!! 100% DESPERATE

[rachelw713]

This is a strange request, but my sister in law is getting desperate-and that's sugar coating-and I promised to help. You are all so creative, but this time I'm giving you a real challenge.
Here goes...

My nephew will be 8 the first weekend in May. He has the theme for the party in his head and no amount of anything will talk him out of it. He has a menu planned (all sugar items) and the idea for the cake. That's it. He is stuck on this and in desperation my SIL has agreed to it, though she has no idea what to do to make it interesting and she's afraid that his friends will not want to come...especially when she says that she wouldn't even want to. Bless his heart, he's so intelligent and has a brain that works forty years older than his body sometimes, and he just thinks this is the greatest idea ever!

You know those 'short' films at the beginning of Pixar movies like "The Incredibles"? They are animated and only last a few minutes, sometimes with little or no dialogue. To me they are annoying-but he suddenly has an obsession with them and so he wants this to be his party theme...
a Disney 'Shorts' Party.

Words cannot express the questions that we have as to how to pull this off. It kind of goes something like this...
"What does he...pause? How do you...pause? What kind of...pause? Where... Who...Huh????

So basically----we don't have a clue and I have racked my brains and exhausted my internet abilities. The more brains the better---and this one's hard. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP!!! Any ideas that you can think of for any aspect of the party-anything that gives us a jolt in the right direction-and you will have our absolute devotion and appreciation for life!


REALLY---ANYTHING!!! :thud: :bang:

 

[Gingerbug]

Okay first of all...here's an idea....can you get the music from any of the shorts? If so record some from several of them and have the kids "guess" which one it is...or which movie it was featured with.

Second: Create a Trivia game about the shorts...again it might be easier to have kids name the movie not the cartoon...since in my mind I seldom may attention to them. Or for part of the party you could have several with these at the beginnings and play just the short on each one and then do a Trivia after watching them

Could you create your own "short" with a video camera? Maybe start taping some funny segments right now and then "show" it during the party.

For decorations go more with a ""Hollywood" theme...you can buy lots of little things from oriental trading with that theme. Little black directors boards etc.

Since some of those (I have no idea why) actually win theater awards...you could have a little awards presentation and give the kiddos awards for either something from the party or if you know them well other things from life...nothing elaborate...on Hollywood Nights party we had it was sort of like:

The Award: Most Nosey Neighbor
And the nominees: George for Drive Way Watch
Kevin for My Bar is in the Yard
Steve for as Roanoke Turns (Roanoke is our street)
You can buy cheap tropies at party stores or make something or give the goody bags this way.

I'll think some more while I clean and if something else pops into my head I'll let you know.

 

[welshbabe]

Hi - my ideas from uk might be different to yours but here goes:-

Find characters from 'shorts' off net (I've no idea!!)

Use them to print place setting cards - chocolate bar wrappers - picture for a photo cake or make one to tie in?

You could print some off in a triangle shape to make your own bunting.

Why not have it fancy dress - but you could have that just Disney as I'm sure lots wouldn't know the characters. Although nephew could design his own outfit.

You could print out cards with characters on - two of each - hide one set around house or garden and have a hunt for them.

It is nephew's day and making him happy is the main thing.

Also you can copy and enlarge pics off net and use as wrapping for his gift.

Not sure what games that age plays anymore!! But I'm sure you can work the characters i somehow.

Or made a DVD of all the 'shorts' and let them watch if all else fails.

Good luck

 

[coffeenut]

Here is another twist to go along with the shorts party It is to have a Hollywood party with an admit one ticket you are invited along the lines of an oScar Party or gloden globe awards.
here is a link/
http://www.kids-birthday-party-guide.co ... party.html

 

[jingle-jo]

Why don't you generalise the party to follow a 'movie' theme. I like Gingerbugs ideas, especially if you go with an oscar type award. You could get the children to dress up as their favourite disney characters or find out the names of characters from the disney 'shorts' films and include a list in with the invites so that the parents have an idea what it's all about. You could lay a red carpet along the path to the party venue. The birthday boy could dress up as a film director. You could even provide a box of dressing up clothes for the children, with old hats, ties, feather boas. etc

Games you can play could be musical 'directors' chairs, charades (using the shorts) as the films the children have to guess. In fact I reckon you could use all the traditional party games with a shorts twist if you use you imagination, you know, pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey type games, disney pinata, musical statues, musical bumps. You could even get the children to watch a 'short' in between the games. You could do a treasure hunt using clues with a 'shorts' theme

The invites could have a movie theme. If the weather is likely to be good and all else fails, why not hire a bouncy castle (I know this has nothing to do with shorts, but it always provides entertainment).

Like Gingerbug I will have a good think and come back to you on this one! :-D

Like Ginger, I will keep thinking of ideas.

 

[wadeallie]

Yes, those 'shorts' are cute. I like the one with the little birds all sitting on the electric lines until they are bowed to the ground. Don't ask which movie this is at the beginning of, I just still chuckle at that and have had instructors use it in courses I have attended.

HEY!! Look what I found: http://www.pixar.com/shorts/index.html
I googled "Pixar Shorts" and found that site but it looks like there are others.

 

[wadeallie]

**On the pixar site, I was able to print out the screen with the picture of the Short: Mike's New Car. The design was the width of one sheet of paper and would make a neat place card if it were printed on to card stock.
Also, some bakeries at local stores such as Shaw's and Price Chopper, have the ability to scan a picture and print it onto the top of a sheet cake with edible ink. We did that for DD18 for her 18th birthday/graduation party. We used her graduation photo. We also used the idea one year when she was going thru her punk stage and she wanted the band: "GOOD CHARLOTTE" on her cake. The picture she picked was mostly black and most of the guests left the party with black stained lips. It was quite humorous at the time watching my father with black lips..lol.

 

[rachelw713]

Ya'll are life savers...if he goes for them. We know he has the whole thing cooked up in his head but doesn't think he should have to give us details...we are supposed to be mind readers you know!

But I absolutely love the 'Hollywood/Oscar Night' idea and them making their own 'short'. He would have a blast with that and the other kids would think it was cool too!!!

Keep 'em coming! I knew I could count on ya'll to jumpstart my creative juice flow...the wheels are turning now!

 

[starflake]

Those shorts are beautiful, intricate works of art. Why not take elements from each with which to decorate and enjoy the party? For instance:

Geri's Game: Play chess/checkers, decorate with checker-style tablecloth, chiclets ("teeth"), have the kids wear old ties
One Man Band: Give kids treat bag with kazoos, play nice music
Boundin': Sheep marshmallow treats, everyone bring a nice cottony pillow to sit on (or throw a slumber party)
For the Birds: trail mix ("bird seed"), pin the feather on the bird
Jack-Jack Attack: Baby Bottle Candy (or put drinks in baby bottles), apple sauce and baby plastic spoons, make Incredibles shirts (easy; just marker an i with a circle around it on the chest of a plain T-shirt)
Knick Knack: Could double the marshmallow treats again with this (snowmen), everyone wear Sunglasses, play wintery music
Lifted: Glow-in-the-dark stickers or jewelry, gooey brownie snack, draw alien creatures

I hope these help!

 

[jackfrosty]

It might be cute to make blue balloon birds like those on the short film(I love that one too!)you could put them on a makeshift 'wire' and have the kids toss beanbags or something at them to knock them off-each bird could be worth a different prize. What a fantastic theme! I love it! You could use a chocolate fountain to represent the wishing well in the one man band short.

 

[Noelsmommy]

I think it's wonderful he made it up himself, and it shows how creative and head strong he is!

How about everyone wear shorts or long sleeve shirts that are too short also. Make everything just a bit short, table cloths, ect.

I am sure those Disney shorts are somewhere one the internet, maybe compile a DVD of them to play at the party. How about "pin the light bulb on the lamp" game, such as that famous Pixar short.

I will keep thinking! I love childrens bday parties!
Kelly bunnylove