Harry Potter Party

A few weeks ago Julia and Ethan finished the 5th Harry Potter book. We had been trying to space them out since from book number 4 on they get more mature. However, after a lot of begging we let them read the 5th book, and then somehow they convinced us that they are ready for the 6th (they both already finished that one) and the 7th (both about half-way done) ones as well.

One activity that we had been planning was to watch the 5th Harry Potter movie while I was there. Then that idea grew into having a full out Harry Potter party. I turned out to be a lot of fun. In preparation they read a few books about Harry Potter food and Harry Potter activities and they were all really excited for it.

In preparations for the party we made a Hogwarts sign, wands, and some food, and the kids decorated the house with Dolores Umbridge declarations. We also got our costumes all ready. Julia was Hermione, Ethan, Christian, and Elliott were all Harry, Agnes I think was Luna, Rebecca was Professor McGonagall, Rebecca's mom was Dolores Umbridge.

Once everyone arrived and had their pictures taken, the first stop was Gringotts to get some money. Then everyone want to Ollivanders. We had made about fifteen different wands and they turned really well. We started with dowels about 12 inches long. Then we used hot glue to decorate them/give them some texture. Then we painted them, mainly brown, black, or white and used glow-in-the-dark paint for the tips. Then we sealed them and they were ready to go. Rebecca made me one that looked like the Elder Wand, but it just never seemed like I was truly its master. After Ollivanders we stopped at Honeydukes and tried some of the Bertie Bott's Jelly Beans (Jelly Belly BeanBoozled beans). Last, before the movie we had the sorting hat tell us which house we would be in. Julia had found this idea on the internet all on her own. She said that we should have someone put their cell phone in the top of the hat and then when we place it on someones head, someone else can call it and do the voice to say a house. Unfortunately, I got Slytherin while everyone else in my family got Gryffindor.

We had lots of other yummy food to snack on during the movie, including pretzel stick booms, HP popcorn (mixed popcorn and chopped Oreos, and then covered with almond bark), butterbeer cupcakes, butterbeer drinks, and pumpkin juice.

The kids loved watching the movie. I feel asleep for parts of it, which I was sad about because this is probably my favorite one.

I think a Harry Potter Party will have to be a Fall tradition for us every year.