I got a lot of fantastic ideas from here
This was the invitation hand delivered to most of the Crew of the Adventurer.
X Marks the spot...
When the kids arrived they were Pirate-ed at the Bucaneer Outifitters. My sister Heidi dressed the pirates in the finest gear on the highseas. Including tattoos, eyepatches, bandanas, earings and hooks.
Some adults surprised me and came in their best Pirate Gear, ready to sail!!
Two sweet little Pirate Maidens...
The crew of the Adventurer feasted on fish sticks, goldfish and toasted with Scurvey Punch (Pineapple juice, orange juice and 7up) with a little Rum for the adults.
After the feast, the little pirates each picked out their treasure chests (old cigar boxes we had picked up at a cigar store for $1 each) and their names were put on them.
The Pirate Dad (Jason) did an amazing job constructing The Pirate Ship Adventure out of Cardboard. This was truely the hit of the party. The kids LOVED it. It had a cabin in the back with a seat and a window to spy out of, a folding plank for the crew to enter/exit on, cannons out the side that fired cannon balls (black ping pong balls), a mast with 2 sails, and of course it flew the Jolly Roger proudly from the top.
The Treasure chest was "buried" in the front yard and the kids found it (3 is still a little too young for an offical treasure hunt with a map) and the hangman strung it up for the pirates to take whacks at. I made the treasure chest out of a styrafoam cooler and paper mache. (on the cheap- Take that Party City!!)
When the tresure chest was finally opened gold coins, jewels candy and spiders were inside, they placed their treasure in their indivdual chests to take home!!
Next there was mutiny on the 7 Seas, and the Pirates were forced to walk the plank!!
And of course every birthday party has to have cake. I made mine nice and simple, out of the box, and stuck pirate flags on top. (He is 3!!! And since none of them are gourmet critics, they have no way of knowing that I made nothing from scratch)
Before you start thinking that we as a parents went WAY overboard and spoiled our kid. Remember, I work 40+ hours a week, I don't home school my kids, I don't make my own baby food, I don't even sew on buttons (I pay the dry cleaner to do it) so I felt justified in indulging in a little Birthday party glory. Besides I know for a fact, having your birthday in December, usually you end up getting a little ripped off. Who's to say this won't be his only fantastic Birthday part for til his *Sweet Sixteen* (where we buy him a convertible BMW, and he throws a tantrum because its the wrong color...;-)
*A special thanks to "Uncle" Matt for taking all these pictures, because there is no way I would have been able to in all the pirate chaos!!!!
