“April showers bring May flowers” is the old English rhyme and it often holds true. April in the UK is renowned for its gusty winds and sharp showers. From a St George’s Day feast to a party to celebrate the birth of Hans Christian Andersen, there are several good opportunities to theme a social event in April. Some of those ideas for party themes are shown here.
A Hans Christian Anderson Birthday Party
Hans Christian Anderson was born on April 2nd, 1805 in Odense, Denmark and is remembered throughout the world for his books of fairy tales that have enthralled and worried both children and adults over the centuries. This would be a great day to hold either a party for the kids or one for the adults.
A children’s party based around the Hans Christian Anderson fairy stories could include the children dressing up as fairies or characters from the stories such as the princess from the Princess and the Pea or as Thumbelina. Read some of the fairy tales to them and get them to draw pictures afterwards about the stories.
For the adults, invite them to dress up as some of the darker characters from the stories. Dinner party food could include pea soup or traditional Danish dishes such as a buffet of open rye bread sandwiches, Danish pastries and, as the Danes are reputed to be the nation that eats the most pork in the world, serve frikadeller (meatballs) or a pot roasted Danish bacon joint.
James Bond and Da Vinci Themed Parties
April 5th was the birthday, in 1909, of Albert “Cubby” Broccoli who produced many of the James Bond films. Invite guests to arrive dressed as characters from the films. Serve a meal selected from one of his books such as those outlined in The James Bond Dossier. Of course, martinis that have been shaken and not stirred are obligatory.
April 15th 1452, according to the BBC, is Leonardo Da Vinci’s birthday. So why not celebrate the great artist and thinker’s birthday with an Italian themed dinner party? Focus the menu around pizza or perhaps less fast food style Italian dishes such as Chicken Marsala or spaghetti bolognaise and wash it down with a decent Italian wine. There can be no other option but ice cream for dessert.
Celebrate St George’s Day in April
April 23rd is the day the English celebrate their Patron Saint, St George who, as legend has it, so valiantly killed the dragon. Hold a truly traditional English dinner of roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, horseradish sauce, cabbage, carrots and thick, thick gravy followed by an English sherry trifle. Invite guests to wear red and white to symbolise the cross of this saint.
Sources:
- Saturday Magazine, 1833
- The Hans Christian Andersen Center
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