If you love history and parties, there is a wonderful way to mix those two interests together. Throw a party in the theme of a certain time period. Studying about any time period can give rise to some really fun and unique suggestions for a wonderful celebration. The 1940s is a great option for a historically-themed party because it was a very diverse and interesting time. There can be mentions of World War II; guests can listen to old radio shows and see actual footage from this era. Here are some ideas for a 1940s party:
Food
Try some down home favorites like meatloaf, potatoes, and a green veggie, topped off with a fabulous 40s era dessert (if you don’t have a cookbook with recipes from this era, ask older relatives). To really get “in character” at your party, mention little things like the food supply being low because of the war. This helps get everybody else in character. Remember things like food rations and the fact that some items weren’t even available during World War II.
Music
Old radio shows have been formatted to cassette tapes and CDs and should be fairly easy to find for your 1940s party. Listen to Fred Astaire while doing a little jitterbug dancing, or choose patriotic wartime tunes. Make it a real party with dancing and merriment! Does anyone in the family have a compilation of music from different eras? If so, sort out what would be appropriate for the 1940s (i.e. people were also still listening to music that had been popular in the 1930s). Find out if party guests would be interested in trying a dance (or attempting to try a dance!) that was popular in those days.
Entertainment
There are many options for entertainment at a 1940s party. The most obvious option would be to rent old movies from this era; even a movie depicting the war would be accurate. Games were always popular at parties of any era; consider finding a book or using the Internet to determine which activities were popular; then you can decide which options are plausible. If there will be children attending, there can be separate children and adult games or just one big entertainment schedule that includes all ages. Know someone who has an old-fashioned instrument and can play tunes from this era? Invite him or her to the party. “Cheap” entertainment doesn’t have to be bad entertainment!
Clothing
Of course, every guest invited to the party won’t have authentic clothing, but a knee-length “tea dress” (many clothes today have a 1940s “feel”) and a small, decorative hat should do the trick for ladies who want to play the part. Men’s suits haven’t changed very much since then, so a nice suit and tie would be fine; if it’s possible to get access to local newspaper archives, see if the archives have papers from the 1940s. Often, these papers contained ads that showed which clothing was popular at the time. If clothing isn’t a particular interest, any attire is fine. There should, however, be a rule against no *ultra* modern clothes with contemporary sayings, characters, etc. Maybe you want to just say “casual dress” and let people decide for themselves.
Historical Accuracy?
Just how accurate is the party going to be? Consider choosing one year in particular; like 1940 or 1944. Add relevant “current interest” facts into the conversation; if the chosen year is 1941, someone could mention the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Find out what actors and actresses, songs, movies, etc, were popular in the chosen year and make it a point to work them into the party. Ask older relatives if they remember a particular year, and if so, what they remember doing that year. If they remember a certain movie, play, etc, that they went to see, work it in!
Guests’ Responsibilities
Will there be a buffet set out or will guests be required to each bring a dish to the party? These are very important decisions to make when planning your 1940s party (or any party). Let guests know exactly what will be expected of them if they choose to attend. Perhaps one person will bring a game and another a CD or cassette or music, or perhaps two families will want to bring desserts and two will want to bring side dishes.
Decorations
It may be hard to find decorations relevant to a 1940s party, but it’s not impossible. A “ballroom” atmosphere is one option, with streamers and perhaps a banner. The banner can be hand-constructed for authenticity or can be printed (use old-fashioned graphics, black and white theme, or something similar). A classy-looking centerpiece for the table is always a good choice.
