If you are wondering where to begin this is a toss up. I'm not certain which is more important when it comes to bringing the feeling of an honest to goodness Mardi Gras celebration worthy of the Crescent City. Would it be the food or the music? I guess that depends on the things that are most important to your celebratory needs and what kind of facilities and equipment you have available for most. The music for Mardi Gras should be fitting of the season and of celebrations, yes even if the one celebrating is a bit over the hill (be sure to include a genuine New Orleans funeral march in the mix if this is the case however). You can find excellent sources of Mardi Gras music in CD format online for your listening and birthday party pleasure.

If it's a large gathering with people of varying ages you may want to use a punch bowl with non-alcoholic hurricanes to make it a little bit more authentic. If this is an adult only gathering, be sure to include a little bit of the good stuff in the mix for that oh so potent kick. Hurricanes have taken on a bit of a new meaning in the aftermath of Katrina though it is still an important drink in the New Orleans tradition.

Unique train and princess birthday party

A train piata is a great way to get the kids in on the action and having a great time. You may also choose to have all the little ones dress up as a train engineer for a little interactive fun with your train birthday party idea. You can also choose to play a DVD of your favorite train story for the entertainment of the little ones and in hopes of a little bit of quiet time before the sugar induced highs of after cake time.

If you are looking for a little something extra for your child's train themed birthday party you might want to talk to local train companies and see if there is a train museum near by or if you can possibly book a train car or a room at the train depot in which to host the party. This will create a very special memory for your little one and everyone that attended the party. Some trains actually run day trips that last a couple of hours. This will be a thrilling party experience for your little one's friends if you can manage this great escape of a train themed birthday party. You may also talk to those in charge at the train station for ideas and suggestions they may have to make your child's special day a little more thrilling. Just remember that after a party like this, next year will be a hard act to follow.

With a princess party, for crafts, you can have each party princess make her very own tiara to wear for the day's festivities. It's a lot of fun, it gets all the little girls together, quietly one hopes, in one spot and concentrating on a specific task. They will also have this great keepsake to bring home with them. You'll want to be sure to get a photo of each princess wearing her tiara as another souvenir. You can also opt to craft a photo frame in the princess theme for each princess to make to hold her tiara photo and take home with her. Crafts are often quite inexpensive and are a lot of fun for the little princesses and their moms to work on together.

Of course no princess party is really complete with a bard telling tales. Have readings of favorite princess fairy tales and perhaps a viewing of a beloved fairy tale movie (such as Disney's Cinderella, Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, or Snow White). This provides a little more quiet time in which the princesses can settle down and the craft table can be cleaned up to prepare for the cake, ice cream, and presents later on.