Harry Potter Series: Decorations

The Muggles will soon be on their way to The Hogwarts’ Great Party and the Great Hall needs to be decorated. 

Have a look at these creative ideas to  magically transform your home into the greatest Wizardy School of all time!

1.  As the kids arrive, have signs all along the party path to your door for “Diagon Alley” Shops. 
2. Througout the house, have different signs hanging designating different Hogwarts’ areas, i.e. “Hagrid’s Hut,” “The Great Hall,” “Dungeon,” etc.
3. On your front door, make a cardboard shield with a lion on it, the symbol for Gryffindor.
4. Turn your designated party room/area into the “Great Hall.” 
5. Use scarlet and gold balloons and streamers throughout the party area.
6. Candelabras on the tables would be an additional decorating touch.
7. Place spider webs, plastic frogs, and other bugs on the party table.
8. Place brooms and wizardy hats around the room.
9. Spray paint inexpensive frames with gold paint and have them in the party room all around.
10. Have a plastic black cauldron at the front entrance to the party with dry ice steaming out.  Also, could be uses as a party table centerpiece.
11. Hang twinkle lights in the party room to keep the dark yet dimly lit “Great Hall.”
12. Use plastic goblets for the drinks.
13. You can certainly find all of the Harry Potter party and table ware, but also you could use primary colors, i.e. a red tablecloth with yellow plates, etc.  Whatever combination of colors your kid wants will be fine.
14. Play spooky sounds in your home.  Purchase a tape of groans and moans and have it playing as the kids arrive and/or place it in the bathroom to spook as well.
15. Hang stars, moons, planets from your ceiling in the great room.  With the dimly lit room, if you buy glow-in-the-dark paint or markers this would look very cool when the kids look up in the Great Room.
16. Cover a large book with a “Magic Spells” cover.  The adults running the party can use the book for reference throughout the party. 
17. Place plastic animals, i.e. snakes and frogs, into jar and place around the party table.

A very good resource for even more decoration ideas is Potter Parties Decorations.  From making the “Platform 9 3/4″ to Painted Brick Walls, this page will help you come up with even more creative decorations to your Potter Party.

Photo Courtesy: Janet W