The word "luau" means "feast" in the Hawaiian language. Luaus mean more than just good food, though - they mean a gathering to share good fun as well! So here are some tips for hosting a truly memorable luau.
First, set a budget and allow plenty of time to plan and set up the luau. In Hawaiian tradition, real luaus took months to prepare because Hawaiians didn't have any of today's labor-saving devices. So take advantage of calendars, calculators and party supply stores.
And since a luau is a practice of South Pacific culture, think "tropical" when setting up party plans. Use decorations such as tiki torches along with palm tree cutouts, shells, candles, leis, straw hats, grass skirts, silk flowers, and brightly colored streamers. In other words, go "coconuts" with bright tropical décor.
Hold your luau outside if at all possible. Should space or weather cause the party to move inside, be sure the decorations and food are portable. Make life and clean-up easier for everyone with paper and plastic utensils.
Next, be sure your guests know the party theme of "Hawaiian luau." They can get out their flashiest Hawaiian shirts, shorts, sarongs, grass skirts, surfer baggies, sandals and any other island gear. Be sure you greet each guest with a hearty "Aloha!" and a plastic or silk flower lei.
When it comes to beverages, plan to offer tropical cocktails like Pina Coladas, Mai Tais and Daiquiris. Have non-alcoholic versions of these drinks as well, along with pitchers of iced tea or punch with plenty of floating fruit slices. Serve the drinks in coconut shells if possible, and be sure to top them with little cocktail umbrellas!
Get out plenty of pineapple and fresh fruit chunks for the food menu. Pineapple juice makes a great marinade for meat as well. Check online recipes sites for authentic Hawaiian delicacies. Some traditional foods include poi, Lomi salmon and chicken long rice. A whole roast pig turning on a spit is an impressive option, but only attempt this is you're brave or experienced. A local butcher shop should be able to help you find a pig suitable for roasting. If the pig is too much of a challenge, then stud a nice big ham with pineapple rings and cloves.
Fun at a real luau involves games and tests of skill and strength. If youngsters are invited, consider having them string their own leis with fake flowers and fishing line. Give a Hawaiian twist to familiar games by playing "Hot Coconut" instead of "Hot Potato," or "Pin on the Piggy's Tail." Grown-ups and older children can join in spear-throwing contests with darts or racing around an obstacle courses (no fire-dancing, please!). Prizes for these games can include small, tropical-themed toys and gadgets for the kids, or some Kona coffee, one of Hawaii's greatest exports, for the adults.
No Hawaiian luau would be complete without island music. Party stores often have CDs of beach tunes and Hawaiian songs, as do libraries, friends or online music sites.
The most important thing to remember about a Hawaiian luau is that it's all about the fun and conviviality - for the hosts and the guests.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- 12 Favorite sauces for ribs
- How To Prepare Teriyaki Sauce: A Traditional Japanese Sauce
- Teriyaki Flavored London Broil in 30 Minutes Or Less And it is Diabetic Friendly
- Tasty Teriyaki Pork and Cabbage Stir Fry
- Mumbo Jumbo BBQ Chilli Chicken Wings
- How to Cure Gout Attacks Without Prescription Drugs
- This Can Increase Your Heart Disease Risk
- Do You Have a Great Body




How Do I Locate Death Records Free Of Charge To Find Someones Death Certificate
By: James Nash | 26/12/2009If you need to obtain death records for some reason the best place for that might be the government’s office. But there you’ll have to deal with regulations and paperwork, and you can simply avoid all of this if you just search for death records on the internet.
George Washington Famously Crossed the Delaware River on Christmas Day in 1776 - See it on Canvas
By: Earl Keaton | 26/12/2009George Washington crossed the Delaware River on Christmas Day, December 25, 1776 during the American Revolutionary War, as depicted in an extraordinary painting by the German American artist Emmauel Leutze. In this commemorative painting, George Washington stands boldly at the front of the small craft, cape flying in the freezing...
Where Can You See Arrest Records In Wisconsin To Retrieve Someones Arrest History
By: James Nash | 26/12/2009If you want to find someone’s arrest history you don’t have to go through all that trouble like you used to in later years. Not at all, you can simply find all arrest records that you need from your own home on the internet.
Can Glass Sex Toys Give You a New Approach to Stimulation?
By: Vikram kuamr | 26/12/2009The best part about sex toys is that they will be tools which you can use to help stimulate yourself or your partner in whole new ways.
Enter an Exciting New Realm When You Explore Bondage Fantasy
By: Vikram kuamr | 26/12/2009Everyone likes different areas of sexual exploration and for this reason, you may want to look into exploring bondage fantasy with your partner.
Security Holograms and Fake Goods
By: Mark Trumper | 26/12/2009The flood of counterfeit goods into the United States from the Far East, and especially China and India, has reached all time highs and is creating significant economic damage at home. This incredibly damaging, criminal activity is spurring the development of IP protective measures, such as security holograms. Hologram Image No-one wins...
Eminem dead? - Eminem died in a car crash?
By: Daniel Graziano | 26/12/2009Yet another Christmas is upon us and once again a rumor of a celebrity death has fans searching desperately to make sure their idol is still alive. This time, Eminem has been rumored to have died in a car crash, but we can confirm that verified sources tell us, Eminem is not dead.
Oklahoma Road Conditions
By: Carl Jonn | 25/12/2009Conditions on highways in central Oklahoma continue to slowly improve
Tips For Hosting a Truly Memorable Luau
By: John Ramallo | 08/07/2009 | News & SocietyThe word "luau" means "feast" in the Hawaiian language. Luaus mean more than just good food, though - they mean a gathering to share good fun as well! So here are some tips for hosting a truly memorable luau. First, set a budget and allow plenty of time to plan and...
Top 5 Historical Sites in Hawaii
By: John Ramallo | 08/07/2009 | TravelSay "Hawaii" and most people think beautiful beaches, tropical drinks with paper umbrellas and surfers. Hawaii is all that, plus some of the most interesting and poignant historical sites found anywhere in America. The top five historical sites in Hawaii mark both human achievements and human tragedies. 1. USS Arizona Memorial,...
Top 5 Ways to Build a Shish Kabob
By: John Ramallo | 08/07/2009 | Food & BeverageIts name has roots in the Middle East, but today shish kebob means has a global reputation as a skewer full of mouth-watering food. Several sources site Turkish and Armenian as the original languages of the term "shish kebob" or "shish kebab," but it's linked to an Arabic word meaning "cooked...
Top 5 Unforgettable Vacation Spots in Hawaii
By: John Ramallo | 08/07/2009 | TravelTop 5 Unforgettable Vacation Spots in Hawaii From the first "Aloha!" Hawaii holds a stunning array of unforgettable vacation spots. Travelers who want to get the best of Hawaii will want to give themselves sufficient time to visit some of the 50th State's most stunning sites. 1. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, The...
Online Appointment Scheduling: How Much Time Will it Save You?
By: John Ramallo | 24/10/2008 | ManagementIs your spa, health club or massage therapy business, client focused? Do your clients and customers rave about you, your staff and your services to their friends, driving in droves of new referrals? If not, take a step in that direction by allowing your customers to book their appointments online,...
Your Online Spa and How to Use Search Engine Optimization
By: John Ramallo | 24/10/2008 | ManagementIs your spa, health club or massage therapy business, eailsy found on the world wide web? Do you have a website for your business that gets lots of traffic? If not, take a step in that direction by optimizing your website for the search engines. Search engine optimization is the process...
Video Marketing Tips That Will Explode Your Online Profits
By: John Ramallo | 24/10/2008 | MarketingBy now you realize just how much videos added to your website can do to not only improve your website, but generate leads and sales. The type of video that you use will have to depend on the type of business you have. You can use video in many different...