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It's A Land of Oz Graduation

A Graduation Theme Party

No matter what the age, who doesn't remember the first time seeing The Wizard of Oz? Recall the black and white beginning? And the relief and awe when Dorothy enters the colorful world of Oz? I must say that vibrant world held me captivated to the boob tube for an eternity. And what about those scary monkey-things? Personally, I was glad she dumped that old aunt and uncle of hers for that taste of adventure, even if it was a dream. Help your graduate follow the yellow brick road to bigger and better things with a party centered on The Wizard of Oz!

There are so many wonderful ways to carry this theme throughout your party. Click your heels, use your imagination, and find yourself in the Land of Oz with your grad. Be creative with ruby slippers, magic wands, heart shaped clocks (ŕ la the Tin Man), diplomas (ŕ la the Scarecrow), rainbow springs, oilcans, badges of honor (ŕ la the Cowardly Lion), witch hats and lollipops.

Graduation Invitations

Send a magic wand glued to your parchment invitation with all the party details written in script.

Try a Party411 custom caricature of your grad on the yellow brick road as Dorothy, the tin man, the lion, or the scarecrow. Don't forget Toto! We like the Scarecrow since he received his diploma. At the end of the yellow brick road can be the place where your grad is headed, whether a new school or the new company where she or he is planning to work.

If you don’t want a caricature invitation you can still make the graduate the center of attention from start to finish. They've earned it. The invitation should match the likes and style of the graduate. A personalized invitation from Party411's Creations for You is a great starting place. We have over 20 designs (including an "over the rainbow" Land of Oz graduation invitation) so we are sure to have an invitation that will fit your graduate. 

Otherwise you can find great graduation invitations at Carlson Craft. Or, find an invitation that matches your theme at your local party store.

Graduation Decorations and Party Supplies

Hang a sign that says, "Welcome to Oz." Have your guests enter "Over the Rainbow" - if you are handy, you can build a little arched bridge into your house or party room, paint it as a rainbow and voila, your guests have to enter by going "Over the Rainbow." Another idea is to create the Emerald City out of foam core as the entrance to your party. Party411 can create any custom entryway you desire, just contact the Custom Queen. 

Set out a path of the yellow brick road from the party entrance to the main party area. You can paint it on big white paper, available at your local art supplies store, or line the outside entrance with real bricks painted in a yellow gold tone. Try a big picnic basket Toto in Basket with a little furry Toto-like dog creeping out of the top at the door, too. At the doorbell, hang a sign that says "Bell out of Order, Please Knock."

If you have a DVD player accessible, play The Wizard of Oz movie throughout the party, as guests will enjoy catching glimpses of this timeless classic. Surely you don't want guests to hang around the television for the day. Perhaps you mute the audio and let the screen run on its own. Find a visible closet door and display stuffed black and white striped socks sticking out (without the ruby slippers, of course, since Dorothy, your female grad or mom hostess is wearing them). We are sure you won't get your male grad to wear them!

Let guests be greeted by life-sized Wizard of Oz cardboard celebrities. Guests can take their pictures with them and then get a magic wand with party information or guest of honor trivia on it from the hostess who is dressed as Glinda the Good Witch. While your at why not dress the whole family in Wizard of Oz Costumes?

Using various objects from the movie, create your own custom centerpiece. For example, using an oilcan base, tie off peppermint pink, ruby red and light blue latex balloons.  Magic wands can be inserted into the oilcan, as well.

Centerpieces of wire tornadoes would be fabulous! If your party is outside at tables with umbrellas, you can wrap wire around translucent umbrella vases filled with flowers! Hang rainbow mini springs from out of the vase.

Another idea is to purchase plastic sand castle molds and paint them a sparkly green just like the emerald city. You don't have to have the same centerpiece at every table. Some with tornadoes and some with emerald cities look great!

There are plenty of ways to decorate your table for this theme. Even something as simple as ruby red paper goods and yellow tableclothes with bouquets of red poppies in glass jars are cute touches.

Match your seating cards to the rest of the theme.  If you used a caricature, you can follow that through onto a seating card. 

Graduation Menu

A menu for breakfast foods may include Wizard of Oz themed dishes Wizard of Oz themed dishes -  Gale Farm Chicken Hash, Over the Rainbow Fruit Kabobs, and Wicked Witch Waffles. Try Cowardly Lion sweet treats like Sweetie Spiders, Cocoa Cobweb Cupcakes, Oglie Eyeballs, Da Lollipop Guild Lollipops, and Over the Rainbow Party Mold.

Other fun dishes are Tornado Tacos (much better than Toto Tacos), Wicked Witch Waldorf Salad, Scarecrow Salad, or Scarecrow Spaghetti with Tin Man Tomato Sauce, Over the Rainbow Ribs, Ruby Red Slippers Grapefruit Juice, Emerald City Egg Salad, finished off with We're not in Kansas Anymore Cobbler and Cowardly Lion Lemon Bars and Magic Tornado Drink.

Activities

Hire a caricature artist to draw your guests as characters in The Wizard of Oz. What about a Karaoke Contest of show tunes, or Judy Garland tunes? That would be a ton of fun.

Party Favors

How about lollipops, to represent the lollipop kids? If your group is smaller, why not send little basket purses home with the Dorothies? Send your guests home with their caricatures and ruby slippers filled with candy. How about chocolate dogs or red foil chocolate shoes? Mini plastic clocks (in honor of the Tin Man) are cute, too.

Really, the best favor is a personalized candy bar wrapper.  Everyone likes candy, it's a fun remembrance of the graduate, and the cost is low. Of course, there are plenty of other options:

• Personalized Water Bottle Labels  - These are fun at the event and people can keep their “empties” as a keepsake.

• Personalized Chocolate Photo Favors  - A fun play on "the Lollipop Guild" if you get the chocolate photo lollipops.

• Personalized Mint and Candy Tins - Another great favor everyone will enjoy (can you tell we like food and candy related favors?), and you can add a photo of the graduate to make it an extra special memento!