Welcome to the 60s

We had a "Welcome to the 60s Party" for my husband's 60th birthday.

Decorations and mood-setters included: (1) a homemade collage poster of 60s people and events, (2) a homemade, groovy welcome to the 60s sign in colorful bubble letters, (3) bright green and blue hibiscus print paperware, (4) burning incense, (5) high school yearbooks, pictures and old newspapers from the 60s, (6) 60s era political and anti-war buttons that I gave each guest as they arrived, (7) a library book with lots of colorful pictures of TV and other cultural items from 1966 (very popular), (8) 1960s pictures of guests (that I had asked them to bring), and of course (9) 60s apparel.

I wore a vintage leopard-print minidress that I bought for $15 on Ebay and put my hair in a beehive; most of the guests wore tie dye or went for a hippie look. One of the old newspapers was a Merced CA front page from the day after JFK was shot. My husband was living in Merced at the time.

For entertainment, I researched 60s trivia on the internet and assembled 6 short 60s quizes on different topics (music, tv, politics, the war, etc). Our granddaughers read the quizes and answers. We gave out 60s CDs (e.g., the Monkees, the Beach Boys, Roy Orbison, the Drifters, and so on) to the winners.

I gave our granddaugher "helpers" peace sign necklaces to wear. My stepdaughter's family wrote and performed a humerous song about my husband's 60 years. That was clearly the highlight of the evening. 60s food included: (1) Velveeta and Ro-tel hot dip with chips and veggies, (2) chex mix, (3) pizza, and (4) a Tunnel of Fudge bundt cake. 

The recipe for the Tunnel of Fudge bundt cake was the 1966 Pillsbury bake-off award winner. According to a food writer, the recipe swept the nation, and what's more 60s than a bundt cake? Also, Veveeta and chex mix--very 60s. Here's how the evening went. As guests arrived, I handed out 60s era buttons and collected 60s pictures they brought of themselves.

My husband was completely unsuspecting and very surprised when he walked through the door. After everyone had appetizers, we played the 60s trivia games, ate pizza, were entertained, and ate cake. I told my hubby that we all loved him so very much that we just wanted to join him in the 60s for a day.