50's Dinner Party

1950's Diner   Recently I planned a really fun birthday for my husband (who turned 34) and he was very surprised. Around 4pm I sent him and our two year old son down the street to the neighbors. While he was out, I turned our dining room into a 1950's style diner.   I covered our dining table with a red and white checkered oil cloth. My 12 year old niece helped me make placemats which were photocopies of old recipes and images from the fifties covered with see-through window paper. We also made a menu with "Blue Plate Specials" on it and listed our supper: cheeseburgers, French fries, gravy etc, with 1950's prices on it.  We set up the TV and VCR in the dining room and played a video of "I Love Lucy". In the kitchen we played diner music: Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis etc.  We finished decorating with some oldie signs and a big sign that read "Al's Diner". (My husband's name is Alex).   When my husband and son came home, he found my niece and I dressed in 50's garb. My niece took the orders and I fried up burgers and fries in the kitchen while the "customers" watched "I Love Lucy" and sipped on old fashioned soda pop in bottles(bought at a candy store).  After supper I took my hubby for a surprise night of bowling where we met several friends. Afterwards, we returned to "Al's Diner" for homemade ice cream cake topped with a chocolate record that said: "For the record I love you."  I also put out bowls of nostalgic candy like "crackerjacks", licorice and other stuff that the local candy store suggested.  Everyone had a great time and each person went home with a package of "Jell-O" as a party favor.  My husband loved the "diner" so much he now wants the dining room to stay that way permanently!