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80's Prom Party -40yr- Pac Man Cake

January 2011

Kim in Show Low, AZ, USA

Having graduated from high school in 1988, and never having gone to my prom, I decided to combine the two for my 40th birthday. 

I sent out a save the date a couple of months in advance to give people time to look for an outfit.  I stated that since I never got to go to my prom in H.S. I was making up for it at my birthday (giving the term Senior Prom" a new meaning). 

The dress code was ideally an 80's or out of style prom dress/tux for men but if that could not be found any 80's look would do or modern day formal in keeping with the prom theme. At the actual party I had hairspray scarves sunglasses and jewelery (most of it vintage) available for the guests to use. I only sent out email invitations. I made it an 80's theme.  I used turquoise and hot pink as the colors for the invites as well as the colors for the party.

For decorations we moved all of my living room furniture aside (leaving ample seating for wall flowers).  We hung turquoise and hot pink streamers from my ceiling fan to the walls (tent style) to give the effect of a good old fashioned H.S. gym prom not these modern resort style ones they do now. From the center of the ceiling fan I made my own disco ball by wrapping a large round balloon with tinfoil.  This made a perfect dance floor. 

I had a photo scene area set up against one wall of the living room will streamers cascading down a banner above that said "Welcome to Kim's Prom class of 88" and of course a fake tree and balloon bouquet on either side of the photo scene.  Here we took pictures of each couple or family just like at a prom. The music was central to the event my niece made a fabulous play list for us with all my requests plus some of her picks. 

We also played 80's compilations C.D.s  In addition to the music we had "Footloose" playing (muted) on the T.V. for background. We served a variety of my favorite drinks and finger foods for snacks but no prom would be complete without cake a punch.  We had traditional sherbet and ginger ale punch.  I wanted a Pac Man cake to highlight the 80's but am not much of a baker or decorator. 

So I called the local bakery and asked for a large sheet cake iced in black with no writing on it.  They thought I was crazy but complied.  We then used a tube of blue icing and spree candies to make the barricades and dots of a Pac Man game.  For Pac Man the ghosts and cherries I microwaved the corresponding color of a Starburst candy for a few seconds until they were soft then shaped them like the character they were meant to be.  The result was amazing the hit of the party.

We tried to play 80's trivia but since most of my guests were in kindergarten back then it didn't go over too well. I gave fake corsages to the guests who had traveled the longest distance to be there.  I also had Pop Rocks and Bangle bracelets as favors. My sister brought me a real corasge and another guest brought me a plastic tiara and a sash that said "Prom Queen".   Tuning 40 like gagged me with a spoon but getting to finally go to a prom with a date(hubby) at this radical party was totally awesome we all had a great time esp. the kids.  "

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