Viking Party | Selamat Ja

Viking parties, also known as ‘symposia,’ were elaborate feasts and festivals marked by boundless revelry. They were social gatherings where alliances were formed, marriages arranged, and disputes settled. Viking parties entailed great food, the occasional sacrifice, and days upon days of live music, party games, and feats of strength.

invitations

The scrapbooking board cost $15 - far cheaper than buying an embossing die. The binder rings to hold the journals together cost $7 for 50 rings.

I decided to make the invitations a vikings junk journal with pages like those at left.
The download for the pages cost $3.

I wanted to emboss the cover on scrapbook board but didn't have a viking ship design to emboss with. I phoned my local scrapbooking store (where I took scrapbooking classes) and asked if they had a viking ship for embossing. To my complete surprise they did and Chris said "Just come over and emboss the covers here, then you don't have to buy the die."

I printed the party information on the first page of the journal.

A ream of computer paper cost $8. Total cost: $33 or $4.12 for 8 invitations and the kids had something they could actually USE.

staging

I should explain that I was in the process of redecorating my living room at the time I threw this viking party. I wanted to cover one of the walls in faux stone but before spending hundreds of dollars to do that, I hung peel & stick removable stone wallpaper on one wall to see if I'd actually like the stone wall I wanted to install. So that's why the stone wall background in the picture below.

This is a 3D wall tapestry and I fell in love with it. $21.It's embossed so has depth to it.

The viking ship on the coffee table was made from a model kit. $37I made the viking shield and axe from corrugated.

I decided to clear 2 chairs from the wall the lakeside windows are on and set up my rectangular banquet table as I needed room for the extension of the viking ship bow and stern. (Below)

The viking ship bow, stern and the rest of it was made of corrugated. I did make it freestanding but punched small holes on each end and used monofilament fishing line to further tie the cardboard to the table legs so the kids couldn't accidentally kick it over.

I made the shields on the chairs out of foam board due to its strength but you can use corrugated too.

You can turn this into an activity by preparing the shields ahead of time and then let the kids paint their own shields.

You could also have the kids make cardboard viking helmets.

I left the round table in that corner as is as it has a wood top.

I'd found a Viking play set for $20 and set that up on that table for the kids to play with. I laid down slightly wrinkled blue plastic wrap for water and set the playset on that.

For my final wall I splurged and bought some viking wall art as I needed something for that wall anyway and my house is very nautical in style. $50.

food/menu

LAMB KABOBS

HONEY & ROSEMARY LAMB KABOBS

You will need:

1 tablespoon honey, plus extra to serve
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
600grams diced lamb
Bamboo skewers

To make:

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the honey, 1 tablespoon of oil, lemon juice and rosemary.

2. Add the lamb and stir well to make sure all the lamb is covered with marinade.

3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 10 minutes (up to 30 minutes is good if you have the time).

4. Thread 4 or 5 pieces of lamb onto each bamboo skewer until all of the meat is threaded.

5. Heat a little of the extra oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat.

6. Add the lamb kebabs and cook for 2 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your preference. Keep an eye on the kebabs as the honey in the marinade can burn. Lower the heat to medium if this starts to happen.

7. Place the kebabs on a serving plate and drizzle with a little of the extra honey.

Serve with flatbreads and salad.

VIKING SALAD BOATS
You can use any kind of salad in these: Chicken, ham, seafood, tuna, etc.

REAL VIKING BREAD Get the recipe here

tablescape

I like activity placemats for kids because it's something they can do that takes their energy level down a couple of notches, they're inexpensive and the kids can take them home with them.

The Vikings dinnerware was made of either wood or bone.

The disposable plates run $11.53 at Amazon for 40 pieces.

I'd gotten the beer tankards for my bar cart as a housewarming gift.
You can find them at Amazon for $20 each. (These are FAUX tankards.) Or just use paper cups if you want something budget friendly.

You can find the napkins at Amazon, 100 pack for $25.

activities

I found this Hooks game on Craggy Games.
There was no way I was paying $55 for one of these so I made my own out of pine wood - 2 games.
I bought mini viking helmets on a stand to use in the scoring board at $20 each from Medieval Fight Club to make them viking themed.

When I drilled the scoring board holes with my hole saw I made sure the bit was large enough to hold the helmet stand.

I awarded both games as prizes.

The Vikings were into physical activities for their recreation so I tried to include as many physical activities as I could.

ring toss

I used a wooden dowel rod for the spear and a sports hoop for the ring. I suspended the ring from a tree branch.

Simple and inexpensive.

The kids try to get their lance through the ring.
This child who gets the most lances through wins the contest,

don't drop your lance

Again, I used wooden dowel rods for the lances and topped each one with cylinder styfrofoam pieces so no one got a lance in the eye.

At your prompt each guest has to pass their lance to the person at their right in the circle - without dropping the lance on the ground or being left without a lance.

If they drop the lance on the ground or are left without a lance they are eliminated from the game.
The last guest standing with a lance at the end of the game is the winner of the game.

You could also use pool noodles rather than wood dowels for the lances.

no horse jousting

You'll need 2 space hopper balls, a wooden plank or some other means of dividing the 2 riders, and 2 lances. I used old broomsticks because they had a rounded end on them. It's also a good idea to put the riders in a puffer vest or vest life jacket to protect their chests. Last one still on their ball wins the jousting tournament.

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