Virgin London Marathon 2012

VIRGIN LONDON MARATHON

22ND APRIL 2012

On April 22nd 2012, it is the annual London Marathon with approximately 30,000 people running the 26.2 miles through the streets of London. The marathon goes along the South of the Thames and then the north side after crossing the river at Tower Bridge.


The runners then go from Greenwich and Blackheath to Buckingham Palace, along the way passing many famous London landmarks such as the London Eye and the Tower of London.

 

The London Marathon was originally organised in 1981, by Olympic champion Chris Brasher who had returned to Britain, after running in the New York Marathon.

Some of the runners do the London Marathon for personal achievement, but lots of people raise money for their favourite charities. In 2011 many people ran in fancy dress, which were quite outrageous and wacky, to get them noticed in the crowds wearing wigs and fancy dress accessories.

Each year millions of people watch and cheer from the streets waving their union jack flag supporting friends and family, and enjoying this historic fantastic atmosphere, while the runners are raising money for worthwhile charities. To date there has been £506m raised for charity.

Good luck to everyone participating in this wonderful event and if you are brave enough to wear fancy dress, visit our Party Tracker website for a wide, unusual and wacky costumes, flags or bunting to cheer and wave to everyone. 

Oxford Cambridge Regatta 2012

CAMBRIDGE AND OXFORD REGATTA

7th April 2012

The famous rowing race between the Cambridge and Oxford Universities idea originally come from two friends, Charles Merival who was a student at Cambridge and his Harrow school friend, Charles Wordsworth (nephew of poet William Wordsworth) a student at Oxford. On 12 March 1829 Cambridge sent a challenge to Oxford, thus the challenge started. On race day up to 250,000 spectators crowded the Thames river from Putney to Mortlake to watch the action. This is one of London's great Festive days, which is free.

The Cambridge Crew are called the Light Blues, because of their club colours. They also have two training grounds, Goldie Boat House, which is situated in the heart of Cambridgeshire contains a fully equipped gym and rowers work out on ergometers (indoor rowing machines). Most afternoons the Cambridge squad train on the river at Ely, where they have a Boat House.

The Oxford crew are known as the Dark Blues because of the clubs colours. OUBC's training facilities are part of the world famous Iffley Road sports centre where Sir Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four-minute race. Most afternoons the crew train on the water at Wallington. Traditionally this has a very carnival and party like atmosphere with many people wearing straw boater hats and having picnics by the river. There are various advantage points to watch the race, but ones to remember are: Putney Bridge, Putney Embankment, and Bishops Park (at the start). Hammersmith and Barnes (mid-course) and Chiswick Bridge (at the finish). There are also Large Screens at Bishops Park, Fulham and Furnival Gardens, and Hammersmith which means you can watch the start and finish of the race.
The regatta has a wide selection of union jack paper bunting, pearl light blue balloons and many party accessories in both Cambridge and Oxford Colours decorating the race to celebrate one of Englands great traditional boating events. This is definitely one event to mark in your dairy for next month, not to be missed.

Easter Bonnet Parade

E A S T E R     B O N N E T     P A R A D E

As most parents with children still at school will know this tends to be one of the busiest seasons, when it comes to fancy dress. There is book week, Purim and also Easter which has the very traditional Easter Bonnet Parade.

Traditionally the wearing of an Easter Bonnet represented the wearing of new clothes at Easter, especially during the Great Depression, as the purchase of a new or even refurbished Bonnet was classed as a great luxury.

Today the Easter bonnet is a type of hat that women and girls wear to Easter services and at Easter parades.   Modern Easter bonnets for children are usually white wide-brimmed hats with a pastel coloured satin ribbon around it and tied in a bow. It may also have flowers or other springtime motifs on top, but it is very popular in infant schools to ask a child to design and make an Easter bonnet to wear for an Easter parade.  

Here is a simple but very effective idea for an Easter Bunny Hat. Get one black felt bowler hat (or plastic), attach with pva glue or super glue (parents to help), rabbit ears on headband, place towards back of hat.  completely cover the whole of the hat with cotton wool balls, making sure headband (not ears) are covered, (these should stick with pva glue).  At the back of the hat, put a few cotton balls together to represent a rabbits tail.  At the front of the hat glue a black cat nose with whiskers and then with cardboard, design, colour and stick on the rabbits eyes and teeth. This is an simple but unusual Easter Bonnet, which children and parents will enjoy making.

St Patrick’s Day Party Celebrations

Many people around the world will be indulging in a drop of the black and white stuff and celebrating St Patrick’s Day this month. Of course, the largest party celebration will be in Dublin, it is forecast that more than 700,000 people are likely to show up for the annual parade which takes place in the heart of Dublin. Bars around the globe will also be packed full of happy drinkers and parades will also be held in New York, Sydney, Singapore and several other global cities.
More and more common now are organised parties, where groups plan games, festivities and dress up in Irish style and wear green plastic top hats with shamrocks or green glitter shamrock head boppers.
In Ireland, St Patrick’s Day was once a traditional religious festival which commemorated the patron saint who converted the country to Christianity.
In recent years it has become a five-day entertainment gala which contributes GBP40m to the economy.
“The parade in Dublin has really improved and is now seen as an entertainment piece, rather than something that people just marched along to, and the attendance has risen hugely,” said festival chief executive Donal Shields.
The Irish President Mary McAleese said “It is a day of celebration in Ireland and for the global Irish family throughout the world”.

St Patricks Day Decorations for Saturday 17 March

S T     P A T R I C K 'S    D A Y

Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated on the 17th March. Saint Patrick is the most recognised patron saint of Ireland and is a national holiday. It is widely celebrated in many Countries such as Great Britain, Canada, United States, Australia and New Zealand.

The day normally starts with going to church services and the wearing of green attire (especially Shamrocks). 

Originally, the colour associated with Saint Patrick was blue, but over the years the colour green and its association with Saint Patrick's day grew. The wearing of Green ribbons and shamrocks has been worn to celebrate St Patrick's Day as early as the 17th Century. Saint Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, and the wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock designs have become a much known feature of the day

The first Saint Patrick's Festival was held on 17 March 1996. In 1997 it became a three-day event and by 2000 it was a four-day event.

As well as Dublin, many other cities, towns, and villages in Ireland hold their own parades and festivals, including Cork, Belfast, Derry and Limerick .

The biggest celebrations outside Dublin are in Downpatrick - County Down where Saint Patrick is rumoured to be buried.

The shortest St Patrick's Day parade in the world takes place in Dripsey, Cork. The parade lasts just 100 yards and travels between the village's two pubs.

How will you be celebrating St Partrick's Day will you be be wearing green?
At Party Tracker we have green glitter bowler hats, 8ft paper bunting with 10 ireland flags, cheap green pop wigs and Leg Avenue clover leprechaun costumes in various sizes to help you celebrate this national holiday on Saturday 17th March this year. 

 

 

Cardiff Parade on St Davids Day

 S T     D A V I D S     D A Y

St David is the patron Saint of Wales and every year on the 1st March, there are celebrations throughout Wales in remembrance of his death.

Saint David was born near the end of the fifth century, he was the founder of a Celtic monastery located at a place known as The Vale of Roses. Saint David spent his life as a faithful monk and teacher at his monastery. His monastery is recognised by the Welsh as an important shrine in Christianity and today Saint David's Cathedral is found at The Vale of Roses.

In modern times, in the United States, March 1 is the official day of the Welsh people. The Welsh in the United States will wear a symbol of a daffodil called a leek. The leek represents how the Welsh of the past recognised each other amongst British enemies dressed in disguise.

Today, in Wales, Saint David's Day parades are held all over Wales. The largest parade and celebration is held in the city of Cardiff. A massive food festival is also held on Queen Street in Cardiff. After the parade is over, Welsh entertainers perform music and plays as people enjoy the festival.

Cardiff is not the only city to celebrate Saint David's Day with parades and feasts, but is by far the largest and most popular amongst the Welsh. The daffodil or leek, which was Saint David's personal symbol is still worn today as it was as early as the 18th century to Honor Saint David.

Celebrate St David's Day on Thursday 1 March 2012 with a Wales flag and dress your kids in a boys friendly dragon costume.

Celebrate Book Week and World Book Day 1 March 2012

W O R L D   B O O K   W E E K


M A R C H     2012

International Book week is an introduction for children to the wonderful world of books.  This was originally organised by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and is celebrated in over 100 countries across the world. 

The main aim of World Book Day in the UK and Ireland is to encourage children to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own.  The origins of the day which we now celebrate in the UK and Ireland started from Catalonia, where roses and books were given as gifts to loved ones on St. George’s Day, this is a tradition started over 90 years ago.

On March 1st 2012 World Book Day will take place with the UK and Ireland.  This is a major event within schools, for Teachers and the Children all participating and dressing up as a character from a wide selection of books.


At Party Tracker, let us help you out with the wide choice of adult and children's fancy dress. We can take the stress from your busy life and if you hate sewing, it's best to visit our website and choose from a wide and varied selection of fancy dress costumes from a boys fancy dress Robin Hood or Peter Pan costume to a girls fancy dress red riding hood costume and we even have a range of costumes for toddlers.

Valentines Day Ideas

VALENTINE' S    DAY

FEBRUARY 14TH 2012

It is fast approaching the most romantic day of the year Valentines Day. Also, it is a Leap Year this year, ( this is traditionally when ladies can propose to their partners).

Saint Valentines Day, is shortened to Valentines Day. This is an annual event commemoration held on February 14th of each year.

Valentines Day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, (usually Red Roses) and Valentine cards. The day first became associated romantic love within the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the Middle Ages when the tradition of love flourished.

Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped, doves and the figure of the winged cupid.

How will you be celebrating the most romantic day of the year? 
Will you be having a small intimate dinner or a large celebration.
Will you proposing to your partner?
We have a large selection of Valentine products from red sparkle hearts confetti, a Valentine photofloral foil balloon and various tableware accessories including key to your heart luncheon napkins to make this romantic day even more special.

Australia Party Supplies for Australia Day 26 January

AUSTRALIA    DAY

26TH    JANUARY

Australia Day is a national public holiday on the 26th January, all across every state and territory of Australia, and is celebrated in many different ways with bbq's, large firework displays and festivals.
Australia Day is the largest annual public event in provinces of Australia.

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On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip was in charge of a fleet of 11 British ships, these had convicts on board and he was transporting them to the colony of New South Wales. Australia, was once known as New South Wales, this had originally been planned as a penal colony.

In October 1786, the British government had appointed the captain of the ship HMS Sirius to sail to New South Wales and establish a work camp there for British convicts. Captain Arthur Phillip sent sail with a 1,00 strong party, consisting of Marines and other officers, including 700 convicts around Africa to the Eastern Side of Australia, this voyage lasted eight months and claimed the deaths of 30 men.

On January 26 1818, it become the official holiday, marking the 30th anniversary of British settlement in Australia. Today, Australia Day serves both as a day of celebration for the founding of the white British settlement and as a day of mourning for the Aborigines who were slowly dispossessed of their land as white colonisation spread across the continent.

At Party Trackers we have a wide selection of Australia flag, an inflatable kangaroo and other Australia theme party supplies, which we can deliver to your home, to help you celebrate this national public holiday away from home.

Chinese New Year 2012

CHINESE NEW YEAR

THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON 2012

Chinese proverb states that all creations are reborn on New Year's day.
The Chinese New Year is a celebration of change, out with the old and in with the new!

The Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year because it is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements.

The chinese have many traditions, more so on New Year and they believe many different things:

• Certain events that occurred during New Year’s Day may impact your life for the rest of the year. 

• Everything associated with New Year's Day could represent good fortune. To single people, good fortune may mean love and romance.

The celebration actually starts on New Year's Eve with the reunion dinner. By New Year’s Eve, due to tradition some of the following customs are observed:

• Cleaning the entire home to get rid of all the things that are associated with the old year.
• Put away all brooms and brushes.
• Pay respect to ancestors and household gods. Acknowledge the presence of ancestors because they are responsible for the fortunes of future generations.
• Open every door and window in your home at midnight to let go of the old year.

These are just a few of the Chinese traditions, that are carried out on Chinese New Years Eve. 

Red is Classed as a lucky colour, but it is bad luck to drop your chopsticks. 

Chinese New Year which starts on Monday 23 January 2012 is a great time to decorate your house in Chinese themed decorations and we have a vast selection of China party supplies, good luck Chinese lanterns and more.

Everyone at Party Tracker would like to wish you a prosperous and happy Chinese New Year!!