Tag Archives: fun

A quintessentially English game

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The game of croquet was introduced to Victorian England by John Jaques and marketed to the growing middle class via the manufacture of croquet sets, which were showcased at The Great Exhibition of 1851. Great Exhibition sets were reissued in the 21st century by Jaques of London to mark 150 years since the introduction of croquet to England.

The popularity of the game in Victorian times engendered a wave of publications. Each publication offered a different number of rules, ranging from 20 to 126! Consensus arrived in 1870 with the publication of The Conference Rules of Laws. The current Laws of Association Croquet number a modest 55, though that number climbs into the hundreds if you count the many sub-sections.

As the world went to war in 1914, Stanley Paul & Co. published Lord Tollemache Croquet. The text describes the game of the Edwardian golden age, supported by event photographs demonstrating the techniques of a sequence game (as golf croquet today), involving ‘tight croqueting’ where the striker put his foot on his ball and hit it to move the ball in contact over the lawn, sending it ‘up the country’.

Croquet illustrates hoops run from circles rounding them on a square court with 4 baulks, 6 hoops and 2 pegs (1st below fifth hoop, 2nd above sixth hoop). The player was required to hit the 2nd peg (turning peg) with the striker’s ball, thus gaining one stroke before advancing to 1-back. The end game involved a peg-out at the peg below the fifth hoop.

As croquet grew in popularity, so clubs were formed. In 1860 the first club was established at Worthing in west Sussex, followed by the All England Croquet Club at Wimbledon in 1868. A need to coordinate the activities of a growing number of clubs led to the formation of The Croquet Association (CA) in 1897; it remains today the national governing body for the sport in England and produces the Laws of Croquet for both Association and Golf.

The introduction of lawn tennis in 1875 challenged the popularity of croquet, but croquet continued to be played and perhaps benefited from the higher standards of lawn care that tennis demanded. Lawn mowers, first invented in 1830, improved and evolved to suit the leisure market.

Planning a picnic event

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‘Picnic’ began life as a 17th-century French word — it wasn’t even close to being an American invention. A 1692 edition of Origines de la Langue Françoise de Ménage mentions ‘piquenique’ as being of recent origin marks the first appearance of the word in print. As for how the French came by this new term, it was likely invented by joining the common form of the verb ‘piquer’ (meaning “to pick” or “peck”) and a nonsense rhyming syllable coined to fit the first half of this new palate-pleaser.

The first documented appearance of the term outside the French language occurred in 1748, but it was 1800 or thereabouts before anyone can prove it made it into the English language. Even then, it still wasn’t in America, it was in England.

Originally, the term described the element of individual contribution each guest was supposed to make towards the repast, as everyone who had been invited to social events styled as “picnics” was expected to turn up bearing a dish to add to the common feast. This element was picked up in other ‘picnic’ terms, such as ‘picnic society,’ which described gatherings of the intelligentsia where everyone was expected to perform or in some other way contribute to the success of the evening.

Over time, the meaning of the word shifted to emphasize an alfresco element that had crept into the evolving concept of what such gatherings were supposed to be. Nowadays one thinks of a picnic as a casual meal partaken in a pastoral setting, not as a repast enjoyed either indoors or outdoors but which was contributed to by everybody. Modern picnic baskets can be provisioned by only one cook, and no one would think anything of it — what matters now is the food be eaten outdoors.

By the 19th century, ‘picnic’ had successfully made this linguistic shift in meaning. Its history (and that of every other word in the English language) is documented in the Oxford English Dictionary.

May Day Traditions

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Nothing beckons summer forth more effectively than dancing around a pole adorned with long, coloured ribbons. The British May Day tradition of dancing around a maypole is around 600 years old and the activity often brings communities together. But what does dancing around a maypole on 1 May involve, and what does it represent?

Dancing around a maypole involves a group of dancers taking a coloured ribbon attached to it and weaving around each other, often to music. Traditionally the dancers position themselves in pairs of boys and girls before beginning their routine. The dance creates a multi-coloured pattern which creeps steadily down the pole. The dancers then reverse their steps to undo the ribbons. This is said to represent the lengthening of the days as summer approaches, but the significance of the pole itself is not really known.

At Offenham in Worcestershire, a very complex dance routine around the pole is performed on May Day every year. The first recorded instance of a maypole dance came during the 14th century in Llanidloes, central Wales, and the tradition is thought to have come from Wales and Scotland before spreading around the country. Due to the ever-changing religious doctrines of the kings and queens of England over the centuries, the maypole was seen as an anti-Christian symbol for a time, right up to the end of the 19th century. The tallest maypoles in the country are at Nun Monkton, North Yorkshire (88 ft), Barwick-in-Elmet, West Yorkshire (86 ft) and Welford-on-Avon, Warwickshire (65 ft).

There is also the hilarious tradition of maypole scrambling, which involves people trying to climb to the top of the pole. This also mainly happens in Germany and Austria. Though not always held on 1 May, maypole celebrations also happen in the States, Malta, Scandinavia, Canada and Italy, with Italians using the pole to celebrate International Workers Day too.

British Bake Off Party

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It’s back! Yes, it’s the Great British Bake Off. Hooray! So it’s time to dig out the Union Jack bunting, take another visit to the cake aisle in Sainsburys and relax in the comforting glow of Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith lightly critiquing soggy bottoms and questionable flavours. In our excitement, here are a few party acts to hire were you wanting to host a Bake Off inspired party for the big finale in a few months time. Three, two, one… BAKE!

Splitting Images
What on earth does a lookalike Kim Kardashian have to do with baking? Well, since you asked, she doesn’t really. But who better to have jumping out of an oversized Victoria Sponge for someone’s birthday? If your Birthday Boy or Girl is a fan of Kim then that’s perfect, if however they love David Beckham then Splitting Images have many lookalikes on their books guaranteed to make your guests swoon.

It’s always a fab photo opportunity and is sure to surprise the birthday boy or girl and the lookalike would be a delightful cherry on top to any private event.

Bolli Darling
If you need someone to serve canapés and want it to be as close to the Great British Bake Off as possible, you may not want someone in the cake, you may want them to be the cake. Thank goodness then for the existence of the Bolli Darling, an act who specialise in providing living tables to entertain guests. Be it a good old British bake or perhaps a Florentine from France (though many think they’re originally from Italy – nope), your guests will adore this Great British slice of
eccentricity.

If it’s authenticity you’re after, why not hire all four of the main team that make the Great British Bake Off such a draw? It may be a little more costly than simply having your Dad host proceedings but you will get to brag to all your friends that you and Sandi are totally besties.

Sweet and Sugary

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If this has got you craving some of the fluffy goodness, we can certainly help! At Red Masque, we have a great selection of Candy Floss options for your party entertainment, amongst lots of other sweet treats.

Candy floss carts from party suppliers are a great feature at any event. Your guests can grab a stick (or bag) of the sugary stuff from our friendly fun experts, or see a demonstration on how to make the Candy Floss, before having a go themselves.
If popcorn is more your thing, then a popcorn machine is just the thing for your event, whether it be a birthday party, wedding or corporate event. That sweet smell of popcorn will draw all of your guests in and have them coming back for more and more!

Cotton Candy, also known as Candy Floss, Fairy Floss, Papa’s beard and even Old Woman’s Hair is made by spinning flossine sugar. The first records of Candy Floss in Europe date back to the 18th century, with it becoming popular in 1904 after the invention of the candy floss spinning machine we are all now familiar with. It was in April of that year that Candy Floss was taken to the World’s Fair where over 68,000 boxes were sold for 25 cents each (approx. £4 today), which was half the cost of admission! It was clear from this day onwards that candy floss would be extremely popular for people of all ages.

Sweet treats don’t stop there though, if you are planning an event for next summer and would like a sweet treat to cool your guests down, Ice cream bike hire will do just that! Alternatively, if you would like a healthier treat, fruit selection carts would be great.

Mystery Parties

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How a Mystery Party Works…

Your invitation will include details about which character the guest will play. Encourage them to dress up – this is a big part of the fun! During the course of the evening, an announcement will be made that a murder has happened. Clues will be revealed over time, and characters will get information cards periodically to help them with their responses and guide them on what information they should reveal (or not reveal).

Your Job at the Party
As a good host, you’ll make sure that guests know what character they will be before they arrive (so they can dress the part),make sure that clues are set up along the way, and make sure that each character has the information he or she needs to play their part.

Why is a Mystery Party So Much Fun?
These are a lot of fun, especially if you have friends who will really get into their characters and come dressed for their role.

Sometimes guests who assume another person’s identities, from the way they walk, talk and act. Those who assume accents can be hysterical!

These parties are also fun because they can revolve around dinner, so they serve a double purpose as a dinner party AND murder mystery!

A good game is one where the instructions are clear for the host and the characters, making it easy to play their part.

Party ideas for the Elderly

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When planning a party for an elderly adult, you’ll want to consider having the guest of honour in on the planning. While surprise parties are fun, they can sometimes be “too much”. Only you know what your special person will be able to handle. An important consideration when planning a party is to schedule the party for a time of day that when the guest of honour will be at his or her best.

If a party will be “too much”, consider throwing a playing card party instead. It is a great way to remember the occasion, but without any stress for the guest of honour.

Some fun party ideas…

Before the party, ask guests to tell you something about the guest of honour – something they did, something they said, something funny…anything special that they remember. Compile these and add them to the slideshow presentation, or read them aloud and mount them in a memory book.

Have a sing-along! Try singing gold old-fashioned songs that everyone will know. This is something old folks did for entertainment before TV. Have sheets with the lyrics printed for younger guests. Songs like “Roll out the barrel”, “When you’re smiling”, “It’s a long way to tipperary ” and other similar songs will be fun for everyone to sing.

For easy games, use printable birthday games.

Show a movie. Pick something that is funny or entertaining (and a favourite of the birthday person). How about the Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Hope and Crosby, Red Skelton, Danny Kaye, Abbott and Costello, Lewis and Martin, etc. Classic TV shows, such as “I Love Lucy” are always a hit too, Project it on a wall, a sheet or on a large screen so that everyone can enjoy!

Sometimes it can be difficult to find birthday party games for elderly adults. If you are looking for a fun game that everyone from young to old can play, how about Birthday Bingo? To do this, create bingo cards where each square is something that is of interest him/her, such as “Crossword Puzzles”, “Golf”, “Nature”, etc. Have all the square possibilities written on slips of paper and placed in a bowl, then play like any traditional game of bingo.

Other fun games for older adults include playing trivia games (especially when playing them orally) and games such as Chess, Bridge, and Dominoes. (These are great fun for any party, not just a 100th birthday!)

Event team building

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More often than not, Corporate companies hold event team building days and it is an important part of the office world. There are various events from raft building to quiz games and strategies each will get teams working together, but have you ever wondered how the idea came about?

The emergence of the team idea can be traced back to the late 1920s and early 1930s. These involved a series of research activities designed to examine in-depth what happened to a group of workers under various conditions.

After much analysis, the researchers agreed that the most significant factor was the building of a sense of group identity, a feeling of social support and cohesion that came with increased worker interaction.

Elton Mayo (1933), one of the original researchers, pointed out certain critical conditions which were identified for developing an effective work team:

– The manager (chief observer) had a personal interest in each person’s achievements.
– He took pride in the record of the group.
– He helped the group work together to set its own conditions of work.
– He faithfully posted the feedback on performance.
– The group took pride in its own achievement and had the satisfaction of outsiders showing interest in what they did.
– The group did not feel they were being pressured to change.
– Before changes were made, the group was consulted.
– The group developed a sense of confidence and candour.
– These research findings spurred companies to seriously consider the idea of grouping their employees into effective work teams and to this day they are still important considerations for human resource developers.

Street Dance

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The history of street dance is said to be divided into two eras.These are Old school and New school. Almost all of roots of street dance is African American culture namely, hip hop culture. Keep your mind that hip hop dance is one part of hip hop culture. Hip hop dance is categorized into New school.

In Old school, there are B-boying, Locking, Popping etc.

B-boying is frequently called Break dance or Breaking but these names are not actually correct. B-boying was born in the South Bronx of New York in the early 1970’s. In the beginning, B-boying is called Good Foot (It is the name of James Brown’s hit tune.). Good Foot was different from B-boying in that Good foot didn’t include acrobatic move. The middle of 1970’s Good Foot became to called “boie-oie-oings”. It is the base of today’s B-boying, but it does not include acrobatic move too. The last 1970’s, Puerto Rican young dancers revolutionized B-boying. They started acrobatic move in B-boying like Windmill.

Locking was born in Los Angeles in 1960’s. It was perfected by “The Lockers”. The roots of Locking is said Robot dance. In 1969, an African American young man became famous with his dance. His name was Don Campbell, and his dance was Campbell Lock. Campbell Lock was new in all point, it’s move was unique and comical. In 1970, Don Campbell formed The Lockers. Their style was amusing and unique so many people were attracted by them.

Popping was born in Los Angeles in 1960’s. It was created by ELECTRIC BOOGALOO. The roots of Popping is said Robot dance. As you may recognize, Locking and Popping is like brothers. But Popping’s move is stranger than Locking’s one. I’ll give you the video of Popping. check it out.

Hip hop has roots in all street dances. It means that Hip hop is free and it is difficult to define hip hop. Hip hop dance history is with Hip hop culture. So, I cannot tell you who started Hip hop dance but certainly African Americans made it.

The major source in house dance movement streams directly from the music and the elements within the music such as Jazz, African, Latin, Soul, R&B, Funk, Hip Hop, etc. The other source is the people, the individuals and their characteristics, ethnicities, origin, etc. You have people of all walks of life partying under one roof. Thus you have exchanges of information (body language) house dance is a social dance before these competitions.

Viking Entertainment

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Vikings worked hard, but they also played hard, and in much the same way men do today, by playing ball, wrestling and holding competitions to display their strength and skillfulness. Many of their games were violent and often became bloody, sometimes resulting in death. They mainly served to show how “manly” a person was and showcased the competitors’ strength and dexterity

Vikings often tested their physical strength with stone-lifting competitions, which could be considered the equivalent of weightlifting today. One of the most popular ball games mentioned in Viking literature was called knattleikr and involved full body contact.

Sometimes wooden bats, similar to those in baseball and cricket, were used. These ball games also ended violently.

Surprisingly, intellectual prowess was also regarded highly, and archaeologists have found many boards and game pieces from board games at many different Viking sites. Many Viking sagas have described people playing board games as nobles, and it has even been suggested that a prerequisite for becoming a king was being skilled at board games. Not so surprisingly, drinking games were also popular, with the Viking women often joining in on the fun. Finally, Vikings also enjoyed live music entertainment, mummery (similar to a play) and miming,