Spanish Parties and Fiestas

Goodbye Australia, hola España!

You might choose to have a fiesta for a number of reasons. Perhaps it's the 5th of May and you want to celebrate the Mexican Army's victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla ("Cinco de mayo"). Or, perhaps.. not?

Whatever your reasons, there are four things you need to transform your party into a Spanish fiesta - costumes, decorations, food and music.

Fiesta Party Costumes

Whether you're the host or a guest, attending a fiesta without a costume is absolutely inexcusable! Think facial hair, wide brim hats, serapes (colourful ponchos) or simply reds and yellows. You could try sticking pins all over yourself like a cactus, but you might not have many friends by the end of the night.

• Costume Box - Spanish, Mexican and Fiesta themed costumes, including the all-important Sombreros. Costume Box are based in Sydney with delivery to Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Flat fee delivery within Australia. Most orders will be dispatched within 24 hours of purchase.
   
• Parties Online - Party products store with Sombreros and Maracas. Payment can be made using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. Shipping is available within Australia and internationally.

Fiesta Party Decorations

To successfully pull off a fiesta, you'll need heaps of decorations to transform your house into, as the Spanish say, "una casa". A few chilies here and there just won't cut it, and if you haven't got at least one fake (or real!) cactus then you're just not trying!

• Balloon Shop - A good range of Fiesta Decorations like door-borders, hanging decorations, sombrero foil balloons and cactus centrepieces. All of their Fiesta products are elaborate and unmistakably Spanish.
   
• Parties Online - This Sydney-based shop has Mexican & Fiesta Party Products like balloons, inflatable cactus drink coolers and strings of chilies to hang in your entryway. Payment can be made using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. Shipping is available within Australia and internationally.
   
• Growing Gifts - Living plants, including Succulents. These are sure to give your Fiesta a touch of authenticity! (Plus, they'll survive long past the party night). Growing Gifts is based in Melbourne and delivers to Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast & Sunshine Coast and most of regional Victoria only.

Fiesta Party Food Ideas

Spanish food will set the mood at your Fiesta. Luckily, a lot of popular Spanish food is perfect for party fingers. Think tapas, tacos and nachos. Drinks? Well you can't go past tequila!

• Parties Online - Check out their Fiesta Tableware including cups, napkins, plates and tablecloths.

Fiesta Party Music

Music at a Fiesta is essential. You can stick with traditional flamenco guitar music, or you could get adventurous and dig around for some Spanish Pop, Opera or even Heavy Metal!

Fiesta Party Ideas

• Piñata

  
  There are two reasons why you should have at least one piñata at your fiesta:
  1. They originated from Mexico.
  2. You get to hit them with a stick as hard as you can.
   
  • Party Products Australia - A variety of Piñatas for your Fiesta. They're based in Brisbane and deliver Australia-wide at a flat rate.
     
  • Parties Online - See Piñatas and Piñata Fillers from this Sydney-based party shop. Payment can be made using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. Shipping is available within Australia and internationally.

• Macarena Dance Off

  
  The Macarena is a famous Spanish song and dance, and is introduced to most Australian kids in early high school. It is possible, though, that at least one guest at the Fiesta won't know the dance moves. Perhaps you should suggest on the invitations to do some YouTube research before the night.
   
  Rules of the Dance Off:
  1. Put your CD player on repeat.
  2. Dance The Macarena.
  3. Last one standing wins.
  It's simple, really!
  
  If you don't already have the song, you can buy The Macarena on iTunes.

Fiesta Party Phrases - Things to say in Spanish

Remember short vowels and rrrrrrroll those rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr's!

• "Hola, ¿cómo estás?" Hello, how are you?
  
• "¡Estoy muy bien, gracias!" I am very good, thank you! 
  
• "¿Dónde está la comida?" Where is the food?
  
• "¡Quiero más tequila!" I want more tequila!
  
• "¡Vamos a bailar!" Let's dance!
  
• "¿Dónde está el baño?" Where is the toilet?
• "¡Adiós!" Goodbye!
• "¡Hasta luego!" See ya later!