During the summertime, it seems parties are not all that uncommon. But why throw an unoriginal, bland party that nobody will remember years later? A pool party isn't all that novel or exciting, is it?

Instead, be a little more creative and bold this year and throw a tiki party, or “luau.” Even if it's wintertime, you should be all the more motivated to throw a tiki party! That way, you can bring the sunny, exotic feel of Hawaii right to your home, whether your home's in Houston or New York City.

A tiki party doesn't seem too unique at a first glance – the image of grass skirts and the sound of an ukulele might greet your senses if you think of one. But how often are tiki parties really thrown? And how can you throw a truly fun one?

Here's a little background on Polynesian culture, first, so you can get a real feel for what you're trying to bring to your home for your tiki party. Scattered about the South and Central Pacific Ocean are hundreds upon hundreds of islands. This is Polynesia. The island of Hawaii isn't even one percent of all the islands that make up Polynesia! So considering that “tiki” refers to the first man on Earth, the Polynesians' version of Adam, per say, you really are celebrating island culture as a whole with a tiki party – not just Hawaii! Fortunately, an overall tropical theme, equipped with grass skirts, ukulele music, etc, is a-okay for your tiki party!

So, how do you go about party prep?

Fist you have to send out the invitations. Make sure they're eye-catching and clearly state the theme of your party. Invite your friends to the South Pacific, not your house! (Of course, you'll want to include an authentic map with directions on the invites too.) It's best to request that your guests at the very least wear Hawaiian (or Aloha) shirts or pastel colors, if they have them on hand. You can provide them with leis and grass skirts upon arrival. Also, flip flops are in order. As the host, you might want to dress up a little more than your guests.

Fortunately, because tiki parties aren't too rare, you can get fairly cheap decorations at local stores. Some of those decorations can include tiki torches, leis, beaded curtains, lanterns, small plastic tiki statues, candles, grass skirt place mats, etc... you really should feel free to go all out! And the decorations should be incorporated into every aspect of your party. For tableware, make sure to get tiki mugs, with those cute, tiny umbrellas to top them off! And don't be greedy with the bamboo – go ahead and put it up in every nook and cranny! Overall, you want to promote a bright, laid-back atmosphere so just let that end goal guide you as you decorate.

It's crucial that at a party like this, you set the mood just right. The lighting should be dim, the decorations should be many, and lastly – the music should constantly underly the party. Ukulele music, of course, is nice. You can even set up an actual ukulele and set of bongo drums, too, for guests to play around with. But there is a variety of island music out there and you typically can find a complication CD of some sort to help you keep the flavor of the party going throughout the evening. Popular artists like Dean Martin have even done some musical numbers that will suit your party well – you can jazz up the playlist quite a bit; not all the music has to be performed by native Polynesians.

Now, for food. If it's a warmer part of the year and your party is spilling into your backyard, a customary thing to do is to have a barbecue. This usually is a pretty easy and convenient way to prepare food, for the host, and of course, it really is in line with the theme of the party. Food that's characteristic of a tiki party include skewers of fruit (primarily pineapple) and of course the basic appetizer of chips and dip. Look into the recipes of some popular South Pacific dishes if you want to put a little extra effort into it!

And finally, no tiki party is complete without a good, old game of limbo. All you have to do is get a long, thin object, like a piece of wood or broomstick, and you're set.

So sit back, relax, enjoy a cocktail and see who falls down flat during limbo – a tiki party really does guarantee a good time for all invited, at least if it's done right. Don't try to avoid going overboard with your tiki party decorations and activities. In this case, less really isn't more, so throw on your grass skirt and start partying, tiki-style!