The Firefly Party

Firefly Party

"Fireflies" by Owl City*

You would not believe your eyes

If ten million fireflies

Lit up the world as I fell asleep...

I confess - I love Fireflies. I love their almost magical blinking,  like fairies flickering in the night.

Growing up we had several acres of meadow behind our house. Fireflies winked in and out of the long grasses all summer long. I remember laying on the lawn with my brother trying to count them. Now fireflies are endangered due to diminishing habitats. Increased use of pesticides and well-manicured lawns give fireflies nowhere to hide during the day (an excuse to stop mowing the lawn in late June!)

In a tribute to the long summer nights of my childhood we've invited some friends over for an informal Firefly Party. We've invited everyone for dusk - about 8:00 PM. We're close to the Central Time Zone and approaching the longest day of the year so true dark isn't until almost 9:00 PM. Pretty late for five year olds! I've suggested that the kids all wear PJs and bug spray.

The party is all about light, but we don't want to flood the yard with artificial light because that will make it hard for the fireflies to signal each other. And they need to signal each other to find a mate.

Decorating will be simple. We'll set up tiki torches and string white lights. Light up balloons and Sky Lanterns from WalMart complete the decorations.We'll pitch a tent on the lawn and light our fire pit.

Since it is an impromptu party we'll keep the food simple: s'mores and bug juice for the kids. We'll have chips, veggies and dip for adults who don't want s'mores. I was happy to discover a true Southern specialty, Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka for the adult drinks! Inspired by a drink I ordered at Disney World, blinking "ice" cubes in every one's drink will add the finishing touch.

We'll give the kids glow sticks and bug jars from Dollar Tree. I even discovered some glow in the dark bubbles! At the end of the party we'll light the Sky lanterns and each family will send one into the night sky with their wish.
 

Kid's Bug Juice Recipe

• 2 10-oz. packages frozen strawberries, defrosted and pureed in a blender
• 1 6-oz. can lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 qt. ginger ale or Sprite

Firefly Half and Half
(This is basically an alcoholic Arnold Palmer.)

• 3 oz. Firefly Sweet Tea Flavored Vodka
• 3 oz. Lemonade
• One Lemon Twist

*this song is my ringtone when my husband calls

  

This was our wish lantern lighting from New Year's Eve 2011.