Decoration

Make your Big Lunch venue look the part by embellishing it with decorations. Why not get together with your neighbours and have some fun making your own. There are lots of ideas below suitable for all craft skill levels and if you’ve got any good decoration ideas yourself, let us know on Facebook.

Make your own bunting

No street party would be complete without some colourful bunting, and what better way to decorate your Big Lunch than making it yourself? Bunting can be made from absolutely anything; from scraps of fabric or old clothing to empty cereal boxes and even plastic bags!

In your pack this year we have included a perforated bunting template sheet with a step by step guide to make bunting even easier to make. Request your free pack now to get yours or download the sheet on our resources pages.

Make it and Mend it also have some fantastic ideas for creating your own decorations, including a step by step guide to making Salt Dough Bunting, which you can create in any shape or size you want. perfect for getting your whole street involved by each having one to decorate!

ScrapstoresUK have created a bunting pdf to help you assemble your bunting. They have also made ‘Fabric For a Fiver Packs’ that include scraps of material and other bits and bobs you need to make you Big Lunch bunting. These are available at most scrapstores across the UK. More information can be found on their website.

Watch the video at the bottom of this page to find out how you can make bunting using old plastic bags.

Paper Chains

Paper chains are even easier to make than bunting and are perfect for brightening up any Big Lunch. All you need is old newspapers, magazines or coloured card, some scissors and a stapler. Cut strips about 9 inche by 1 inche and staple your first one together to form a ring. Thread the next strip through this and staple to form a ring. Continue this way until you have a long paper chain to hang as a decoration.

Paper Lanterns

What you need: Coloured paper, scissors, glue, tape or a stapler.

1) Fold a rectangular piece of paper in half lengthways, making a long thin rectangle.

2) Make about a dozen cuts along the fold line, leaving about an inch of space from the edge. Do not make cuts too close to the edge of the paper.

3) You can unfold the paper now. Using the glue or stapler, stick the shorter edges of the paper together.

4) Now, cut a strip of paper about six inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Glue or staple this strip of paper across one end of the lantern. This will be the handle of the lantern.

5) Make more than one lantern to string across your street or outside your front door.

Decorating your lantern

If you are feeling creative, you can make your lanterns extra special by getting together with your neighbours and decorating them. Use glitter pens to add your own design, get all your neighbours to write on their namesandpersonal messages and then join them together, or add a 3D affect by lining the inside of your lantern with coloured tissue paper

Community Quilt

A quilt is a great community project which will be a lovely reminder of your Big Lunch. Each home can decorate a square - by sewing, knitting, weaving, appliqueing, potato printing or whatever skills you have– and then you can join them all together to make a lasting memento of working together.

Find out if any of your neighbours can do a bit of needlework and see if they’ll share their skills with other neighbours.

Street Art

Murals and chalk drawings are a great way for people of all ages to get together and brighten up your community. All you need is a box of chalk and your imagination to create a wonderfully colourful Big Lunch! You could even get host a competition and give out prizes to the best community artist.

Outdoor painting

You need a stretch of paving or wall to get started -adrive way or garden patio is perfect. You’ll also needsome brushes or, if you fancy getting really messy, you can use your hands and feet too. We’ve also enjoyed making prints from leaves, wheels, twigs, plant potsand other items found in the garden.

To make the paint:

Use an old container to mix 1/4 cup of water with 1/4 cup of cornflour
Stir until well mixed.
Now add a few drops of food colouring
Be careful with how much food colouring you use – too much could leave faint stains on the surfaces
Once mixed, start painting

That’s it! As soon as you’re ready to clean up, simply use water and a brush to wash away the paints.

Customise a Tablecloth

Take one plain tablecloth (an old sheet will do) and draw on place settings, name labels, jokes and icebreakers. You could even play 'consequences' with your neighbours in the lead-up to your lunch, and unveil the result on the big day. After the day, display your tablecloth in your community centre, village hall or cut it into pieces and hand out as keepsakes for everyone involved.

Wet Weather Decorations

We can’t always predict the British weather, but that doesn’t have to stop the fun. Why not hold a competition for the wackiest welly or most unusual umbrella decorations? Its heaps of fun and is perfect whatever the weather!

Jubilee Ideas

If you’re planning on holding a Big Jubilee Lunch this year, here are some Jubilee inspired decoration ideas to get you in the spirit of things:

Union Jack Flags

Union Jack flags can be found in lots of shops this year in anticipation of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee. However, it is so easy to create your own with things you may already have at home. To make your flags, simply cut A4 paper in half and colour in with red and blue felt tips (in the pattern of a flag? Or just right colours?). Staple your flag onto curling ribbon to make royal bunting or cellotape around a stick to make a flag and place them in a jam jar of sand, soil or pebbles to decorate tables. This is a perfect activity for kids and it adds a personal touch to your Big Jubilee Lunch.

Royal crowns

Everyone can be Kings and Queens in your community with some fab Jubilee crowns! To make a crown, cut one side of a piece of coloured card in a zigzag with scissors. Cellotape the ends together to fit your head. You can decorate your crown with foil from chocolate sweet wrappers or small pieces of tin foil to look like jewels. Glue cotton wool around the bottom and make black splodges with felt tip pen or paint to look like ermine.

How to films

Make a vege-'table' decoration

Raid the fridge for carrots, cucumbers or radishes to make these Thai-style table decorations. And remember, if you make any dud ones, you can simply eat them.

Watch the video to find out how.