People always compliment you on your rugged good looks, your folksy charm and your ability to pull off a flannel shirt even in the summer. Well, even if people don't compliment you on those things, it's possible to get in the lumberjack spirit by throwing yourself a themed birthday party. As opposed to the more common themes – like 90s night, masquerade ball or summer luau –doing an overnight lumberjack themed party lets you connect with nature a bit, get your hands dirty and have a good time roughing it. Here's how to throw the perfect, overnight lumberjack themed party for you and your friends.
1. Go Axe Throwing
How did they pass time in the pioneer days? They threw axes – that's how. And lucky for you, this sport has gained renewed excitement in the past few years, with leagues like the Backyard Axe Throwing League (BATL, for short) opening up facilities all over North America. Kick your lumberjack themed party off the right way by booking a private event at an axe throwing facility, where you'll get training from an axe throwing master, as well as the chance to face off against friends in a tournament of skills. If you don't have time to book, you could even try to stop by BATL on the weekend, when they offer walk-in axe throwing. There's nothing more awesome on God's green earth than hurling a primitive weapon at a wooden target.
2. Rent A Cabin In The Woods
After an evening spent throwing axes, working up a light sweat and feeling like an absolute champion, the only place you'll want to rest for your lumberjack themed party in a cabin in the woods. Now, mind you, this "cabin in the woods" could be a cottage on a lake, someone's backyard shed – whatever. The point is that to make this party an all-nighter worth remembering, you want to try and simulate the secluded cabin experience. Try looking on Airbnb for cottages or cabins in your area, or pull in a favour from a friend.
3. Fire Up The Grill
The only thing a lumberjack enjoys more than chopping wood is burning it. If possible, fire up a campfire that can double as a grill. Just get a fire pit going by creating a circle of large rocks and lighting a fire inside. Enjoy the fire with a cold drink in your hand, and then when the wood has burned down to embers you can lay a cooking grate overtop of the fire (making sure that the grate rests on the rocks and not the coals themselves) and throw some meat and potatoes on top. If you have access to a cast iron pot, you could even make this lumberjack stew recipe – though, fair warning, it might not be totally authentic.
4. Wear Lots Of Flannel
Nail that lumberjack look with a flannel shirt, some heavy-duty jeans, work boots and maybe a hunting cap, just as a cherry on top.There are few better things to indicate that it's a theme party than having a dress code. While it's unreasonable to expect everyone to own a hunting cap (props if you do!), you should still require flannel of some kind, whether it's a jacket, shirt or dress.
5. Cook Some Breakfast
If you did a word association where you told people to name the first thing that came into their heads when you said the word "lumberjack", a large number of people would likely say "breakfast". The lumberjack breakfast, as a term, was first coined by a Canadian cookbook in 1870, but the concept and name has since spread all over. The idea is pretty simple: you're a lumberjack, who spends all day doing gruelling physical labor, so you need a breakfast that's heavy in meats and carbs. Can't argue with that logic! A lumberjack breakfast might typically involve eggs, sausages, bacon, ham, flapjacks, maple syrup and any number of other rich, porky, carb-heavy breakfast foods. In short, it's the best thing after a night of birthday partying. Bonus points if you make the breakfast in a cast iron over the fire!
You don't have to have a big, bushy beard to throw the ultimate lumberjack party (though it can't hurt), but what you do need is some axe throwing, a wood cabin, a roaring fire, flannel, and a big breakfast to cap everything off. Timber!