Red Hats Victoria

Indemnity Waivers

Please note the following information is NOT legal advice and is here to give you a very basic understanding of indemnity waivers as they relate to Red Hatting. If you have any questions please see a professional Lawyer.

In layman’s terms, an Indemnity waiver as it would be used for a Red Hatting event is where you sign a document to say that you agree to accept all the risks involved in partaking in the activity, and agree not to hold the organisers responsible for any injury/harm caused to you, or by you, as a result in your participation.

Having attendees sign an indemnity waiver when booking for an event, and having members sign one when joining your chapter may offer some protection, however it may not be a substitute for Public Liability Insurance. Liability waivers are not always considered to be legally binding, particularly if the terms are considered unreasonable and if if the host has been grossly negligent. However if someone does injure themselves because of something that was of their own doing, then a waiver may help you establish that they were aware that there may be some risks involved with their attendance at the event.

You may also like to include a photographic release as well, which clarifies that there will be photographs and/or video taken at the event, which you may use this for publication online etc.

Searching online for an Indemnity Waiver will give you a lot of example waivers you could use to draft a waiver that works for your specific situation. Some general waivers that have been used by Chapters are offered below as an example. Please note these are examples and are not guaranteed to be legally binding. You should talk to a lawyer to obtain further advice.

Indemnity Waiver Example #1

By signing this Waiver, I fully assume the dangers and risks in participating in this activity ({name of activity}) and agree to use my best judgment while engaging in these activities. I further agree to indemnify and hold harmless the organisers ({Queen’s Legal name and Chapter name}) from and against any and all liability incurred as a result of or in any manner related to my participation in the activities.

Indemnity Waiver Example #2

By filling in this registration form for the {name of event} , I hereby agree to waive any liability to {Queen’s Legal Name} or any member of her chapter for any personal loss or injury that may result from any activity during the event, including but not limited to, traveling to and from the event.

Indemnity Waiver Example #3

I, ________ (Participant’s Name) Understand, acknowledge and accept that:
I knowingly and freely assume all risk, both known and unknown, even if arising from the negligence of the hosts or any of their individual members of participants or others, and I voluntarily participate at my own risk and assume sole responsibility for any injury, death or property damage I may suffer that arises from my participating in any of the activities.

Indemnity Waiver Example #4

The event {Name of Event} to be held in {Location} on {Date} is being hosted by {Chapter name and location} . This chapter is not incorporated and has no rules or by-laws. In consideration of being permitted to participate in the event and its associated activities.

I, ______________ (Name of Participant)
Understand, acknowledge and accept that:
I knowingly and freely assume all risk, both known and unknown, even if arising from the negligence of the Hosts or any of their individual members or participants or others and I voluntarily participate at my own risk and assume sole responsibility for any injury death or property damage I may suffer that arises from my participating in any of the activities.

I understand and acknowledge the dangers associated with the consumption of alcohol or any mind altering substance before and during any of the activities and I take full responsibility for any injury, loss or damage associated with any consumption and I take sole responsibility for my actions.

I, for myself and on behalf of my heirs, assigns, personal representatives and next of kin, hereby release and hold harmless and agree not to sue the hosts, or any of their individual members, volunteers, agents and sponsors (all of whom are referred to as releasees) with respect to any and all injury, disability, death, loss or damage to person or property, whether caused by the negligence of the releasees or otherwise.

EFFECT OF THIS DOCUMENT
I have had sufficient opportunity to read this release of liability and assumption of risk agreement, I fully understand its terms and understand that I have given up substantial rights by signing it, and sign it freely and voluntarily without inducement of any kind.

I understand that my signature to this document constitutes a complete and unconditional release of all liability of the releasees to the greatest extent allowed by law in the event of me suffering injury or death or property damage.

SIGNATURE ________________________________ DATE __________

Photography Release Example

I hereby consent to and authorize the use and reproduction of any and all photography
and/or videography that has been taken of me this day for any purpose, without compensation to me.

May 5, 2016

Regional Red Hat Picnic 2016

On Sunday 20^th March 2016 the sun was shining and the day was perfect for a picnic.

About 50 Red Hatters from all over Victoria converged on the lawns at the rear of Riverside Gardens Nursery at Emerald Bank, Kialla, near Shepparton.

Princess Petal (scarecrow) welcomed all with a lovely smile and blink of the lashes. Before too long there was much joy and laughter from those present as they rekindled old friendships and made new ones.

Some purchased hampers from a nearby eatery, The Provender, which contained more food than they could handle while others shared their picnic lunch.

There was a lot of shopping carried out with the Red Hat merchandise present and the specialty shops that are at Emerald Bank including a patchwork shop with Red Hat fabric that was quickly snapped up.

With the sale of raffle tickets, photos with Princess Petal and sale of pre loved goods we were able to donate $165.50 to The Good Friday Hospital Appeal on behalf of The Red Hat Society of Victoria.

March 26, 2016

Chapter Insurance

Please note the following information is NOT legal advice and is here to give you a very basic understanding of the issue of Public Liability Insurance as it relates to Red Hatting. If you have any questions about insurance or insurance products please see a professional (Lawyer, financial adviser, insurance agent etc.)

What is Public Liability Insurance? | Am I already Covered by Insurance? | Indemnity Waivers | Avoiding Incidents | PLI through ARHGA

What is Public Liability Insurance?
While we don’t like to think about it, accidents can happen and if there has been a significant
personal injury that results in a claim for compensation, you may need to have insurance
cover for “Public Liability”.

Public Liability Insurance (PLI) usually covers things such as injury/harm to your chapter
members while on an outing (eg falling over and hurting themselves) as well as
damage/harm your chapter members may do to another person or property while at an outing
(eg bumping into a table and breaking a priceless vase on it). PLI comes into play if something happens that requires a financial settlement, where your insurer will pay it, rather than it coming from you.

While your members may feel they are friendly enough not to want to sue anyone, their
insurance company may be the one trying to sue – so simply being friends may not be
enough to cover you. However it is worth noting that just because an accident happens it doesn’t necessarily mean you could be liable – You need to have been negligent in some form to have contributed to the incident – and you may already have PLI coverage depending on where you hold your outing/event and what insurance already applies to that location. So you may not need to take out additional coverage.

So the question isn’t really a case of “is PLI insurance necessary?“… because ultimately the answer is yes. It’s more “what coverage will I already have, and do I need to take out my own PLI coverage“. Which depends entirely on your chapter’s outings.

Depending on the situation and your location, the person involved/injured in the incident may be liable to pay damages/medical bills if they were at fault. However if it can be proven that the incident was as a result of a negligent act by you as the host (or the member whose home you are at), then you or the homeowner may be required to pay the financial costs. This is were the public liability insurance comes in – If your chapter is covered by PLI, then your insurance policy may pay instead of you.

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Am I already covered by insurance?
Quite possibly any Hatting events you host may already have PLI coverage depending on the venue you host them at. So if you don’t want to obtain your own PLI, then make sure any location you host events at will cover you in case of incidents. You may decide to take out your own PLI coverage to further protect you, just in case.

Public Venues – If you have your outings in a place such as a restaurant/cafe/cinema, and the incident happens inside that venue – then their PLI should cover it, as you were paying customers of that establishment and they will have insurance to cover their customers. Especially if the incident involved their property (eg slippery steps).

Parks – While individuals getting injured in public parks would be covered by the Government, event gatherings in public parks (so any pre-arranged meetup of people) generally does require you to have your own public liability insurance, and some parks also require a permit to gather a group of people there for events – so check the council requirements for any park you wish to use.

Personal Homes – If the incident happens while you are meeting up at another members home, then it depends on what coverage (if any) their homeowner’s insurance policy covers. Most (if not all) home and contents insurance policies have coverage for non-family members who are visiting your home. If doing home-based gatherings it is best to check the insurance coverage of the property so you know if you are covered or not, and if it’s high enough to cover any cases where multiple people might be injured (eg a balcony collapse)

Carpooling – While convenient, carpooling can cause additional problems with regard to liability if there was a car accident. Generally it seems that additional carpooling passengers are covered by the vehicle’s insurance policy so long as the passengers are not paying for the ride (so “chipping in for petrol money” could be considered paying a fare). Those offering to drive other members should be fully insured and check their insurance policy covers carpooling. Some insurers (eg NRMA) seem to view “petrol money” as ok as it’s not generating a profit (you’re reimbursing costs rather than paying a fare to travel), but others (eg APIA) may consider any payment to invalidate their policy. So it is important to check what coverage the insurer offers and any exclusions.

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Indemnity Waivers
It is common for Hatting events or chapter membership agreements to include indemnity waivers, in the belief that doing so will mean the event host or Queen will then not be liable for any injury/damage that happens at an outing/event. But this is not necessarily the case. They can however be useful to help reduce the risk of liability in some cases, as generally it must be shown that the host was negligent in some way that caused or contributed to the incident, and waivers can be used to clarify any potential dangers that show that the host has made participants aware of the risks.

If the waiver specifically mentions the participant agrees to waive liability in case of negligence of the host (using the term “negligence”), then this could be a legally binding waiver, however if the court declares the waiver to be unclear or too vague then any waiver can be deemed unenforceable.

If you wish to draft an indemnity waiver, it is best to seek proper legal advice on the correct wording to use for your event.

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Avoiding incidents
To assist you in preventing potential incidents, you should make sure that any
environment you hold events in are as safe as possible, with any potential hazards clearly
explained/marked/removed. Especially when holding events in private homes. Remembering also that while we mostly think of injuries to people (eg someone falling over and hurting themselves), hosts can also be liable to damage to a guest’s property (eg their dog chews the guests handbag), and what damage a guest does to someone elses property (eg someone trips over a rug and spills red wine on someone’s white silk dress).

For example:

Any potential tripping hazards should be removed/taped down (power cords, edges of rugs etc.). Gathering spaces should be clear of obstacles that could be a hazard. Be aware of how any extra decorations could potentially cause hazards (eg don’t hang streamers at neck level)
Proper food handling procedures, and care taken with cross-contamination, food spoilage and refrigeration. While having home-based events with people “bringing a plate” is a cheap and easy way to host, it does bring with it extra risks with food handling/storage.
First aid and emergency contact information readily accessible in case it is needed. (One good idea is to have all members write their emergency contact information on the back of their name-badges)
If you have pets who may become aggressive when stressed, lock them away from guests.
As a Queen make sure any decisions you make regarding hosts/venues/activities are done keeping safety in mind and minimising potential risks (eg if a member’s home is known to have rickety stairs, perhaps don’t hold gatherings there)
When carpooling select drivers who have full insurance coverage on their vehicles, whose vehicles are in safe condition and who are known to be careful drivers.

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Public Liability Insurance through ARHGA Inc.
Red Hatter groups around Australia are offered a PLI policy through becoming a member of
“ARHGA Inc.” (Association Red Hatted Groups Australia), with a pricing of around $85 per year (Rates may change each year). Which is likely to be far cheaper than you are able to get yourself. If you do need to make a claim, ARHGA also say they will pay the excess – so you should not be out of pocket at all.

To obtain insurance through them you will need to become a member of their Association and fill out their PLI application form. This must be done/renewed before the 1st of June each year. If you miss the deadline you must wait until next year.

Information can be found here: https://red-hatters-wa.net/insurance-pli

As with any insurance policy it is not as simple as just signing a form and handing over the money – you need to make sure that you know what you are covered for and what exclusions (if any) there are, have given them the correct information for your coverage and that you comply with any requirements they have. Otherwise you may find out that your insurance policy is invalid and you may not be covered if something happens and you need it. We all know how insurance companies like to find ways to limit what they pay out.

While obtaining insurance through ARHGA could be a very good idea, there are some points to consider:

Obtaining your policy through ARHGA means you/your chapter will become a member of ARHGA and are getting coverage due to being part of their association – you aren’t buying your insurance from ARHGA, you’re obtaining it by being covered by their PLI insurance. This means that as an ARHGA member, you agree to abide by any rules and requirements of their organisation – if any. (Which are not disclosed anywhere, or not easily accessible)
As with insurance obtained from any company, You should read the Product Disclosure Statement for the insurer to make sure you know exactly what coverage you have and all the terms and conditions. As there is no Product Disclosure Statement provided on the website, you may need to contact them directly to ask for this information. In particular you should find out:
- What amount you are insured for
- What exactly you are covered for
- Is it written in any contract you have with ARHGA that they will pay the excess
- What exclusions there are for your cover (eg any activities not covered)
On your initial application to ARHGA, you need to fill out a form that states how many members your chapter has, how many outings per year you do and other such information. It is unclear whether changes to this information (eg chapter numbers increasing) would affect any insurance coverage you have, as it does not appear that yearly renewal calls for updates to this information. As all chapters pay the same fee regardless of the number of events or members, this information is likely just for ARHGA records and not directly connected to your insurance coverage.

— Note, some of these issues have been conveyed to ARHGA representatives, so these issues may be or may have already been addressed.

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March 5, 2016

Queen’s Coronation Ceremony

The Coronation ceremony for a Queen can be whatever you want it to be. If a chapter starts off small, the Coronation can be done after the chapter has grown. Perhaps done on the 1st anniversary of the chapter or other such special occasion. The Coronation can be combined with the “Red Sash Ceremony” as well.

The following are some ideas for Coronation Ceremonies collected from various sources.

Continue reading “Queen’s Coronation Ceremony” →

February 25, 2016

Red Hatter Survival Kit

This is a lovely thing to give to a newly crowned Queen, a REDuated hatter or a new member.

This can be a box or bag filled with certain items that have special meaning. You may like to include a list of what the items mean so the recipient knows the significance of the items.

You can choose to use only certain items from the list (and the meanings) that you feel most appropriate. Some people give different meanings to some items, so I have included both meanings where I’ve seen more than one.

Red Hatter Survival Kit

- Address Book ~ Your Red Hat Sister’s are always here for you!
- Aspirin/Panadol ~ when all else fails – take two & call a Red Hat Sister!
- Ball – to remind you that life is a ball
- Band-Aid ~ to fix your hurt feelings
- Breath-mints ~ to remind you to “just breathe” | a reminder that you are worth a mint
- Button ~ To remind you that sometimes you need to “button your lips”
- Candle ~ when you feel in the dark | to remind you to let your inner light shine so that others can see the fun in being 50+.
- Chocolate ~ to remind you of the sweetness of family & friends | To remind you that life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get
- Cotton Balls ~ for those times when you can’t hear yourself think
- Do Not Disturb Sign ~ to remind you that you need time to yourself
- Ear-Plugs ~ to remind you sometimes it’s important just to listen
- Eraser ~ to remind you that everyone makes mistakes
- Fly swatter – to slap yourself silly, if you ever get too serious
- Glitter ~ to add sparkle to your life & spread some on…
- Kazoo ~ don’t forget to toot your own horn
- Lifesavers ~ to save you from “one of those days”
- Lollipop ~ to remind you that you can lick all your problems
- Marbles ~ to replace the ones that you have lost & will lose
- Mirror ~ to remind you that you are very important too
- Nuts ~ to remind you to be a little nutty & laugh
- Paper-Clips ~ to remind you that you are an important link in others lives
- Peg – a reminder to “hang in there”
- Pen & Pad ~ to write down your thoughts before you forget them
- Penny ~ for your thoughts
- Purple bucket ~ just in case your hysterical laughter gets the best of you! (Please go behind bushes.)
- Pretzels ~ hugs from your Red Hat Sisters
- Roses ~ to remind you to smell the flowers along life’s way
- Red Glitter ~ To wish you Scarlet Sparkles!
- Red & Purple Feathers ~ to remind you that you can fly! | Something to “tickle your fancy”
- Red/Purple beads ~ To remind you to always dress up
- Red wax lips ~ to release your inner child
- Ribbon ~ a reminder that friendship ties hearts together
- Rubber-band ~ to remind you to be flexible, and stretch yourself beyond your limits
- Sampler of chocolate – to remind you that life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get, but knowing each other makes our lives sweeter.
- Smarties ~ To remind you that you get smarter with age
- Snack cake ~ to remember to indulge in the pleasures of life
- Starburst ~ to give you a burst of energy
- Sticker – a reminder to stick together and help each other
- String ~ to tie things together when everything falls apart | to tie up loose ends | For tying your memories together
- Sunflower seeds ~ so you can spit just because you feel like it
- Teabag ~ A reminder to sit back and relax from time to time
- Teddybear ~ So you’ll never be lost in the wilderness
- Toothpicks ~ to remind you to pick out the good in all situations

February 25, 2016

Promotional Cards

These print out a bit longer than a business card (can be folded in half to fit into a business card holder) and are designed to give a brief explanation about Hatting, for times where we’re out and about and someone asks what we are.

Continue reading “Promotional Cards” →

February 24, 2016

Tasmanian Cruise 2016

25 Hatters from Australia and New Zealand cruised from Melbourne to Tasmania aboard the magnificent Golden Princess Cruise ship. Enjoying 6 days of fun and laughter! Scenic cruising around Wineglass Bay, stopping in Port Arthur and Hobart (where we had a delightful lunch with the Hobart Hatters) before traveling back to the mainland with a stop at Phillip Island.

Continue reading “Tasmanian Cruise 2016” →

February 13, 2016

Luggage Tags

Mark your luggage in Red Hatter style with these printable Red (and Pink) Hatter luggage tags!

Continue reading “Luggage Tags” →

January 26, 2016

Hatting Posters/Flyers

If you would like to print off some posters to help explain Hatting to people, we have created some you can print at home.

Continue reading “Hatting Posters/Flyers” →

January 18, 2016

Red Hat Customs

The following are some common customs of the RHS

Bling – The more the merrier! Any kind of shiny, sparkly accessory you can add is great.    Many Hatters like to collect brooches as well as wearing pearls and rhinestone jewellery.

“Dessert first” – We’re about having fun and not having to “act your age” – so why not have dessert first!

“Hoots” – A hoot is a get-together of Hatters. Generally an informal and unstructured event, some people use the term for all gatherings and events.

Feathers & Feather Boas – Boas add some fun, but the feathers themselves represent the freedom to come out and play as well as being love (red) and hugs (purple). If feathers fall off your boas, save them to give away as little gifts – they are “boa-seeds” or “baby boas”, and if nurtured they could grow into a full feather boa one day :)

Reversed Colours – The regular dresscode is a red hat with purple clothing (or a pink hat with lavender clothing). However you can “reverse your colours” (wear a purple hat with red clothing), on your birth month and the birth month of the RHS (April)

Sashes & Stoles – A great way to display your brooches – which saves poking holes in your clothing and means you don’t have to move them from outfit to outfit.

January 18, 2016

How to Name Your Chapter

Red Hatter chapter names can be fun, quirky or simply descriptive. Try to make sure there isn’t already a chapter in your state or country with the same name, to avoid confusion!

When thinking up a name, think of some terms you might like to use in the name. Think about:

When you think about Red Hatters, what are the first words that pop into your mind? Write those down and see if any of them might work in your Chapter name.

What would you like the group to be about? If you’re wanting to convey a fun and sillyness to the group, then you can name the group with that in mind. If you want a more sophisticated and regal sounding name, then think about that.

Any particular hobbies or things you like (for example if you like gardening, you might like to use “rose” or a flower name in the Chapter name)

Do you want to include the location? Such as “The Red Hatters of <town>” (Works well if your town name starts with R or H)

You can use hat related (or other fitting) phrases too. For example “Caught Red Hatted“, “If the Red Hat Fits”, “You can leave your Hat on” and so on.

January 16, 2016

Red Sash Ceremony

A sash is a great way to display your bling brooches without damaging your clothing (or needing to move them onto different outfits). Having a “Red Sash Ceremony” is a lovely way to celebrate a member becoming part of your chapter.

The sash is a piece of wide ribbon or satin fabric, approx 1.5 metres long, worn over one shoulder and pinned/tied/sewn at the opposite hip. It can be plain or embellished with writing or bling brooches.

For the ceremony, you can call each member forth one at a time. Have them kneel, sit on a chair or simply stand. They should have chosen a Royal name for themselves prior to the ceremony.

Continue reading “Red Sash Ceremony” →

January 16, 2016

Red Hatter Pass The Parcel

A great way to be able to do a “pass-the-parcel” without needing music. Each layer has a little card attached that gives instructions on who the parcel should be passed to.

Click here to Download the set of 19 printable cards

January 16, 2016

Millinery Tutorials & Supplies

Making your own hats, or decorating a plain hat can be a lot of fun! Here are some videos and links to millinery supplies you might find helpful.

Simple “Ruched” sinamay fascinator

Sinamay fascinator with “birdcage” net

Cloche hat (sewn with fabric)

Mini Top hat (fabric covered, cardboard base)

Mini Top Hat (using a plastic cup)

Mini top hat (using a cardboard base)

Ebay Millinery Category
http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/Millinery-Hat-Making-/153203/i.html

Millinery Online Store (Australian)
http://millineryonline.com.au

Millinery & Feather online store (Australian)
http://www.feather.com.au

January 16, 2016

Is it Purple? Lavender? Violet? Lilac? Magenta? Eggplant? – it’s all confusing!

The dress code for the Society is that women over 50 wear “purple” and women under 50 wear “lavender”

But what is “purple”? and where does “lavender” stop and “purple” begins….. is magenta a “purple” or is it pink?

If you look at photos of Hatter groups, you will see a vast array of different shades of purples, and different ways to wear the colours – and that is great!

(Also remember that during your birth month, and the birth month of the RHS [April] you can reverse your colours – so you would wear red clothing with a purple hat)

To help you out, here is an interpretation of colours that might be appropriate for Pink and Red Hatters.

(Remembering that different monitors/screens may display colours differently)

Basically if you are a Pink Hatter, choose the lighter shades of purple (lavender, lilac, mauve etc.), however you don’t need to go pale for the pink – you can go for hot pink and fuchsia tones. If you are a Red Hatter, choose the darker and more vibrant purples and violets, and your “red” hats can be anything from a burgundy to a bright red.

The important thing to remember is that a Red Hatter should look like a “Red Hatter”, and a Pink Hatter should look like a “Pink Hatter”. So if you think that you could be mistaken for a different age group, you may like to make sure you have enough correct colour clothing or accessories to make sure you look right.

Some Hatters are very strict with the colour difference between a “Lavender” and a “Purple”, and don’t like to see Pink Hatters wearing anything too dark. Others feel that it’s ok for a Pinkie to wear something that could be considered “purple”, so long as they have an obviously pink hat and look like a Pink Hatter. So while you are strongly encouraged to wear lighter purples as a Pink Hatter, if you must wear darker shades, try to incorporate some lavender accessories (a scarf or feather boa perhaps), and make sure your hat is definitely pink.

But most importantly – have fun with it!

January 11, 2016

Hatting on a Budget

This talk of having specific clothing and hats may seem a little daunting. You probably don’t happen to have a red/pink hat just lying around, and you might want to get fancy but don’t have the budget to go out and buy everything straight away.

That’s ok – Go slowly and add to your collection of goodies as the budget permits. Here’s some tips to some more cost effective ways to looking fabulous.

Check out op shops and second hand shops for cheap gear. You may find hats, shoes and clothing in the appropriate RHS colours for a lot cheaper than you can buy it new.

Ask other Hatters if they have anything lying around they aren’t using – perhaps organise a swap at your next gathering, so people can get rid of things they no longer need, and others can grab some new things they do need.

Try painting shoes in the colour you would like if you can’t find any of the right colour. Use glitter or ribbon etc. to add some extra touches to boring shoes.

DIY Glitter tutorials – http://somethingturquoise.com/2013/10/04/diy-glitter-high-heels/ & http://www.simplywhisked.com/diy-glitter-shoes/

If you find a hat in the wrong colour, you can try dying it (fabric hats) or using a florists spray to make it pink or red. Regular spray paint can rub off, so that isn’t recommended, if you do try spray paint, don’t do the inside where it can rub off on your skin.

Dye clothing – Lavender clothing in particular seems to be difficult to find, so look for white clothing that you can dye lavender. Just remember to use the right type of dye for the type of material you are wanting to dye – and remember that you may get unpredictable results with blends of polyester/cotton fabrics. But it can be fun, and gives you a greater variety of clothing to wear.

Check ebay for cheap hats, fascinators as well as clothing and accessories. There’s heaps of great stuff there!

Make a hat! – see the Millinery tutorials page for some hat & fascinator tutorials. Or if you don’t want to make it from scratch, take a plain hat and add some decorations. A feather boa can instantly give a plain hat some pizzazz. Tie a lightweight scarf around the base of the hat and clip on some hair flowers for a removable decoration you can transfer to other hats as needed.

Your hat doesn’t have to be solely red or pink – You can use a white or straw hat and add flowers and ribbons in the appropriate colours.

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Remember that at a minimum you can wear “Red on the Head, Purple on the Shoulder”. So that would be a purple/lavender scarf or shawl around your shoulders with a red/pink hat while you are waiting to find for your full regalia. You don’t need to be completely dressed in purple/lavender from head to toe either, a top/cardigan over another coloured jeans/skirt would suffice. Although “dressing up to the nines” is fun!

January 11, 2016

Royal Name Ideas

It is customary for Hatters to take on a fanciful or whimsical Hatter Name to be known as while they are Hatting, these are usually worn on a name badge to show them proudly (and to help others remember who you are!)

It’s a bit of fun and a chance to give yourself a Royal Title – because we’re all special and deserving of a bit of a royalty.

Often the names consist of a Royal Title plus a name starting with the same letter that has some sort of meaning to you. It might include your actual name or might not.

For example: Dianne the Dancing Diva, Princess Purple Pants, Lady Ramona of the Overflowing Washing Basket, Countess of Cheesecakes, Contessa Craftystuff.

If you are having trouble coming up with your Red Hatting name, here are some suggestions.

~ Coming up with a name

You shouldn’t use the “Queen” or “Vice Queen” title unless you are the leader or co-leader of a chapter.

The “Queen” title is reserved for the leader of a chapter, or in the case of “Queen Mother”, a former leader of a chapter. A “Vice Queen” is the 2nd in command to the Queen, so this title is also reserved for that role.

Other royal titles are fine to use though.

So think about what sort of title you would like, and then what words would describe you, or what words you would like to have as your name. Add them together and you get your Red Hatter name!

If you’re stuck and can’t think of anything (or just for a bit of random fun) check out this online random Red Hatter name generator. Click here to go to the generator page, click the “generate name” button and see what it comes up with!
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~ Example Titles

While only a Chapter leader should use the title “Queen” , other royal titles can be used.

Archbishopress, Babette, Baroness, Chairwoman, Consort, Contessa, Countess, Chatelaine, Crone, Czarina, Dame, Diva, Duchess, Earless, Eminence, Empress, Enchantress, Fair Maiden, Goddess, Governess, Her Royal, Highness, High Priestess, Jester, Judgette, Lady, Madam, Madame, Magess, Majesty, Mamzelle, Marchioness, Majesty, Marquissa, Matriarch, Mayoress, Mistress, Peeress, Pinkie, President, Priestess, Prime Ministress, Princess, Purveyor, Ranee, Regent, Sultana, Sultaness, Tsarina, Viscountess.
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Example Hatter Names
Some of these are actual Red Hatter names, some are just suggestions.

~ Baroness

Baroness Bargain Hunter

Baroness Belle Chapeau

Baroness Bookworm

Baroness Bossy Boots

Baroness Bownty-Full

Baroness de Rouge

Baroness of Boobs

Baroness of Bulge

Baroness Von Blab A Lot

Baroness Von Krapponalott

Baroness Von Hooters

Bodacious Baroness

~ Contessa & Countess

Countess Court Jest-Her

Contessa Cabernet

Contessa Coffee Bean

Contessa d’Champers

Contessa of Cosmos

Contessa of Glitz

Contessa of Sparkle & Sass

Countess Champers

Countess of Cats

Countess of Cleavage

Countess of Creativity

Countess of Good Cheer

Countess of Libations

Countess of the Old Bat’s Mobile

~ Dame, Diva & Dutchess

Dame Depends

Dame of Hotsey Totsey

Dame of Whine and Roses

Grand Dame of Desserts

Delightful Diva of Red Feathers

Divine Diva of Disorder

Grand Diva of Pizzazz

Duchess Ding-a-Ling

Duchess Does Little

Duchess of Do Little

Duchess of Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

Duchess of Vices

Dutchess of Yarn

Duchess Shop A Lot

Duchess Short Stuff

Grand Duchess of CATerwauling

~ Empress

Empress of E-Bay

Empress of Eccentricity

Empress of Elegance

Empress of Ha-Ha

Empress Mystique

Empress Wine-o-Lot

~ Goddess

Goddess Gad About

Goddess Get it Done

Goddess of Frivality

Goddess of Garage Sales

Goddess of Glitz

Goddess of the Green Thumb

Governess of Celebration

Governess of Nonsense

~ Her Highness & Her Royal

Her Highness Handler of History

Her Highness Hot Lips

Her Highness Hysterical Historian

Her Royal Hotsy Totsy

~ Lady

Lady Adventure

Lady Catherine of the Chocolates

Lady Centerpiece

Lady Crimson

Lady Dragonfly

Lady Flamingo

Lady Hoity Toity

Lady Lives It Up To The Last

Lady LaDeeDa

Lady Late-a-lot

Lady Laughs-A-Lott

Lady Lock-up

Lady Munchkin

Lady Tartan-It-Up

Lady of Camping

Lady of Laughter

Lady of Leisure

Lady of the Loo

Lady Tulips

Lady Twinkle Toes

Lady of Walking

~ Madam & Mistress

Madam de Plonk

Madame LaMuncherie

Madam Work in Progress

Mistress of Anxiety

Mistress of Ineptitude

Mistress of Manners

Mistress of Merriment

Mistress of Merriment and Mischief

Mistress of the Vast Waistland

~ Princess

Periwinkle Princess

Pretty Princess

Amethyst Princess

Princess Delight

Princess Procrastination

Princess Peoney

Princess Picture Perfect

Princess Cind-a-lot of Spend-a-lot

~ Queen

Queen a da Ritz

Queen of Hearts

Queen of Pithy Quips

Queen Sassypants

Queen of Vices

Queen of Quilting

Quirky Queen of Quizzes

~ Viscountess

Viscountess of Vast Waistland

Viscountess of Visiting

Viscountess Von Foo Foo

~ Other Names

Court Jester

Crone-in-Command

Crone Joan

Exalted Keeper of the Mindatorium

Grand Belle of Flooze and Feathers

Guardian of Geekdom

Healer of Heart and Soul

Her Hot Flushingness

Her Serene Silliness

Her Undeniable Naughtiness

High Priestess of Poetry

Instigator of Impetuousness

La Condessa Loca

La Femme Fatale

La Femme Royale

Luscious Lady of the Lake

Magical Maestro

Miss Chevious

Prime Ministress of Rulelessness

Purple Passion Majesty

Royal Court Damsel

Ruler of Secrecy, Mystery and Clever Antics

The Chairman Of The Board

The Mad Hatter

Your Grace Lady Ruby Red

January 1, 2016

Red Hatter Word Search

Download these as a black & white printable

January 1, 2016

How to attract new members to your Chapter

So you have a Red Hatting Chapter (group) but you would like to get new members in (or you’re just starting a group and need members)? Here’s some tips that might help you.

Bring a friend – Allowing members to bring a friend who might be interested can be a good way to introduce potential members to your group. You may like to organise an outing to a coffee shop or somewhere similar as this first meeting point. If you’re just starting out and don’t have chapter members yet – don’t forget to ask your friends and family!

Business Cards – We have a blank business cards you can print out yourself, or you can buy inexpensive business cards at places like Vistaprint. Keep these in your handbag to hand out whenever you talk about the RHS so that ladies can contact you later.

Hang up posters – Hang posters or put out flyers in your local area, advertising the RHS and your chapter. Try places like libraries, Hairdressers, Community centres, Dr Waiting rooms, Supermarkets etc. (You may like to ask permission to hang up posters).

Go out in your Colours – A lot of hatters find out about the RHS by seeing ladies out and about in their Purple & Red. Make sure you have business cards on you, and go strut your stuff! If anyone mentions your outfit, start up a conversation about the Society.

List your Chapter – Make sure your chapter info is listed on the Chaper Listing here, on the Matilda Rose site and the Official RHS Site to help ladies who are looking for groups, be able to find you.

Banners – If you have a Chapter, don’t forget your banner if you’re out somewhere you can display it. If you don’t have one yet – that could be a great crafty day where you get together to make one!

Volunteer – See if you can volunteer to go do a craft activity session at your local community centre, aged care facility or somewhere similar. Not only is this giving something back to the community, but it can introduce the Society to the ladies there.

Local paper – if your area has a local community newspaper, contact them and see if they will run an article for you, or if you can advertise your group in there. If you have an existing chapter then the paper might be able to to an article on one of your outings, showing photos of you all dressed up nicely. Which will give the paper something fun to report on, and can help advertise the Society to women who might not have heard of it.

Don’t forget the Pinkies! – A lot of women have commented that they have waited until they were 50 to join. Some of these may have wanted to join as a Red Hatter and not wanted to join before then – but a lot of ladies have not been aware that they could join earlier, as they had only heard about the Red Hatter being over 50, and not heard of the “Pink Hatters”. So while you’re promoting your chapter, please don’t forget to let ladies know that women under 50 are welcome too! (And it’s the same society, not a separate one for Pinkies). Pink Hatters can do all the things the Red Hatters do, they just wear Lavender/Pink until they reach 50.

Got any other suggestions? Feel free to let us know!

December 21, 2015

Pirate Lunch 2015

Diva Queen Dianne of Decorum celebrates her 10 years as a Queen

The last weekend in September saw over 60 Red Hat Ladies attend a celebration TALK LIKE A PIRATE lunch at the beautiful Hovell (Hume and Hovell) Tree Inn at Albury. The occasion was the 10th Anniversary as a Queen, for Diva Queen Dianne of Decorum. The assistance from this Venue was definitely part of the success of the day.

10 years ago, the closest Chapters to Albury were in Canberra and Melbourne, a bit too far to join in their fun, so Dianne started a Chapter in Albury, calling it The Purple Power Surge Girls. Four years ago she handed over her Queenly reins with this Chapter and started another Chapter, calling this one The Delectable Divas of Distinction.

Continue reading “Pirate Lunch 2015” →

September 27, 2015

DIY Nametags

While there are some great Red Hat nametags / name badges around to purchase, you can make your own very cheaply with these free templates.

Continue reading “DIY Nametags” →

August 28, 2015

DIY Button Necklace

Make yourself a necklace (or bracelet) that is cute as a button!

All you will need is a collection of buttons, best if they are a mixture of small and large. 2 or 4 hole – it doesn’t matter. A length of thin cord or embroidery floss – about 3-4 times longer than you want the necklace to be.   Having a needle helps threading, but isn’t essential. Make sure the needle is small enough to fit through the button holes and beads easily, but not too small that your cord won’t thread through.

If you want beaded dangle sections like I have made, you’ll also want some beads with a hole large enough to fit your thread/cord/needle through twice (since you need to pass the thread through the bead, down through the button then back through the bead).

The cord used here was a bit thick, so it was difficult to work with, as it required a lot of wrangling to get through the eye of the needle, and I couldn’t use a bigger needle or it wouldn’t fit through the beads.

To start off, you need to add your attachment button. Choose a button with a shank. I opted to let the end of the thread dangle down here and put a couple of beads on it. I also dipped the knot in craft glue to help keep it from undoing.

Then it’s simply a case of threading the buttons onto your necklace however you would like them to be. To save having to undo your work, you may want to plan out your design and work out the best length for you.

When sewing on a 2 hole button, it is best to do it twice, to stop it sliding around.

To thread 4 hole buttons on is to hold it so the holes are in a diamond formation – start with the bottom hole by bringing your needle/thread up from behind. Then go through the top hole, then bring the thread up through the hole on the left, then down through the hole on the right. The button is then secure and the thread is ready for the next button.

To add the beaded dangle part, you need to sew the button as normal then if using a 4 hole button repeat the sideways stitch, giving you a straight section of thread on the back – pass the needle through this straight down.

So your thread should be pointing in the right direction. Thread your bead on, then the button (passing the thread from the wrong side of the button seems to make it sit with the right side facing out, but you may have to experiment).

Then pass the thread back up through the bead, back through that straight stitch at the back of the button. If you can, do another stitch sideways across the button to secure it, then sew the next button on.

Continue on until you get to the end. Make a loop at the end to slip over your shank button, and your necklace is done!

August 28, 2015

How to Start a Chapter

Can’t find a chapter in your area? Have a group of friends interested in Hatting?

While it is great to be part of an existing chapter, so that you are part of a group that already has its own traditions and have a ready-made group of new friends. Sometimes it can be beneficial to start your own chapter.

Some ladies have asked how one goes about starting a chapter, we hope this page can give you the information you need to become a Queen :)

The leader of a chapter is called a “Queen”, and Queens are welcome to be members in other chapters as well as being the Queen of their own chapter. Different chapters do things differently, have different types of outings and meet on different days, so sometimes being part of more than one chapter can allow you more opportunities to get out and have some fun!

So what exactly is involved with starting (and maintaining) a chapter?

Any Chapters in your area? – First you may like to check if there is already a chapter around your local area. While most Queens should have no issue with a new Queen starting a chapter in the same location, it may be polite to contact them first to see if they mind. You can look in the Chapter listing here. You can also check the chapter listing on the Red Hat Society site (http://www.redhatsociety.com).

Naming your Chapter – You will need to think of a name for your chapter. It is a good idea to make it unique and not too similar to an existing chapter, especially in the same state – so check the Chapter listing here to make sure you aren’t using a name that is already in use. You can also use the Chapter Search section of the RHS website (http://www.redhatsociety.com) to see a listing of all the registered chapters, that might help you come up with a name (and check to see if a name is already used). You might want to name it something that has special meaning to you, or that represents you or what you plan to be doing as a chapter.

Queen Membership – You should go to the RHS website (http://www.redhatsociety.com/membership/queen) and purchase a Queen membership to make your chapter an official chapter of the Red Hat Society. If you are already a supporting member, you can find the option to upgrade to Queen membership in your Account section. This Queen membership will register your chapter as an official Red Hat Society chapter, and you will receive a special Queen pin and certificate (among other things).

Adding Members – Your chapter will need members! So talk to your friends, get them to talk to their friends, and build your chapter that way. You could also put up notices in public places to gain new members, and don’t forget to e-mail us so we can add your chapter details to this site to help people find you.

Be a little cautious with your advertising – it may be best to give out only an e-mail address or mobile phone number, until you know the person is genuinely interested in joining the chapter. You may like to arrange to meet up at a local cafe or other public place first before you invite them to your next outing.

Capping members – While you can have as many members in your chapter as you like, many chapters have a cut-off at about 20-30 members, as they find that more than this can make organising events difficult, can cause “cliques” within the group, and can have troubles bonding as well as a smaller group can. If you decide on a number of members you will have, you may want to work out your policy for handling ladies who would like to join once you are closed. Some groups have a waiting list, and will remove inactive members to allow new people in.

Chapter Guidelines – You may like to think about what sort of guidelines/policies or traditions you might like to have in your chapter. While the RHS prides itself on being rule-free (mostly), having some guidelines in place can help keep the chapter running smoothly, and lets everyone know what the expectations are. Sometimes these may be decided upon as a group, but you may have an idea of how you would like your chapter to run.   Think about things like whether you require members to wear their colours, will you require a particular level of attendance, can members bring a friend along, what your policies will be regarding any bookings or pre-payment for anything. If you have particular guidelines for your chapter, you may like to provide new members with a little handbook outlining these, or start up a website, facebook page or “blog” where that information can be added.

Gatherings – Where, When and What – While things can change, have an idea of where you would like to have your gatherings, and when. Would you like them at your home, rotating members homes, in a local cafe or restaurant? Will it be casual? Will your chapter be focused on having large lavish parties?    Will you have a big ceremony welcoming new member in? and so on. Make a list of some activities you may like to do. Visit the museum, go on a picnic, go bowling, have a craft day – whatever you like. Also think of what frequency you’ll be meeting, and whether it will be mostly weekends or week days. Some chapters meet once a week, some once a month – and anything in between.

Participation – Not all members may be able to attend every get-together you have, either for financial or time reasons. However you may like to make sure your members are active enough for you to consider them still a part of your chapter, especially if your chapter has reached capacity.

Delegation – You should also make sure that you are not the only one running your chapter. The role of the Queen is to be the founding member of the chapter, and to act as the head of the group – but the RHS guidelines specifically say that the Queen is NOT expected to solely run the chapter, and delegating roles is highly encouraged. Often chapters will have a “Vice Queen”, who assists the Queen, but there are also various other roles that members can take. Organising events should not fall solely on the Queen, each member should be encouraged to suggest ideas and even organise events and

Insurance – Insurance is always a hotly debated topic, but you should be aware of the issue so you can make a decision about what to do for your chapter. See the extra topic on Public Liability Insurance

Dues – Some chapters use yearly dues to pay for the cost of registering the chapter and paying for insurance and other running expenses. Some chapters have smaller running costs and may ask for money only when the need arises. If you are going to charge a fee, you should make sure the members know what the money is paying for.

Remember that individuals are only members of the RHS if they have paid their yearly membership to the RHS itself. Paying a fee or chapter dues to a Chapter, does not automatically make you an official RHS member. If you are an official “supporting” member of the RHS you will be issued with a RHS membership card.

August 27, 2015

A Christmas Eve to Remember

Pass the parcel – with a difference! Everyone sits in a circle or around a table. A wrapped gift (or more than one if you have a large group) is handed out to start with. The ladies will be passing the gift around as the story is read out. The lady/ladies who have the gifts at the end of the story gets to keep them!

When the word LEFT is read, the parcel gets passed to the LEFT

When the word RIGHT or WRIGHT is read, the parcel gets passed to the RIGHT

The word ACROSS is read, the parcel gets passed to the person directly OPPOSITE

The word AROUND is read, the person holding the parcel stands up, turns AROUND on the spot and sits down again. (or they can just pass the parcel around their head).

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Read out the following story:

“It was a beautiful Christmas Eve. The summer breeze was blowing. Everything seemed perfectly RIGHT for the evening. There was enough biscuits LEFT to share with the Reindeers RIGHT along with the plate of carrots LEFT for them by in the front yard.

Bill and Sheila WRIGHT thought it would be a great time to drive RIGHT ACROSS town and deliver Grandma WRIGHT’S Xmas present. Grandma WRIGHT had not LEFT her home for a week as the flu had LEFT her feeling poorly.

Mr. WRIGHT and Mrs. WRIGHT LEFT in their bright red car. They had driven half way ACROSS town when Mrs. WRIGHT said to Mr. WRIGHT, “I LEFT Grandma’s eggs RIGHT there on the kitchen counter.” Mr. WRIGHT quickly turned AROUND and drove RIGHT back ACROSS town to their home.

Pulling up in the driveway, Mrs. WRIGHT jumped RIGHT out of the car and LEFT her door open. Mrs. WRIGHT said, “I’ll be RIGHT back.” Snowball, their dog, saw the car door LEFT open and jumped RIGHT into the car, RIGHT ACROSS the front seat, turned AROUND and jumped RIGHT into the back seat.

About this time, Mrs. WRIGHT showed up with Grandma WRIGHT’S eggs and said to Mr. WRIGHT, “They were RIGHT where I LEFT them, in the kitchen.” Mrs. WRIGHT was surprised to see Snowball in the car. Mrs. WRIGHT thought they had LEFT him AROUND in the back yard. However, Mr. WRIGHT had forgotten and LEFT the gate unlocked. Mr. and Mrs. WRIGHT LEFT Snowball in the back seat of the car as they once again LEFT their driveway for Grandma WRIGHT’S home.

As Mr. and Mrs. WRIGHT drove along enjoying the beautiful festive lights all AROUND them, they felt as if they had LEFT all their worries somewhere else. It was Christmas Eve and they were surrounded, both on the RIGHT and on the LEFT with gently swaying trees.

Mr. WRIGHT’S car turned RIGHT onto the street where Grandma WRIGHT lived. As they walked ACROSS the pavement to Grandma WRIGHT’S they could see that she had LEFT her porch light on. They could see Grandma WRIGHT peeking through the curtains as they walked ACROSS the garden and up her steps. Snowball had begun to bark and run AROUND as he did not want to be LEFT out!

What a nice surprise for Grandma WRIGHT, she had not been LEFT alone at Xmas!

Grandma WRIGHT stood RIGHT by the door and opened it. Grandma WRIGHT said, “What a wonderful surprise.” Mr. WRIGHT and Mrs. WRIGHT were also surprised to see that Grandma WRIGHT had LEFT her bed and that her illness had not LEFT her too weak. She was walking AROUND quite happily.

Grandma WRIGHT wanted to celebrate what was LEFT of Xmas Eve. So Grandma WRIGHT LEFT Mr. WRIGHT and Mrs. WRIGHT and went RIGHT ACROSS into the kitchen to stir AROUND a pot of RIGHT warm hot chocolate. Grandma WRIGHT made sure she had all the RIGHT ingredients and carefully stirred it AROUND and AROUND and AROUND.

They all shared a RIGHT warm festive feeling as they sat on the cozy sofa, listening to the summer breezes and sipping their hot chocolate, which was just the RIGHT temperature. Mr. WRIGHT walked ACROSS the room and opened the door to check on Snowball. He was fast asleep, RIGHT there on the doorstep where they had LEFT him.

Mr. WRIGHT and Mrs. WRIGHT turned AROUND and smiled at each other, knowing they will never forget this special evening. They LEFT with the true spirit of Xmas in their hearts. They knew that they had done the RIGHT thing by sharing their Xmas Eve with Grandma WRIGHT.”

August 27, 2015

Have You Ever?

Score 1 point for each answer you answer “yes” to.
Person with either the most or least points wins!

Or you can have everyone sitting down, and stand up when they answer yes. The winner is the last person left sitting down.

Called your significant other (by mistake) by the wrong name?

Lost a member of the family in the shopping centre?

Locked the keys in your car?

Turned white colours pink (or another colour) in the wash?

Let your bath water over flow?

Forgotten to wear deodorant… all day?

Had your zipper break in public?

Gone somewhere with two different socks on?

Fallen up the stairs?

Forgotten your home phone number?

Got into the car to go somewhere and forgot where you were going?

Put something in the oven to bake and forgot about it?

Forgot to pick up your kids after school?

Run out of petrol?

Gone shopping in your Pjs (as an adult)?

Lied about your age?

Worn black lacy knickers?

Played a guitar (to any degree)?

Worn braces on your teeth?

Pawned anything?

Come home to find out you’ve worn your top inside out all day?

Stayed awake for 24 hours straight?

Met a celebrity?

Broken a bone?

Performed on stage?

Ridden a camel or elephant?

Forgotten where you parked the car?

Locked yourself out of the house?

Put something unusual in the freezer?

Made a prank phone call?

Driven a car before you had your license?

Hitchhiked?

Gone skinnydipping?

August 27, 2015

The Ladies Game

Each lady has a pen and paper to keep track of her score. As the rhyme is read out, the ladies will add or subtract points from their total according to the answers. The player with the most points wins.

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This is a rather peculiar game,
It really does not have a name
It’s simple to play as a game should be
You just do as you’re told, you see
So now if you’ll please give me your attention
We’ll put an end to this suspension
In the end, whoever scores the most
Will receive a prize of which to boast

Now since you’re all fashionable girls
Give yourself 5 if you have any pearls
You may add 3 if your toes peek out
And earrings will give you 2 more to shout
Score yourself 5 if you show any red
Add 6 more for a curl on your head
Now before you think you are going to win
Take away 2 for each safety pin
Give yourself 6 if your pants are tight
Add 1 for a scarf which is just about right
Add 5 more if your shoes are black
And take away 3 for a zipper in back
Now count all your buttons, for each you get 2
And take away 1 for each button that’s blue
Give yourself 5 if your heels are high
And why not take 10 for the green in your eye
10 more points for a rose on your clothes
Take away 5 if you forgot to wear hose
This is the end…there isn’t anymore
Who is the lucky lady with the highest score?

August 27, 2015

Christmas Quizz

Below are some brain-teasers. You need to solve the names to work out what Christmas songs these are (Find the answers at the bottom of the page)

1). Quadruped with Crimson Proboscis
2). Eight P.M. to Six A.M. without Noise
3). Minuscule Hamlet in the Near East
4). Ancient Benevolent Despot
5). Exuberance Directed to the Planet
6). Listen, Aerial Spirits Harmonizing
7). Trio of Monarchs
8). Yonder in the Hay Rack
9). Cherubim Audited from Aloft
10). Assemble, Everyone Who Believes
11). Hollowed Post Meridian
12). Fantasia of a Colorless December 25
13). A Dozen Twenty-four Hour Yule Periods
14). Befell During the Transparent Bewitching Hour
15). Homo Sapien of Crystallized Vapor
16). Desire a Pair of Incisors on December 25
17). I Spied My Maternal Parent Osculating a fat man in red
18). Perambulating Through A December Solstice Fantasy
19). Adorn the vestibule
20). Tin tintinnabulums

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1). Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer. 2). Silent Night. 3). Oh Little Town of Bethlehem. 4). Good King Wenceslas. 5) Joy To The World. 6) Hark, The Herald Angels Sing. 7) We Three Kings. 8) Away In The Manger. 9) Angels We Have Heard On High. 10) Come All Ye Faithful. 11) O Holy Night. 12) I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas. 13) The 12 Days of Christmas. 14) It Came Upon A Midnight Clear. 15) Frosty the Snowman. 16) All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth. 17) I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. 18) Walking In A Winter Wonderland. 19) Deck The Halls. 20) Silver Bells.

August 27, 2015

Right & Left Game

These games are a great way to do a “pass the parcel” – as you read the story out, whenever the word “RIGHT” is spoken, the parcel is passed to the right. When the word “LEFT” is spoken, the parcel is passed to the left. When “AROUND” is spoken, the person holding the parcel should stand up and turn around then sit back down (or can hold the parcel up and wave it around their head).

This is a story about Mr. and Mrs WRIGHT.

One evening they were baking cookies. Mrs. WRIGHT called from the kitchen, “Oh, no, there is no flour LEFT! You will need to go RIGHT out to the store to get some.”

“I can’t believe you forgot to check the pantry,” grumbled MR. WRIGHT. “You never get anything RIGHT!”

“Don’t be difficult, dear,” replied Mrs. WRIGHT. “It will only take twenty minutes if you come RIGHT back. Go down the road and turn LEFT at the stop sign. Then you need to turn RIGHT, and the store will be there on your LEFT” declared Mrs. WRIGHT as her husband LEFT the house.

Mr. WRIGHT found the store and asked the clerk where he could find the flour. The clerk pointed and said, “Go to Aisle four and turn LEFT. The flour and sugar will be on your LEFT.”

Mr. WRIGHT made his purchase and walked RIGHT out into the parking lot. But he couldn’t remember where he had LEFT his car. He Looked to the RIGHT, he looked to the LEFT. He turned AROUND and suddenly remembered that he had driven Mrs. WRIGHT’S car and that his car was in the driveway at home RIGHT where he had LEFT it. He finally found the RIGHT car and put his purchase RIGHT inside.

Eventually, a weary Mr. WRIGHT found his way home. Mrs. WRIGHT had been waiting impatiently. “I thought you would be RIGHT back,” she said. “I LEFT all the cookie ingredients on the kitchen counter, and the cats got into the milk. So you’ll just have to go RIGHT out again as I don’t have any more AROUND here.”

Mr. WRIGHT sighed. He had no energy LEFT. “I am going RIGHT to bed,” he said. “Anyway, I need to go on a diet, so I might as well start RIGHT now. Isn’t that RIGHT, dear?”

August 27, 2015

Sitting Scavenger Hunt

Everyone needs to tally up how many points they have, by adding or removing points according to the following lists (use one or the other):

Phone? Is it on? -9 points

Is if OFF? +9 points.

4 points for each piece of jewellery

5 points for your red hat

4 Bonus points if your wore it from home

3 points for each article of Purple attire

3 points for a Hat Pin

9 points for a nametag

2 points for a cloth handkerchief

1 more point if it has purple or red

6 points for a pair of gloves

5 points for toe nail polish

4 points for lipstick

3 points for each red accessory

3 points if you’ve given yourself a title

2 points if your attire was scavenged

or

Any Jewellery Item (5 points each)

Anything CHOCOLATE (20 points)

ANYTHING PURPLE (25 points)

ANYTHING RED (25 points)

Band-aid (5 points)

Breath Mints (5 points per pack)

Calculator (10 points)

Calendar (10 points)

Mobile Phone (10 points)

Chap stick of Lip Balm (5 points)

Chewing Gum (5 points per pack)

Comb or Brush (5 points)

Emery Board (5 points)

Hand Lotion (5 points)

KITCHEN SINK!!! (100 points)

Measuring Tape (5 points)

Pen or Pencil (5 points each)

Perfume (5 points)

PICS of Children/Grandchildren (5 each)

RED Lipstick (10 points)

Safety Pin (5 points each)

Salt, Pepper of Ketchup (5 points each)

Scissors (5 points)

Shopping List (5 points)

Tissues (5 points per pack)

August 27, 2015

Red Hat Regalia Game

Count all the regalia you have on today! The largest number wins!!!

If you wore a red, purple, lavender or pink hat today, give yourself 50 points.

Give yourself 5 points for each red, purple, pink or lavender hat you own.

Give yourself 10 points for each article of clothing you have on that is red, purple, pink or lavender.

A properly dressed woman would not step out of the house without purple, red, pink or lavender shoes – so give yourself 5 points for each foot that is covered in our colors (that’s a maximum of 10 points in case you are wondering!)

Often, you have a purse, handbag or totebag to match in purple, red, pink or lavender – give yourself 10 points for small, 20 points for medium, and 30 points for large!

Was it raining outside? Did you bring a red, purple, lavender or pink umbrella to keep your hat dry? Take 10 points for that.

1 point for each hat emblem/design on anything you have – if it is a scarf, hair tie, ribbon, material that has hats allllll over it, make it easy on your brain, just give yourself 50 points. Otherwise, you just get 1 point for each hat emblem/design.

1 point for each feather – again, if you have a boa or hat with feathers all over, let’s not tax ourselves, just take 50 points. Otherwise, you just get 1 point for each feather.

Ladies with gloves, add another 10 points.

Is your lipstick red or pink? You get another 5 points.

Did you paint your fingernails, add 1 point for each nail. If they are painted red, pink, lavender or purple, add another 1 point for each nail. And finally, if they are your OWN and not fake, double that figure.

While we’re at it, we can’t forget our painted toenails, now can we? Go ahead and add 1 point for each painted toenail. If they are painted red, pink, lavender or purple, add another 1 point for each nail.

If your spectacles are red, purple, lavender or pink add another 5 points.

Is that sparkle in your eyes due to fake eyelashes? If so, add another 5 points.

Did you remember to carry a hanky? 10 points if you did. If it is red, purple, lavender or pink, add 15 points.

Give yourself 15 points for any item you have brought that is sequined.

If you have anything on your person that blinks with a light, add 10 points for it.

We can’t forget our jewelry either, so give yourself 5 points for each piece of jewellery that you have on.

Did you bring a Red Hat mascot along? That friendly gesture deserves at least 25 points.

Red Hatters are always happy and make happy sounds wherever we go…especially when we play our Kazoo’s. Did you remember to bring yours? Add 10 points.

Now, let’s get personal. Add the amount of the most money you have spent on any one Red Hat item that you’ve bought. Use whole dollars and be honest.

Now, let’s get a little more personal. If you have on purple, pink, lavender or red underwear or bra, You go Girl! And give yourself 20 points for each!

Now let’s get really personal. Add your age and finally, add your weight!!!

OK. Now add up your score and see how you did?

August 27, 2015

Bag Lady Fashion Show

Have a fashion parade where the ladies dress up to represent a type of bag. Each lady could draw the bag type from a hat – or select it from a list. They might also like to write up something for the commentator to say while they are parading their outfit.

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Eg for a “tea bag” the woman could wear teatowels, carry teapots etc.

Tea bag

Shopping Bag

Beach bag

Golf Bag

Laundry Bag

School Bag

Sports Bag

Garbage Bag

Hand bag

August 26, 2015

Mystery Escape Hunt Experience

Ever wondered what is it like to play a role of a detective? Want to put on your thinking cap and look for clues?

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The Escape Hunt Experience offers a unique, exciting and family friendly place to hold your next event!

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We offer a true “experience” where you are transported back over 100 years and play the part of a famous detective and their fellow friends (your group of friends!) to solve a mystery. As a team, race against the clock in one of three themed rooms to unveil the guilty suspect’s identity and thereby making your “escape”!

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You will need to use your combined skills to find clues, solve puzzles and crack codes in order to beat the clock – can you escape the room in time?

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Larger groups can be accommodated by splitting up into matching rooms, competing to see which group will escape first.

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Current mystery themes are:

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1) Abduction in the Graveyard

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2) Murder in the Brewery

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3) The Tram Bomb Heist

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Each mystery game has been designed to challenge the senses and requires brainpower, teamwork, decision making, resilience, perseverance, problem solving, code-breaking, puzzles, and plenty of red herrings.

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A “gamesmaster” watches ongoing games from outside via CCTV and can assist if required.

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Adventures last around 90 minutes as after the 60 minute game you can chat about your experience in the luxurious lounge area over a cool drink or nice cup of tea and then dress up in period costume for photos.

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Situated in Queen St Melbourne, the Escape Hunt is open from 10:00am to 10:00pm, 7 days a week.

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With cafes, restaurants and plenty of shopping venues near-by, make this an exciting and fun-filled outing to remember!

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The Escape Hunt Experience is one of the top tourist attractions in multiple cities across the world (highly rated on Trip Advisor). With 137 game rooms world-wide, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, the Gold Coast and opening soon in Adelaide.

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For further information and to book your Escape Hunt experience, please visit

melbourne.escapehunt.com or call 03 9600 1086 from 10am-10pm.

Website: melbourne.escapehunt.com

Phone: 03 9600 1086

Email: melbourne@escapehunt.com

Facebook: facebook.com/melbourne.escapehunt

Twitter/Instagram: escapehuntmel

This is a sponsored post

August 26, 2015

Mystery Dinner

You will be serving a mystery meal dinner where the guests order from a menu, without knowing what those menu items are! There should be much fun when the guests get their courses and find out what they actually ordered!

How it works:
You provide a menu with the foods and drinks all given different names (Code names) These names are usually in some way related to what the food is, and the guests might have fun trying to guess them. You could also name them to do with a particular theme, such as Halloween.

If you wish, you can include the eating utensils in the list of items to be ordered, so that guests have to try and choose those without knowing what food items they will be served. Making for some hilarious mealtimes when someone orders soup with no spoon, spaghetti with chopsticks, or even a meal of only cutlery and no food!

Guests need to order their entire meal for the evening at the beginning, before any of the foods have been revealed, so they have no idea what will be served.

What you serve and how you organise it is completely up to you.

To make things easier, if you number the choices then the guests can order by number rather than having to write the names down. In the kitchen, have a list of what items the numbers correspond to. You may also want to have a few people helping in the kitchen who aren’t dinner guests (or it will spoil their surprise). You could make up order dockets like this for each guest to write their order on:

(Menu cards for 3, 4 or 5 food choices per course)

Serving options:
Since there are different ways people like to do this type of meal, there are some suggestions here for what you could do. Usually all dishes are to be finished before the next course is served, removing all plates and utensils before the next lot is served.

Perhaps after the final course, all guests can be offered seconds of anything they like, to help use up leftover food and ensure everyone has had their fill.
1). Have dinner served in 3 courses, with all the items on the menu (perhaps about 20 – 30 options), available for people to choose in any course.   They select 3-5 items from the menu for each course. Eg (Click image to enlarge/print):

This option means some people may end up with a course of only utensils, followed by a course of soup and icecream with no utensils! So it can be a funny and unpredictable meal, but may not be filling enough for the guests, and some guests may go without a drink or utensils.

2). Have the items divided into columns – meal type foods, smaller nibbly foods, utensils and drinks/desserts. If a lot of the foods have sauces, you could add a column for those. (The guests won’t know what the columns are related to). They need to order 1 item from each column per course and cannot select an option more than once. Eg (Click image to enlarge/print):

Limiting it to 1 choice per column in each course means they should always have a course consisting of 1 utensil, 1 drink and 1 decent portion of food. So the results won’t be as funny, but everyone should have enough to eat and drink.

2b). Similar to above, but have some meal type foods options being in one list and everything else in another list – So they must pick one item from the first list, plus 2-3 choices from the second list. Eg (Click image to enlarge/print):

This ensures everyone gets proper food each course, but other random food/drink/utensils as well.

3). Have a number of menu items (maybe 15) and a dinner of 3 courses. Everyone must order one of everything on the menu, choosing which course to have them served in. Eg (Click image to enlarge/print):

This gives everyone the same food, drinks and utensils, but served differently.

Examples of food to serve
If you have guests with food intolerances, you may like to mark the menu to make sure they don’t choose something they will not be able to eat, or serve only intolerant-safe foods.

Some examples of foods you could serve and the mystery names you could give them (of course this is just an example, feel free to make up your own):

Drinks:

“Steamed Glacier” / “Farmer’s Friend” / “Universal Solvent” (Water)

“Liquid Gold” (Orange Juice)

“Teat Treat” (Milk)

“Fresh Blood” (red fruit juice or punch)

“Go-go Juice” (Coffee)

“Boston’s Best” (Tea)

“Warmed Beans” (Hot chocolate)

“Pucker Up” (Lemonaid)

Meals:

“Irish Eyes” (Baked Potatoes)

“Rolling Stones” (Meatballs)

“Old Remedy” (Chicken Soup)

“Autumn Leaves” / “Rain Forest” (Salad)

“Farmer’s Alarm” (Chicken)

“Golden Rods” (Spaghetti)

“Roman Mixup” (Caesar Salad)

“A wedding tradition” / “Jungle Lice” (Rice)

“Smiles Galore” (Cheese)

“A small raise” (Bread)

“Bulb loaf” (Garlic bread)

“Italian Tombstone” (Bread)

“Cry me a river” (French Onion Soup)

“Shredded Roots” (Hashbrowns)

“Messy Babies” (Scrambled Eggs)

“Gas & Go” (Baked beans)

Desserts:

“Exotic Blubber” (Jelly)

“Palate’s Paradise” (Cupcake)

“Mud Pie” (Chocolate brownie)

“Sweet 16″ (16 lollies in a bowl)

“Congealed Blood” (Red Jelly)

“Bulls Eye” (Mini Cherry Cheesecakes)

“Perfect Coin Place” (A Mint)

“Adam’s Nemesis” (Apple)

“Pot Holders” (Pancakes)

Condiments:

“Pants & Shirts” (Salad Dressing)

“Solid State” / “Titanic Demise” (Ice)

“Pat Down” / “Greased Lightning” (Butter)

Nibbles/Extras:

“Elephant’s Wage” (Peanuts)

“Tiny Globes of Wonder” (Peas or grapes)

“Cat’s Eyes” / “Rolly Pollies” (Olives or Grapes)

“Sailor’s Crumbs” / “Polly’s Delight” (Crackers)

“Pucker Power” / “Green Dilemma” (Pickle/gherkin)

“Bats and Balls” / “Sticks & Stones” (Carrot sticks & peas)

“Wicked Breakfast” (Deviled eggs)

“Round and Round” (Cucumber slices)

“Colony Builder” (Ants on a log)

“Earfuls” / “Just passing Through” (Corn)

Eating utensils:

“Divided Branches” / “Perfect Pitch” / “Devil’s Horns” / “Two Paths” (Fork)

“The Ripper’s Choice” / “Jack” (Knife)

“Degreaser” / “Soaker” / “Sleepy Family” / “Lap Preserver” (Napkin)

“Pine Forest” / Poisoned Dart” (Toothpick)

“Cuddles” / “Silver” / “Shovel” / “Aeroplane” / “Sugar Transporter” (Spoon)

“Harpoon” (chopsticks)

If you want to allow guests to select their utensils each course, you can use different names for them in each course to give them more options.

August 26, 2015