Wishes for the Honoree

The Wishes for the Honoree Activity is similar to the Guests Greeting the Honoree Activity just completed, except that the signs are geared towards specific wishes for (or accomplishments or descriptions of) the honoree rather than birthday greetings. There are versions of this activity for the Moderately Adventuresome and the Adventuresome honoree.

Wishes For A Moderately Adventuresome Honoree. Ask each of the guests to bring a second sign (or ribbon) containing a wish for or an accomplishment or description of the guest of honor. For example, the sign might say “Track Champion” or “A+ Student” or “Class President”. Take photos of :

  • Each guest (or set of guests) holding their sign.
  • Each guest presenting their sign to the honoree.
  • The honoree reading each sign.
  • The honoree holding the sign facing the camera.

See the sample signs in the signs appendix.

Wishes For An Adventuresome Honoree. Make The Wishes for the Honoree into a game. To do this blindfold the honoree (with an attractive looking bandana or blindfold, such as one that says Happy Birthday for the best photos) while the signs or ribbons are being presented without names being written on them. Take photos as above as the signs are presented to the blindfolded honoree. Don’t tell the honoree what is on the sign or who is presenting it to him/her. Thus, you will have photos of the honoree receiving and holding a sign without clues suggesting who presented the sign. Again, fun expressions and poses, please!!!

Collect all of the signs and put them in a sealed envelope before removing the honorees blindfold. While other activities are occurring ask a guest to prepare a display of the photos showing:

  1. The blindfolded honoree holding the wish sign (with no one else in the picture).
  2. A display saying Who presented that sign?
  3. The sign makers with their sign.
  4. The sign makers presenting their sign to the honoree.

For each wish the guest of honor needs to guess who extended the wish to them based upon the photo showing only him/herself (blindfolded) holding the sign and explain why they made that guess while the Who presented that sign? display is shown. Record the answers and reasons. Then the photo is shown of the guests with their sign and finally the third photo with the guests presenting the sign to the guests of honor. Repeat until all wish photos have been shown. The guest of honor wins a prize for every correct guess. Alternatively, save this part of the activity for the Sharing the Album event.

Tip: Most bandanas are "see through" even when folded. Be sure to line the bandana with foil to be sure it serves as an effective blindfold.