Planning The Perfect Illusen Day Party

Pop the crackers. Get some drinks. Put on some party hats and let's celebrate because Illusen Day is finally here~!

*throws confetti into the air and blows some horn*

No, I know that my excitement might seem a little excessive but I can assure you that it's not. Illusen is, after all, one of tough faerie. After all, who else aside from Illusen dared to step away from the posh lifestyle the faeries over at Faerieland decided to live? (Okay, fine, there's Taelia the Snow Faerie, Mira the Space Faerie and Jhuidah the Cooking Pot Faerie but Illusen was the first! At least, she was my first.) Instead of floating among the clouds, back when Faerieland was still in the clouds, Illusen plant her feet firmly into Neopia so that all she can directly see and help all of the Neopians who come to her for aid. Illusen is kind, brave, selfless and absolutely deserving of every little bit excitement that is generated on her special day.

Now, not all Neopians can afford the time or neopoints to take a trip to Meridell to visit this generous Earth Faerie personally. However, that doesn't mean that you can't celebrate Illusen day in your very own home! Listed below are a few great ideas for you to celebrate Illusen Day without having to travel too far and spend too many neopoints.

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The Theme: A Day At the Park

In order for every good party to work out, there has to be a connecting theme to it. Now, I know that celebrating Illusen is the overarching theme but a good sub-theme must be present to reinforce the overarching theme. So what kind of sub-theme should we look too for Illusen Day?

Well, why not spending this lovely day outside at a park?

We all know that Illusen is an Earth Faerie who is in tune with all things beautiful and natural. So for today, turn off your Neovision and unplug all things electronic. Today is the day to go outside and breathe in the fresh air while soaking up the beautiful sunlight. It is a chance to relearn how to live a more simple lifestyle and actually take the time to "stop and smell the roses"

Things to Do:

Now that we have a setting/sub-theme for our party, we now need things to do. However, this is the easiest part because the park has endless possibilities on what we can do. In fact, if you really think about it, everything you do at home can be done outside at a park as well!

Plan a Picnic

Picnics are always fun and a great way bring friends and loved ones together. If you're stuck on ideas for what to bring to the park to eat, have no fear! There is a wide variety of Illusen Day themed food items that covers everything from the main course, an Illusen Day Sandwich to dessert, an Illusen Day Cupcake. However, if you don't want to be bogged down by a single set of rules, let me give you some delicious other options!

1) Illusen Leaf Burrito

This burrito despite being made of leaves and beans is deceptively filling and absolutely delicious! In order to prepare this tasty treat, you have to plan ahead and let the beans cook for a good long while with your choice of spices. However, in order to make it a true Illusen Day meal, you have to absolutely bake this burrito with ground or powdered Illusen Acorns. This delicious acorn adds a warm earthiness to the beans that pairs perfectly with the leaves used to wrap these beans in. One bite of this amazing burrito and it'll feel like you are sitting around a warm fire in the middle of a forest campsite - happy and content.

Warning: Be sure to bring a knife and fork since this meal tends to be a little messy!

2) Illusen Tea

The outdoors is the perfect place to sit back and relax with a nice cup of tea. And since it's Illusen day, why not brew yourself some Illusen Tea? If you are a tea-lover, the Illusen Tea is a must try and will definitely win your heart. Made from roasted Illusen Acorns, Marrow Rind and Loveberry, this exotic tea is earthy, warm with a delicate sweet undertone that brings a smile to anyone's face. This tea can be drank warm or hot but on this beautiful day be sure to drink it from your Illusen Flask which will prevent spills and keep your tea toasty hot or icy cold for hours.

3) Chocolate Mint Swirl Illusen Cake

Don't let the word "cake" fool you. This cake is magically decadent and surprisingly simple to make. It is also the perfect dessert to bring with you to a picnic since everyone loves cake and it won't melt like an ice cream would! While preparing your Chocolate and Mint batter, rather than layering it like the amateurs, why not be creative and swirl the two together to create a magnificent marbled effect? Illusen loves the taste of mint and chocolate combined so segregating the two flavors would make a very sad Illusen indeed. However, if you don't want to deal with the hassle of bringing and entire cake to a picnic, feel free to divide it up and create two dozen Illusen Frosted Cupcakes instead?

Do Something Fun!

Of course, when at a picnic, not everyone just sits around and eat - especially on a day like Illusen Day. No, Illusen Day is meant for fun and excitement and a chance to truly explore the outdoors! So why not play a few games or do a few fun activities to truly get into the spirit of nature.

1) Play Some Music

Although Illusen is always busy, she always has time to appreciate some good music. With that in mind, why not break out some instruments and show the world what kind of beautiful music you can create? Whether you are a seasoned musician or just starting out, music is something to be shared. If you are a first time musician, I suggest picking up some very simple instruments to get you started. Why not try out a set of pipes? The Illusen Panpipe is an easy to learn set of pipes that any Neopian can master a few simple songs on within their first day.

2) Play Some Games

Everybody loves playing games. From the young to the old to those in between, everybody enjoys laughing and exploring. For the baby Neopets in your life, bring along a set of Illusen Building Blocks for them to use their imagination to build and explore. Illusen herself is a creative explorer and would be proud of your little one pushing her mental finesse. For the elderly Neopets in your life that might enjoy something low key, bringing and Illusen Kite will allow them to join in on the fun and festivities as well!

3) Go On Adventure

The imagination is a vast and wonderous realm and Illusen Day is the perfect day to exercise the imagination. So after you picnic, why not go and explore a part of the park that you have never visited before? And if you have explored all of the park, find something about the park that you have never noticed before. The world is always changing and there are many hidden surprises in Neopia that are sitting in plain sight. Before you go, however, bring your Toy Illusen Bow and Arrow Set or your Illusen Toy Wand. Who knows? Maybe in your exploration you might find yourself battling monsters.

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Well, that is quite a list there! With a list this big, you would have to wonder if everything could be done all in one day! Anyways, despite all the parties and the celebration, at the heart of Illusen Day is the fact that you are to celebrate being with your loved ones. Now, there are plenty of Illusen themed gifts to gift those loved ones with but I won't list them here. Why? Because those gifts should be something that comes from you and your heart.

On that note...

ILLUSEN DAY IS HERE~!

Let's celebrate it with lots of smiles, cake and happiness!