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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Lifestyle
Abha Shah

Best party decorations for a Bank Holiday get together and other celebrations

Who doesn’t love a Bank Holiday? Here in the UK, we get eight public holidays a year, kicking off with New Year’s Day - January 1 - and tailing off with Boxing Day, which takes place on December 26.

While it’s nice to have over a week off, in the global rankings, England fares pretty poorly. Scotland gets nine days, Northern Ireland luckier still with 10, while India has the most days off with 21 public holidays a year.

Still, you could argue that if anything, this means our collective time off - which for most folks is additional on top of annual leave - is far more cherished. We like to make a proper song and dance of it, and what better way than with a party?

Holding parties for no discernable reason often turn out to be the greatest kind. With most of our Bank Hols taking place in spring and summer, what further grounds for party-throwing do you need than the sun shining, warm weather and all your pals free from their usual obligations on the same day?

Trundle out the BBQ, crank up your favourite playlist and make the most of right now. To help get you in the mood for fun, dressing the scene is part of the ritual. Balloons, bunting, streamers and more, we’ve found the best party pieces to help your bash go off with a bang.

Find the best decor and party-starting products below.

Shop now

Groundlevel Bluetooth Cantilever Banana Parasol

Size: 3m Best for: summer parties

Lights! Music! Action! A party wrapped around a pole, this parasol is the perfect addition to your garden this summer. It’s fitted with a rechargable wireless Bluetooth speaker as well as lights to suit the mood under an XL cantilevered canopy which can offer shade or shelter depending on the weather. If you’ve got the perfect spot for it, you can screw it down into the ground or decking but we like the idea of adding weights (not included) for the freedom of moving it around as you like. Get it in grey for £129.

Buy now £129.00, Amazon

PerfectDraft Pro Stella Artois Starter Bundle

All that shouting at the footie made your throat sore? Soothe your tastebuds in the tastiest way possible - with a pint pulled from the PerfectDraft Pro along with a mini 6L keg of Stella Artois.

There’s nothing like a freshly poured pint, and now you don’t even have to step out of your house to enjoy one. Result.

Find more beer kegs to use with the machine here.

See the full ES Best review of at home beer dispensers.

Buy now £343.00, PerfectDraft

Cieex Beer Pong Set

You don’t need much to play a game of beer pong but this set adds a sense of ceremony to the proceedings. Complete with a mat, blue and red cups and of course, the all-important ping pong balls, to play simply split yourselves into teams and try and get as many ping pongs into the opposition’s cups.  If the ball lands in a cup, you finish that drink. The objective is to drink the other side dry and crown yourselves the winners! If you want to go slow, fill the cups with low or no alcohol beer and save the full-strength for the party.

Buy now £15.99, Amazon

Klarstein Ice Volcano 2G Snow Cone Machine

Best for: the ultimate ice maker for the party hoster

Ice makers really don’t get flashier than one named Ice Volcano - we feel refreshed already. From kitchen expert Klarstein, the small but mighty maker can produce an endless supply of ice, from bullet-shaped fragments to larger cubes for neat measures of whisky or vodka.

Fill the 2L tank and hit start to see the first cubes tumbling into the easy-access storage container in around 10 minutes. If you need it, it can form 12kg of ice over a 24 hour period. Alerts on the LED control panel make the quiet-running machine easy to top up water or know when the bucket is full. There’s also a timer, so there’s no need to keep a watchful eye over it. Simply sit back and enjoy the party.

Also available in black or red.

Buy now £249.99, Mano Mano

Biodegradable Rainbow Confetti Party Cannon Popper

Got a surprise birthday party in the calendar? Hand out these mini cannons to guests to set off at the crucial moment: they’ll shoot out a joyful cascade of tissue paper confetti in bright rainbow shades.

Buy now £2.49, NOTHS

Premium Planet Large Disposable & Biodegradable Plates Set with Cutlery

These ultra durable and hard-wearing plates are made sustainably from palm leaf and are totally recyclable. These super strong utensils are great for hot and cold food and can even survive a turn in the microwave.

Buy now £16.99, Amazon

Drinking Roulette incl. 16 shot glasses

Whether there’s just two of you or a gang of eight, this casino-style roulette wheel game promises plenty of fun. Fill the shot glasses with your choice booze - or you could add a twist, as one customer did, by filling the evens with chocolate and the odds with liquidised broccoli - and let the wheel spin. The stakes may be high, but so are the laughs.

Buy now £7.89, Amazon

Ginger Ray Multicoloured Streamer Backdrop With Honeycombs & Fans

Craft paper fans and honeycomb balls are chic decorations that fold flat, making storage to use them next time simple. This pack from party decor specialists Ginger Ray combes with twine and paperclips to help you get the pieces up in a flash. The bundle contains 100m streamers, seven honeycomb decorations and five tissue fan decorations.

Buy now £13.00, Urban Outfitters

JOYIN 36 inch Inflatable Cactus Cooler

Outsource drinks duty to this prickly moustachioed assistant so you can concentrate on having a ball with your mates instead. The inflatable cooler can be filled with ice and plonked in the bath for house parties, outside in a paddling pool or straight on the grass at your next BBQ. There’s plenty of space to chill cans as well as bottles of wine and spirits.

Buy now £21.99, Amazon

Argos 18 Piece Room Decorating Kit

This multicoloured party decor kit is perfect for adding festivities to rooms or, in warm weather, in the garden too. There are 18 versatile pieces in bright colours, from paper fans to fringe banners, perfect for all kinds of celebrations, or just because.

Buy now £15.00, Argos

Fax Potato Donkey Cardboard Pinata

A fixture at Mexican parties, bring a pinata to your fiesta for fun the whole family can enjoy. Simply fill the cardboard structure with sweets and party favours, reseal and hang in a high spot - ideally a tree branch - then let your mates at it with the supplied stick. Great fun for little ones and big kids alike.

Buy now £16.99, Amazon

Party Decoration Kit 6pcs Hanging Garland

Whether you’re hosting a Bank Holiday brunch or just want to pretty up your BBQ, these hanging streamers are an easy way to make it feel like an occasion. Made from recyclable tissue paper and with six 10ft-long chains in a trio of colours, it will add depth and party vibes to any space.

Buy now £8.99, Amazon

Party Pieces Disco Party Photo Props

This ten-piece set of disco-themed props promises good times, whether you’re throwing a themed party or just want to help folks get into their groove. Dish the paper and wood designs out to guests for snaps you’ll cherish for years to come.

Get the full roller disco look here.

Buy now £4.99, Party Pieces

Cuisinart Style Collection Ice Cream and Dessert Maker

Turn your kitchen into a dessert destination thanks to Cuisinart’s miracle machine which can not only whip up fresh ice cream in its depths, but frozen yoghurt, sorbet and frozen fruits too, all in as little as 25 minutes.

Simply pre-freeze the bowl overnight before use, or keep it in your freezer so it’s always ready to go. The included ice cream paddle will churn your recipe into a smooth, tasty dessert while the fresh fruit paddle can blend soft fruits whilst freezing them for a healthier alternative, and less waste of fruit that’s about to turn. Take your creations to the next level by adding ingredients through the lid during churning: think nuts, chocolate chips, fruit pieces or even sauces to create a ripple effect. Comes with a five-year guarantee.

Buy now £114.24, Amazon

Talking Tables Recyclable Pink Floral Paper Napkins - 20 Pack

It's all in the details. Give your place settings extra oomph with these cheerful floral print paper napkins which you can recycle when the party's over.

Buy now £4.75, Talking Tables

Talking Tables Gold Sparklers, Pack of 20

Low key fireworks are perfect for small occasions, adding excitement to any occasion. Talking Tables has a pack of 20 mini gold sparklers to dish out in the garden and keep the party going.

Buy now £6.00, John Lewis

Drinking Buddies Cocktail Buddies Drink Markers

Keep track of your drink with a little help from beach bum-shaped drink buddies. Holding a colourful parasol cocktail umbrella, you’ll easily spot which glass in yours - especially helpful when the drinks are freely flowing.

Buy now £11.96, Amazon

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