Henry's love of elephants began when he was only a few months old: Simulating the animal's trumpet sound could turn tears into peals of laughter almost instantly. So when it came time to plan his second birthday, Henry's parents took their cues from India, a culture that holds pachyderms sacred. They ordered in his favorite dishes from a local Indian restaurant, transformed the house by draping colorful fabrics and saris on sofas and chairs, and set up elephant-themed activities to stimulate the young guests' senses. The result was a kiddie party that adults could enjoy, too: While children played in buckets of dried lentils and stomped like elephants, their parents kicked back on floor pillows with plates full of Tandoori chicken and bottles of Taj Mahal beer.
Elephant-themed invitations
Our favorite elephant invites: Sarah LeClere's pachyderm-shaped cards ($24 for 10, polkadotdesign.com) and Dempsey & Carroll's simple baby elephant-embossed note cards ($42 for 10, Dempsey & Carroll).
