Potter Movie Night Magic!

Yes, I know, Im just about ready…wait no, the world is just about ready to break out into “joy to the world” , toss tinsel everywhere, and get their twinkle light fest on, yet here I am, still about to flog you with Potter night love that was enjoyed back in October. But you know what? Screw it! Im pregnant. Im tired. My brain is full on porridge. Getting up in the morning for work…or just basically getting up in the morning anytime, is a daily mental challenge for me. (Not quite the way my 28 year old might have envisioned me as a preggo, but what you gonna do? This is my reality. Im THAT preggo who feels every single bit of strain creating a life within takes. And as I’ve finnaly come to accept (five pregnancies later)…there aint nothing I can do to change it.

So point being, Im a little A LOT behind with all that want to blog about. And trust me, there IS SO MUCH! But for now, lets start with this sweet little night we had back in mid October, where we all got to indulge in our love for Harry Potter. And yes, I say we, because not only are Mike and I fans, but we’ve managed to turn our two eldest into fans as well, thanks to last years introduction, and our FIRST Potter Night!

So it’s meant to be a family night, but since Mike headed out to the rugby with my brothers for the day, it ended up being a fun little girls night – little Coco included! Now whilst I had my reservations as to how the dickens I was going to manage it at all that day, since just walking alone leaves my back and pelvis, never mind running after three little girls, including a bustling rough and tumble one year old, I was actually looking forward to it.

Last year, I had a newborn on my arm so I was pretty limited in painting the ambience for the night. This year, I had a nice baby bump and a slew of preggy hormones to contend with, but at least I could make it work. And since my girls were familiar with the movie, they were so super excited to watch me (slowly) put the décor up bit by bit since the beginning of October.

What you need to make the magic happen for a Harry Potter Night:
In a phrase: Not much.

But where I focus on are the little touches that come through strongly in the movie:

1. The floating candles – now I started crafting these about 3 years ago using paper towel rolls, a glue gun and some white paint, all in preparation for our Annual Halloween bash in the theme of Potter, which then consequently never happened (yet). And they honestly look great, where the dripping glue looks melting candle wax and you stick a flame-less battery operated candle in them. But honestly, when you’re a fulltime working mom, with three little ones and preggers, and got shit to do, crafting those babies can take far too long. So I found thanks to other crafty moms online and mom bloggers that rolling up a sheet of paper, and taping the flameless candle inside that without the bells and whistles, work just as well. Just thread some fishing line or white cotton through the tops of it and secure to ceiling with see-through tape. Hang a few in cluster in an area that would make the most impact. I hung mine in the kitchen where I set up the Honeydukes display. I made

2. For Honeydukes Display – I used this sign, and had it printed over at our local print store like a mini banner. However, preggo brain meant that I totally forgot to go pick it up, and without Mike there to save my butt as usual, I had to let that one go.

3. Sweet labels – Similarly, I used this site here for HoneuDukes labels for the sweets – but alas, forgetting them at print store doesnt help much.

4. Witch hat luminaries – I absolutely adored these, as they were so simple and easy to make. I used cheap witch hats that you could get at King Cake party stores or even Evermore or Katties for R29.99. Flameless tealights (about R30 for 3 at Crazy store). String some cotton or fish gut through top of a witch hat, including the length that you wish for it to hang from ceiling, and the length that it needs to hang inside the witch hat. (Mustn’t hang too far down with the tealight – just a little higher than the brim of the hat so the light can be seen) These may not be from any Potter movie per say, but they have a Hogwarts look to it that I like.
I hung these in the entrance.

5. HoneyDukes Sweets – I kept it super simple this year, mostly cause I dont have spare energy this year thanks to little boy child in my belly that’s siphoning all my life force at a rapid rate. So what was on offer this year:

Fizzing whizzbees: Chocolate poured into Bee molds with pop sherbet (Crazy Store) poured into the centre and popped into the fridge. They don’t take too long before they harden either. ( i used normal milk chocolate). My girls are gaga over this popping sherbet. Fact is, so am I. And adding it to the chocolate, for once, actually made my girls slowly savour the chocolate, just to enjoy the popping sensation of the sherbet. I basically only made 3 each. So you don’t have to go overboard and make a huge amount.

Chocolate frogs: Same idea, just poured chocolate into frog molds. I got gorgeous little holders that are the movie replica over here. But once more – at the printers it ‘do me much good.

Liquorice Wands: I kept this simple and just stuck red liquorice ropes into a glass container. Boom.

Bertie Bots All flavour Beans: Nice to know here’s one thing you dont have to make. I simply buy these at the Sweets From Heaven! They tend to sell out quick, so I’ve learnt to buy them when I see them in stock. And we dont just use them for Potter Nights either. We use them for games nights as well.
Also I wanted to get the bertie bots game online, but at 1k plus for the game, I decided we could just use our other games spinner as a makeshift solution, and still enjoy a fun spot of grossness.

Just a warning: Like I shared with you on instastories two years ago already, I have no idea HOW they do it, but these beans taste exactly like the name of the flavour. Dirt? Boogers? Vomit? They have it down pat. It’s seriously accurate. The good tasting ones are good though…Lord help me if I ever get an ear wax one, though!

6. Butter Beer: You simply cant have a Potter night without Butter Beer, this is a staple that’s just not negotiable. For a great tasting recipe – actually there’s two versions there – go check out this post of mine!
SO easy! And yum!


8. General decor – Look at this point, I usually have most of my halloween decor up, so having our home look Hogwarts-esque is pretty much sorted. And if youre stuck for ideas, just toss a few skulls around, have loads of candles, and turn off the lights. I also have the outdoors covered, but that I’ll leave for next year to show you all that!




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Even little Yuriko-Mae joined us, with her little cape and scar, and glasses that only stayed on for a few seconds. (Not that she minded it, she loved wearing it, but her little koppie is just too small for it.)

And eventually she bowed out. I stretched her bedtime till 6pm that night, but then she just couldnt anymore. And then it was just us three girls! Meaning we could now watch our movie!

This year, now knowing what’s in store for them, the girls wanted to kick off with HoneyDukes, nevermind intermission. And then eventually we all settled in for a top night of Harry Potter!

We of course only watch the first one on this night, and then keep the rest for another weekend where we have a marathon – as in until the kids reach their scarefactor threshhold. (I ensure they dont reach the point where the movie bugs them, and now gives them nightmares. So far with them, the third movie is as far as they can go)

Parker is in for the most part of the movie, until eventually she starts fading away and wants to be more active (she hates sitting still for too long), and pops in at the honeydukes counter now and again. But for the better part of 45 mins, it was a fab little girls night in, as we all three snuggled together on the couch, enthralled by the magic of Harry, and that classic soundtrack!

The girls, especially Morgy was a bit bummed that Daddy wasnt there to join in what is supposedly a family night in for us. But I think she liked the idea of a girls night that I sold to her.

Dad had come home just in time to help get little bodies into their beds, as the last of the sugars in their bloodstream was leaving them. And as heavy as my bones felt that night, I was so happy we had it. Top little night with my little chikas!

Here’s to next year, when we have a little Harry of our own to add to the mix!