Need inspiration? Head to your local supermarket, stand in the international food aisle, and look at the packaging. Let the colours and designs guide your decorating scheme (and later, your menu).

Hang maps and atlas pages on your walls, and make signs with country names and basic facts on them. Flags make excellent wall coverings as well as festive pendant decorations. Mix and match traditional decorations from various cultures for a unique international flair. Some ideas to get you started: pinatas or celebration banners (from Mexico), stamped lanterns (Morocco) and paper globes (Japan).

Around The World Theme Party Gifts
Fill your party gift bags with gourmet international goodies, like sweets from Japan and France, spicy nuts and legumes from Mexico and China. Miniature flags and globes make great additions for kids, as do pocket atlases, rubber balls (blue ones like planet Earth), noisemakers and balloons. Your goody bags don't have to be made of paper or cellophane, either. You can use baskets, woven textiles or Chinese food containers.

The costume possibilities for an around-the-world party are as vast and varied as the countries across the globe. Ask your guests to dress in a costume that represents their cultural heritage or to choose any culture they like.

If guests are short on time or money, suggest that they dress like a country's flag. To represent Denmark, for example, wear all red and use white tape to make stripes in a cross shape down your front or back.

Tres chic clothing and accessories for your around the world costume:

• Folkloric costumes and ensembles • Hats, scarves and headgear • Belts, obis and jewelry

• Boots, sandals, mukluks or bare feet • Eye patches and mustaches

Keep kids occupied by letting them create an imaginary country, complete with a national anthem and their own language. Let them draw what their country looks like and create a colourful flag. Supply pens, coloured pencils, paints and large sheets of white paper. When the flags are finished, hang them around the party, and give them back to the kids later as party gifts.

Games are a fun way to introduce children to other cultures too, so get out the mancala (from Africa), mah-jongg (China) or even checkers, which is believed to have originated in Iraq.

Everything from your snacks to your main course should reflect an international influence. Choose one country and let that inspire your entire meal, or mix it up with favorites from lots of lands.

Pair crisps and salsa with hummus and warm pita, or pappadums (India) with various chutneys. Flatbreads and pancakes are staples around the globe: Stuff crepes (France) with mushrooms and cheese, serve injera (Ethiopia) with curried potatoes, or prepare Mandarin pancakes and mushu pork (China).

Dessert can range from shortbread and baklava to tiramisu and gelato.

Horchata Horchata is a refreshing iced drink served in Mexico. • 1 cup blanched whole almonds • 2 cups boiling water • 1/2- to 1-inch piece cinnamon stick • 1/3 cup sugar, or to taste • freshly grated zest of 1 lime • 2 cups ice plus additional for glasses In a blender, combine all ingredients except ice. Add 2 cups ice and blend until melted. Pour mixture into a bowl through a large sieve lined with a double layer of dampened cheesecloth. Discard solids. Stir and serve with additional ice.

1.	Kumbaya / Congo
2.	Guantanamera / Cuba
3.	Frere Jacques / France
4.	Ach Du Bieber Augustin / Germany
5.	Danny Boy / Ireland
6.	Santa Lucia / Italy
7.	Banana Boat Loader's Song / Jamaica
8.	Sakura / Japan
9.	La Cucaracha / Mexico
10.	Ei, Ukhnem! / Russia

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