Finding the Right Balloons For a Party

 

There are all kinds of fun and festive ways to decorate a room or an outdoor space for a party, such as streamers, colorful tablecloths, vases of flowers, music and, of course, some balloons. For decades, balloons have been the go-to choice for decorating a birthday party or a baby shower or bridal shower, and even high school proms have good use for them, usually latex balloons. Wholesale latex balloons can be found at party supply stores, and foil balloons can be found at grocery stores, convenient and cheap to buy. But there are some key differences between latex balloons and foil models, and there’s more than one way to use them or inflate them. What are some solid party ideas for balloons of any type?

All About Latex Balloons

The very idea of balloons actually dates back a long way. Back in 1824, professor Michael Faraday invented them when he fused together the edges of two rubber sheets, and he inflated them with air. Thus, balloons were born, though today’s latex balloons are more economical to make. Producing this many rubber balloons would put serious strain on the world’s rubber tree populations, so instead, latex balloons are the norm. A latex tree can provide materials for a few decades without getting killed in the process, so this is a highly efficient way to harvest material and protect the world’s forests at the same time.

Latex balloons start off small, and they can be inflated into their trademark teardrop shape with either air or helium, depending on need. Some of them actually have a crease in their material so they form heart shapes when fully inflated. Air filled balloons will last longer than helium balloons, though they will not float. Filling them with air is easy, since an ordinary pump or even a person’s own breath can be used to inflate them. By contrast, a helium balloons floats around, and though it will only last a day or so, they are popular and can be purchased already inflated (such as at carnivals). In other cases, a helium pump can be used to blow them up at home. In any case, be sure to keep balloons away from children and pets until they are inflated (they can be choking hazards).

Foil Balloons

By contrast, the idea of foil balloons is much more recent, and foil balloons come in a wider variety of shapes. These balloons are made when two foil sheets are cut into shape, and their edges are fused together. What is more, these foil sheets can have images and colors printed onto them, to give them visual flair. They can be a solid color, feature pop culture images, or have a message such as “happy birthday” or “get well soon” on them. These balloons often come in circular or square shapes, but they can also be cut into the shapes or numbers or even letters. Foil balloons are most often inflated with helium and are attached to a string and weight, and they are often available at grocery stores, fully inflated. They can also be bought in packages and inflated later, if desired.

Where to Use Balloons

Now, when and where can all these festive balloons be used? A child’s birthday party is a great time for balloons, such as a foil balloon that features an image the child will like, or one or two foil balloons that are shaped like numbers to represent the child’s new age. Latex balloon can be filled with helium and held down with strings, or filled with air and taped to the backs of chairs or even scattered on the floor to form a ball pit. Meanwhile, at a private bridal shower or baby shower, all kinds of thematic decorations can be used, and that may include bundles of pink and white balloons filled with helium and held down on strings. Foil balloons make for fine gifts to hospital patients who need cheering up, and heart shaped balloons are a nice gift for Valentine’s Day and personal anniversaries. At a senior high school prom, countless latex balloons can be used to form decorations, such as arches, and a cage on the ceiling can release countless air filled balloons during the dance itself.