Party hat
Encyclopedia
A party hat is generally a playful conical hat
made with a rolled up piece of thin cardboard
, usually with designs printed on the outside and a long string of elastic going from one side of the cone's bottom to another to secure the cone to the person's head
. In Britain
the hat is made of paper and is the shape of a crown
. Its name originates with its use: Party hats are worn most often at birthday parties, especially by the guest of honor, with a significant minority being worn at New Year celebrations
. The party hat has its origins in the dunce cap
worn by misbehaving or poorly performing schoolchildren from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, with its festive decoration and society's positive attitude toward the wearer indicating a relaxation, abrogation, or even reversal of certain social norms: During the occasion in question the wearer is permitted or encouraged to engage, rather than discouraged from engaging, in frivolous and foolish behavior for which the required wearing of the dunce cap would in other situations constitute a punishment.
Non-conical hats worn to signify an occasion's informal and festive status include decorated top hat
s, hats made from balloon
s, the beer hat or "beer helmet," and Mickey Mouse
ears. In more extreme cases, partygoers may wear other objects such as lampshade
s or beer boxes, although the wearing of such objects often meets with social disapproval
even when other festive headwear is permitted.
Pointed hat
Pointed hats have been a distinctive item of headgear of a wide range of cultures throughout history. Though often suggesting an ancient Indo-European tradition, they were also traditionally worn by women of Lapland, the Japanese, the Mi'kmaq people of Atlantic Canada, and the Huastecs of Veracruz...
made with a rolled up piece of thin cardboard
Paperboard
Paperboard is a thick paper based material. While there is no rigid differentiation between paper and paperboard, paperboard is generally thicker than paper. According to ISO standards, paperboard is a paper with a basis weight above 224 g/m2, but there are exceptions. Paperboard can be single...
, usually with designs printed on the outside and a long string of elastic going from one side of the cone's bottom to another to secure the cone to the person's head
Head
In anatomy, the head of an animal is the rostral part that usually comprises the brain, eyes, ears, nose and mouth . Some very simple animals may not have a head, but many bilaterally symmetric forms do....
. In Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
the hat is made of paper and is the shape of a crown
Crown (headgear)
A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...
. Its name originates with its use: Party hats are worn most often at birthday parties, especially by the guest of honor, with a significant minority being worn at New Year celebrations
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
. The party hat has its origins in the dunce cap
Dunce cap
A dunce cap, also variously known as a dunce hat, dunce's cap, or dunce's hat, is a pointed hat. In popular culture, it is typically made of paper and often marked with a D or the word "dunce", and given to schoolchildren to wear as punishment by public humiliation for misbehavior and, as the name...
worn by misbehaving or poorly performing schoolchildren from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, with its festive decoration and society's positive attitude toward the wearer indicating a relaxation, abrogation, or even reversal of certain social norms: During the occasion in question the wearer is permitted or encouraged to engage, rather than discouraged from engaging, in frivolous and foolish behavior for which the required wearing of the dunce cap would in other situations constitute a punishment.
Non-conical hats worn to signify an occasion's informal and festive status include decorated top hat
Top hat
A top hat, beaver hat, high hat silk hat, cylinder hat, chimney pot hat or stove pipe hat is a tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat, predominantly worn from the latter part of the 18th to the middle of the 20th century...
s, hats made from balloon
Balloon
A balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig...
s, the beer hat or "beer helmet," and Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
ears. In more extreme cases, partygoers may wear other objects such as lampshade
Lampshade
A lampshade is a fixture that covers the lightbulb on a lamp to diffuse the light it emits. Conical, cylindrical and other forms on floor-, desk- or table top-mounted as well as suspended lamp models are the most common and are made in a wide range of materials. The term can also apply to the...
s or beer boxes, although the wearing of such objects often meets with social disapproval
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
even when other festive headwear is permitted.
External links
- Child Party Hat, kid craft central.com