Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Trends, April 17, 2000

Lisa Ferguson

Monday, April 17, 2000 | 8:51 a.m.

You got a promotion at work.

It's your 29th birthday -- again.

The obnoxious next-door neighbors moved away.

Let's have a party!

Don't forget the paper hats and horns.

On second thought, do forget them -- and opt for the British Party Popper instead.

The device holds enough party favors for as many as six revelers -- including hats, streamers, balloons and confetti -- in its tube-shaped container.

The fun part is getting them out: After a specially designed "flameless igniter" is lit, the goodies shoot out of the canister up to 10 feet in the air.

There are themed poppers, including a Las Vegas version featuring playing cards, dice and plastic money. Poppers for Halloween, Christmas and Hanukkah are also in the works, as well as poppers customized for individuals.

Manufactured in Las Vegas, the British Party Popper retails for $19.95. It's available at local Marshall Russo stores, and shops inside the Tropicana hotel-casino and Manadaly Bay Resorts hotel-casinos, and also by visiting www.britishpartypoppers.com.

Egg-cellent specimens

Egg salad fans, rejoice! It's that time of year: when leftover Easter eggs get turned into our favorite sandwich filling.

We're putting the cart before the horse here. The hard-boiled eggs must first be colored and decorated, adorn baskets and be hidden for hunts before they can be drowned in mayonnaise and slammed between a couple pieces of white bread.

So, here are some tips for making eggs pretty this Easter, courtesy of the website Greatentertaining.com:

Reuse leftover party crepe paper by soaking it in a bowl of hot water and adding the eggs to that. Remove them with a spoon when they reach the desired color.

Cut shapes from a wide roll of masking tape (hearts, stars and the like) and stick them to the eggs before dipping in the dye. After it's dry, peel the tape away to reveal the shapes' designs.

Don't 'do it

It's also time to pull that goofy Easter bonnet (you know, the one with all the frills upon it) out of your closet because the folks at rabbithome.comhave declared "Easter is a Bad Hare Day."

Oh, that kind of hare!

Connie Onstad is behind the campaign designed to discourage people from buying live rabbits as Easter presents. The Minnesota resident, who started the website, says 75 percent of rabbits bought as Easter gifts are discarded within six months.

Unwanted bunnies flood animal rescue facilities in the months following the holiday, Onstad says. Others are released into the wild and often become prey for other animals including owls, coyotes, cats and dogs.

At rabbithome.com, "Easter is a Bad Hare Day" posters can be purchased for $5. The site also features links to others where stuffed rabbit toys can be purchased.