I wish...

Adding an interactive station to your event is a great way to engage attendees and also provide a keepsake for the guest of honor.  One I've recently used is the "Wishing ____ (tree, wall, well, clothesline, etc.)."  The wishing area allows guests to leave notes about the honoree, the special occasion, advice, or anecdotes and allows them to be as funny or sentimental as they wish.  This station works equally well for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and showers.

Most of these wishing areas are quite simple and several can be a DIY project.  Yet each gives you a big bang for your buck by being a focal point in the room and giving guests the ability to participate and interact with each other.  The most effective stations coordinate with the overall event theme.  Take a look at these great options to see which style could work into your plan.

Wishing Wall
This can be a DIY project or Uncommon Goods offers one complete with paper slips.

Wishing Well

Wishing Tree

Tips
It helps to give guests detailed instructions on how to complete the project along with creative suggestions to get them started.

Don't forget the pens!  You could really make this station active by including glitter pens, colored stamps, and whatever treatments and colors go along with your theme.

After the party is over, the host can take a photo of the finished work and gather the paper, wood, leaves, or other surface selected for the wishes and present them to the honoree.  This could also be a great gift after the event if it were incorporated into scrapbook pages with guest photos.