The Group: John Morrow Elementary PTO, Pittsburgh

The Setting: A Hollywood-themed luncheon in the staff lounge for the stars of the school, the teachers and staff.

The Idea: The PTO would welcome employees to the event with a 15-foot red carpet and confetti made of gold stars. For the red carpet, PTO president Donna Vail affixed vinyl fabric to the floor with double-sided tape. Volunteers sprinkled the stars on the carpet and tables.

What Went Wrong: Before long, confetti found its way into the food. “Even though the gold stars made everything look great, they caused a mess and could have caused someone to choke!” Vail says. To the janitor’s dismay, stars stuck to people’s shoes and were spread throughout the first floor of the school.

What Happened Next: When the event was over and the carpet pulled up, the tape stuck to the lounge floor. (If there’s a next time, Vail plans to use masking tape instead.)

The Outcome: Tape marks remained on the floor until summer, when the school was cleaned in preparation for the new school year.

No Glow: The decorations looked good but caused more headaches than they were worth. “I even had gold stars in my home, and so did several other people,” Vail recalls. “We were all cleaning up gold stars for months! I will never use confetti again.”