I’m in a bit of a quandary. (I’ve always wanted to say that, but really, I am). I have been thinking about Ian’s birthday for 7 months now, trying to decide if I should throw him a party for his 4th year in the world. I himmed and hawed wondering if I should wait another year.
A friend of mine threw a party for her then 4-year-old (she’s also in Ian’s preschool class) back in September, and well, you could say I’ve developed a case of stage fright about it. This friend is an amazing party planner and I wish I had half the mad skills she does to pull these things off and make it look effortless. (She recently hosted a grown-up tea party for 8 close friends, it was brilliant and jaw-dropping. Maybe I’ll post pics of it soon.)
I finally talked myself into it two weeks ago. I was doing it. I didn’t know what, but I was doing it anyway.
I’m not the head planner type. I can’t just come up with this stuff in my brain, it doesn’t happen like that for me — ever. I’m a detail-oriented person, give me a section of it and I’ll go to town and do really great with it – give me more than four options for something and I shrivel up and die. (It took me 2.5 months to pick a final photo for our family portrait.)
I’m actually doing really well with it. We have a theme: Tractors, John Deere to be precise. (And no, the fascination with said tractors materialised looooong before we ever stepped foot in Montana, but I’ll forgive you for perhaps thinking otherwise…!
So, here’s the breakdown:
1. Friends are to wear something green, yellow or brown.
2. Food: Homemade sausage rolls, chocolate crispy cakes* (made with Milkyway bars) and Sun Chips.
3. A dirt track cake with self-bought JD tractors and pickup trucks on them.
4. Favour bag: Bubbles, a punch balloon, Green homemade Kool-Aid Playdough, mini dairy milk bars, Reece’s peanut butter cups, rolos and kisses and Lego fruit snacks.
Games: Blaaaaaaaaaah.
Nothing.
I’ve went completely blank and I can’t believe it. We never gave out little party bags in Scotland when I was growing up, so the fact that I go that far is a bloody miracle! Plus, I hate the cheap weird stuff some people give out and wanted to do something a little decent.
Rather than search the ‘Net looking for stuff, I thought I’d put it out there to my friends. Any ideas?
I thought about a British game called Pass the Parcel, but I’m not sure if the kids are too young for it or not. Maybe I’m underestimating them. You wrap a small gift in a box with about 6 layers of paper (have the children all sit in a circle) and play music, stopping randomly. Each time the music stops, the child holding the gift takes off a layer of paper and then the music starts again. The one left holding the naked box gets what’s inside.
Yeah, so that’s about it. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Oh yeah, and his birthday is this Thursday.
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* Chocolate Krispie cakes are similar to the marshmallow ones you make here, kinda. You melt down chocolate, add a little butter and add a ton of Rice Krispies. Spoon some of the mixture into little (cupcake) cases and top with a marshmallow and pop it in the fridge to cool. I’m using Milkyway bars in mine instead.
Sausage rolls are kinda like Pigs in a Blanket, but better…IMHO…
a Brit different 