I love giving parties, do you need some ideas?

[ShirleyKnot]

Hello!

If you don't know me I'm Shirley and I'm a great lover of planning parties. I do a blog about it (which I'm not going to link here, but if you look on the bloggers network for PartySpanner you'll find me)

ANYWAY

If you're chucking a do, I might be able to help - I'm not a business, I don't charge for my ideas or owt, I just love to trawl the internet find good invite ideas, games and food.

Jump in and I'll see if I can help.

We've all gone very quiet. Hope all party plans are going well.

I've sent out the invites for ds's (4th birthday) couple of yes's and one no - I only invited 7 as we have a small house but now hoping we get the rest saying yes....
Still no idea what to actually do with them - I'll be on here the weekend before stressing about it!

oh pants, as I posted that the mum of one child that was coming just text to say now he couldn't - so far its ds and 1 friend - fingers crossed the other 5 can come...
so advice? hold out and deal with it if I only get 3 or so? invite a couple more now I technically have 'space'? ds wanted more but I limited him to those he played with most at nursery and he came up with list (I double checked it with nursery too)
This is why I hate parties, its my worst fear no one will come....
I'm kind of less worried if its ds and his other friend as I'll speak to parent, scrap party and take them bowling... its if its only a small number

Is this thread still going, or shall I post my party dilemma on a new thread of its own?

Post it here aubergine. I'm sure everyone will be back soon

Ah ha - found you. It has fallen off my "active convos" list.

I must upload cake photos.

Shirley - board games was an inspired suggestion for DS's "party" - went really well, except that poor DS ended the day in bed with a migraine and was off school the next day . Cake remains uncut as he wasn't well enough and I have been away since - I need to talk him into cutting it tonight, I think...

Im here im here! Aubergine whats the dilemma?
Spider i'd invite people if you know how many def arent coming. Can you chase the others? Where are you, you can have my dd if you like she loves a party.

Stealth i want the photos and what board games did you do, how did you plan it out?

I've made more figures for the cake but in my defiance to put the heating on the house feels a bit cold and damp and my god damn snake snapped. I superglued him. But i think i'm gonna have to put his two halves either side of a corner on the cake as i cant face making him again. Owl to do next. I'm starting to panic about little kids being entertained but 'party' will be in dd's playroom so i'm hoping for some free play. Dd wants to do the hokey cokey, plus the hunt for jigsaw pieces, mask making and pass the parcel. Not sure little kids will grasp pin the tail on so i'm thinking of humiliating the dads instead. What progress elsewhere? Blathers?

I'm still planning this imaginary christening. Keep dreaming of a family tree theme as i did dd's tree over the last 2years. Thinking its a good way to showcase my findings whilst a good basis for a new edition. I truly have to stop it as i'm convinced its tempting fate. Then i start planning a playdoh rainbow party. Im mental.

Okay. This will be our first Christmas in a new city / new country. We are very sociable people, but have been really struggling to get stuck in here for some reason. I want to have a Christmas 'do' of some sort but can't decide...
(a) Is a Christmas thing a bad idea because everyone will be too busy with their real friends? I know people get booked up.
And if it's not a terrible plan...
(b) With children or no children? (We tend to only know people through children)
(c) What time of day?
(d) If I do a no-children, evening thing then I think I have to feed everyone, right?
(e) No probs if so, but what to feed them?

Oh this was much easier when we had real friends and could say "oi, you lot, sherry and mince pie at ours on the 15th"

I suppose my starting point was "lets have some people over for some mulled wine and stollen" but I keep getting all tangled up in the practicalities of it. What do you think?

DW the best (or most, at least) planned party I ever did was DS's 4th birthday, 3 weeks after DD was born - I think party planning is a specialised form of nesting

photos on their way from camera to computer to flickr

I left DS to plan board games, TBH - there were only GPs, SIL and DB there. They played "creationary" (Pictionary with lego) and a Horrible History variant of Escape from Colditz caller Rotton Romans - DS had planned Cluedo as well but ran out of time/energy.

aubergine - my 2p-worth - why not make it a DC-centered party, since you only really know people through DC - do something earlier in the day, so that people can do other stuff in the evening if they want to.

Well aubergine, I think you need to go with your first instincts really and send an invite with an "Oi you lot sherry and mince pies at ours on 15th"

The rest of your questions, about whether to have children there or not - is really just how you feel!

DO you want a nice big family vibe with games for the children, lovely picky bits and nice booze for the adults?

or something more sophisticated? A nice sit down meal with just grown ups?

Oooh aubergine, i can sympathise as i moved to a new town a year ago and only people i know are through dd and playschool. If it was me i'd go for kid friendly but early evening? That way (assuming its dark and your not in dubai) you get a dark twinkly christmas feel, the dc's are included which is important if this is where you're social circle is building. Dc's feel grown up going to a night time party but people still have the choice to leave early or let the kids stay up. Think you'll find more people will come if dv's are included as childcare favours may be used up with work do's etc.

Thats my 2p worth.

A dc centred idea... maybe... I could combine mince pies / sherry with something Christmassy for the kids? Nothing too involved though because the point is for the other adults to realise how bloody awesome dh and I are, and how they really must include us in their social whirl from now on. They are slightly less likely to think we are awesome if we invite them over and they end up having to help their kids with salt dough and glitter.

How about a 4pm mince pie and mulled wine and something Christmassy for the kids... aww shit no one's going to want to come to that.

Def not a sit down meal - don't know enough people well enough for that not to be stilted.

Lol at assuming I'm not in Dubai. Not far away as it happens!

Hmm. More thought needed.

Aubergine if the parents of a new child in one of my DC's classes issued that invite, we would go!

How about something like these for the children? Not too messy and still fun?

Cake photos on flickr stream now for those who are interested.

I'd come to that too esp at 4pm. Its a time for kids so any invite that let me feel christmassy whilst spending time with dd i'd do it. The decorations stealth linked to are a fab idea. Or maybe a lucky dip with party bag type presents to unwrap. Hot chocolate for kids and maybe some choc santas or biscuits etc they are sorted.

Stealth can you link to flickr? Xx

At our local church they do a childrens carol service and give kids jam jars with battery operated tea lights in. Could you maybe give something similar? Do you have the balls to start singing carols? I wouldnt but ive got friends who'd relish a few drinks and start singing. Actually i got married at christmas and had carols not hymns and everyone got well involved. More than the traditional all things bright and beautiful anyway.

Cake set here, DW - new ones at the end.

BTW - could your snake not be going into and coming out of his logpile house?

Hello

Would anyone be able to help me with some ideas for my DD's 3rd birthday party. Being my second she has not had a party before .

Firstly I am not sure when to have it.
I could have it whilst oldest are at school in which case there will only be 4/5 3 year olds and maybe 1 18 month old.
Or I do it after school (I can imagine her brother will be rather upset if he misses out, so it may need to be after school) in which case 4/5 3 year olds and 4 5 year olds.

I was considering a Tiger who came to tea theme as it is her favourite book and would fit quite nicely with a party no?

Does anyone have any ideas or thoughts?

I hate giving parties - makes me feel sick with nerves before hand and spend the whole time worrying people aren't having fun!

I need ideas to keep everyone entertained, bearing in mind there are two age groups.

Thanks

Hi Prince. I think 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' is a lovely theme. That's one of the few books I can read over and over again without passing out from boredom. Including the older brother is a great idea, but I do think you are including too many older children. Could your older boy choose one special friend to have with him? The fewer children the better, in my experience.

I did a 'jungle' party for my son when he was three and paid a cake maker to make him a tiger cake. I bought lots of jungle animal accessories, eg any of these.

I have held all my youngest son's parties at home until this year (he will be six later this month), which makes it a lot more relaxing. All we did was play pass the parcel and musical bumps (nb, make sure all the children win prizes or they cry - I speak from experience ). We did some crafts too. In your case, maybe the children could make a tiger mask.

After all the activities and games, you could have a vintage tea party and then end the party by reading the book. Hand out party bags as the children leave, then pour yourself a large glass of wine .

Ah you see, the older children will be the siblings of the younger ones IYSWIM? Although I could do weekend and then they wouldn't need to come. I'll think about how many I could cope with!

So, I could do:

Obligatory pass the parcel
Tiger masks (love that idea)
Pin the tail on the tiger (has to be really)
Proper tea party

Love it.

Do you know how I can design and print out an invitation? A personal one?
Thanks!

Lovely ideas and I totally agree about including the elder son - but with limitations.

Something like this any good?

Otherwise, cut and paste a picture from the original Judith Kerr book and make up an invitation yourself?

I can see your problem if they are all younger siblings. In that case, could you ask the mums or dads to stay? That will take a load off your mind.

Glad you like my other ideas!

Morning all. The mouses tail has broken. I swear im ready to chuck the lot in the bin. Gruffalo still in tact. Stealth thought about the ligpile house but then i have to make more sodding logs. I can hide him in halves under the copious leaves, or through the log that hoysrs the gruffalo bum. Tomorrow i'm gpnna focus on owl and fox then see if i can salvage mouse. Gutted as he looked amazing. Even had tiny tiny whiskers from fishing line.

Your cakes are amazing stealth. Loving noahs ark especially. Prob cos i have animals on the brain ha ha.

Tiger that came to tea is a lovely theme. Second all the suggestions, very similar to mine around gruffalo. I would say read the story too maybe as they eat food and quiet. Just in case someone doesnt know it. Do you have photoshop or photoshop elements you could scan a pic from the book to use as an invite? Or blow up a picture of the tiger to pin the tail on as i have done. A proper tea is great especially if you include all the foods like when he eats all the cakes and all the buns. Not sure how you could drain the tap. And if all else fails wait for daddy to get home and take you all to a cafe!!!! Bonus.

Hi, i'm getting married next year and the venue has two rooms, one large room where the ceremony will be which is lovely and won't need much decorating, and then another room where the disco will be. Any ideas how we could decorate the 'disco' room? The walls are very plain, and we aren't allowed to use wall drapes. There won't be any tables in there, it will just be used for dancing and falling over.

My DP says noone will notice because they'll be too drunk but i would like some decoration...are balloons tacky?

Any ideas anyone?