Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Parties/celebrations

Whether you're planning a birthday or a hen do, you'll find plenty of ideas for your celebration on our Party forum.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Shirley's party advice part 6 - don't be afraid to interrupt us!

999 replies

Tinkerisdead · 09/06/2013 17:06

Okay, this is shirley's party advice part 6. Shirley ducked out a while ago and you'll notice us chatting about all kinds of stuff whilst we wait for party planners to barge in.

So, don't lurk, jump in and chat. We'll give you any advice on parties from costumes to cakes....

OP posts:
stealthsquiggle · 13/07/2013 23:09

[knackered]

Just home from village fete. Our village nows how to party. We only left because we had to go while the DC were still fit to walk home, since we couldn't drive. My car gets a night at the farm.

stealthsquiggle · 13/07/2013 23:19

Nows? Confused Knows.

jetstar · 14/07/2013 09:12

landrover what about Red Carpet party, like the Oscars - dress to impress - awards ceremony etc

gleegeek · 14/07/2013 16:53

May I barge in and beg some help please?SmileSmile

We've got a swimming party booked for 20 10year olds. Only problem is the only slot we could book is 7-9pm. Parents are fine with it but I've gone into a bit of a panic and would love some sanity help please.

They will swim for an hour and then we've got an hour to get changed and have some food. Presumably they will have eaten tea before they come, but will be hungry after the swimming?? We can't order pizza so what shall we do for them? Ordinary party food? Sandwiches, crisps, cocktail sausages etc or something different?

Also I think I should probably have an activity up my sleeve incase they eat really quickly and we have time to kill trapped in the party room before they are picked up. Any ideas? There is a cd player... Dancing? or bracelet making or....

Thanks in advance!

Blatherskite · 14/07/2013 17:27

stealth, DW you're needed over here

Blatherskite · 14/07/2013 17:31

gleegeek I think at that time of night, I wouldn't be feeding them much as yes, they will probably have already eaten and will also probably be off to bed not long after they get home. They will likely be hungry after swimming though.

I'd say just give cake bust some parents might not be impressed with you getting their kids all sugar-ed up right before bed. How about some bowls of crisps and some fruit? Maybe tortilla chips and dips?

Easy activity? Could you get Twister maybe? Easy to do and can be made to last as long/short as you need. You might need to split them into teams if there's 20 of them though.

Original poster
Tinkerisdead · 14/07/2013 19:09

Landrover, sorry we missed you off. I agree an awards ceremony would fit perfectly especially if you could specific awards for things that the kids have voted for themselves like hardest trier, kindest, etc etc.

For a gift each i know it sounds boring but can you give them a classic book with an inscription inside, i still have a copy of the lion the witch and the wardrobe that i treasure from my primary school. With regards to tickets i think i'd price individually that way you'll make money on any siblings but in the same vein people may leave siblings behind to focus solely on the "leaver"

OP posts:
stealthsquiggle · 14/07/2013 19:18

I agree with books - really special books will get treasured for far longer than most other things. Alternatively (or as well), do they already get given leavers sweatshirts /hoodies with their names on? Those are universally loved by the Y8 leavers from DC's school.

If you go with the awards ceremony theme then there would be plenty of ideas and supplies available online. You can also get nice minibuses (if it's good enough for the royal wedding it's good enough for Y6 leavers Wink)

twinteresting · 14/07/2013 20:19

Right Party Goddesses

I am looking for inspiration for a party for around people
We have a medium sized garden but looking at first w/e in Sept and am anxious about weather.

We are looking to have a hog roast and cocktails (vague hawaiian theme)

Do you think if you have cocktails you need beer and wine?

huge thanks in advance

gleegeek · 15/07/2013 09:51

Thanks Blatherskite!

Dd has vetoed Twister I'm afraid - apparently there were big arguments about it when she went to someone's to play! I suggested we just do chips and dips type food but she thinks we need to do more than that.... aaaaagh!

I have just ordered some alphabet beads and they can make up bracelets if there's time after. if not then dd can make them in the holidays and do them as friendship bracelets.

stealthsquiggle · 15/07/2013 10:43

20 10yo's at that time of the evening rather you than me could be interesting.

Food. I take it there are no facilities at all? If it were at home I would do toasties. Since it's not, I think I would go with what DD wants and do more or less normal party tea, but dial down the sugar a bit. IME 10yo's are bottomless pits and it won't matter that they ate before they came.

Games. Hmm. Chinese whispers? I will ask DS for other ideas.

Hawaiian party - you missed out the number! I think you need beers and soft drinks in tubs of ice, but I wouldn't both with wine. Theming the garden could be really fun - I will have a hunt later - but what is your wet weather plan? Lots of gazebos?

gleegeek · 15/07/2013 10:51

Yes I know, we're mad! Will need lots of Wine after for sure!

Ah yes, I hadn't thought about Chinese Whispers. Good idea, will hopefully calm things down a bit. I'll definitely tone down the sugar a bit, send cake home with them etc. I imagine crisps would get eaten, might not bother with sandwiches...

stealthsquiggle · 15/07/2013 12:28

Crisps, cocktail sausages, cold pizza, cheese straws. DS would eat sandwiches too but he's probably not a good measure for typical 10yo's because he will eat pretty much anything and everything

Could you ask DD to write a menu (with no promises attached)?

stealthsquiggle · 15/07/2013 12:56

Hawaiian cupcakes - so pretty.

stealthsquiggle · 15/07/2013 13:02

party lanterns and there are loads of listings for leis on ebay too. Other than that it looks like tissue paper flowers and paper lanterns (and loud shirts, of course) are the order of the day for Hawaiian party.

twinteresting · 15/07/2013 21:47

Oh wow those cupcakes are indeed V pretty

BlushBlushBlushBlush at not putting number
I reckon about 75
AND NO - haven't really got a wet weather plan
[argh]

Have 4 reception rooms which all interlink with the kitchen in the middle - does that sound enough for 70 people?!?

stealthsquiggle · 15/07/2013 22:43

Is the hog roast a full service deal? If so, they presumably have a gazebo of some sort? If you could borrow a couple more so that food could be outside then I reckon if you moved as much furniture as possible upstairs you would be ok inside. Lanterns and paper flowers would work equally well inside.

stealthsquiggle · 15/07/2013 22:44

I reckon with a bit of practice those cupcakes would be pretty quick - flowers could be made in advance or bought.

MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 16/07/2013 17:05

Hello - can I join? :) My older 2 children (nearly 6 and nearly 8) have birthdays one day after another, so I need to be a little bit organised and have today started booking and ordering a few things based on the quite firm ideas they each have about parties.

My specific question for now is whether anyone has any ideas for a slightly more "grown up" little girls cake - given I am not an expert baker. My usual birthday cakes are tray bakes with chocolate icing, decorated with small toys which I use as toppers Blush and sprinkles etc. used to create soil or grass or whatever is appropriate to the "theme". After a disastrous home made Thomas the Tank cake for DS1's 2nd birthday I decided to keep it simple :) But DD is a bit old this year for a cake with a toy unicorn (she has been collecting the Schleich figures so I usually use those) or whatever, and also for a tray bake covered in smarties :o

Any ideas on a slightly more grown up, but still easy to make, birthday cake for an 8 year old girl. We live in a country where ready made birthday cakes are not sold in supermarkets and the bakeries who do them charge a fortune, so that's out unfortunately. She is having a perfume making party, which is a work in progress but I have ordered some supplies... There will be about 10 children.

stealthsquiggle · 16/07/2013 17:16

MrTumbles - I will refrain from perfume-related cake ideas as hey would all be complicated, but 8 is a convenient age as it is a relatively easy shape to make from round cakes (even better if you have a gugelhupf type tin) - cover with sweets in pretty patterns, maybe?

MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 16/07/2013 17:19

Ah now that's a good idea stealth, thank you - simple without being babyish :) I think that may very well be what I do! Do you all ice with that ready to roll type icing that looks all professional? I've never used it and just used butter icing up til now! Should I try ordering rolling fondant (if that's what its called?) or is that difficult (esp on a non square cake...)

Original poster
Tinkerisdead · 16/07/2013 18:59

On a number 8 if you're not a skilled cake maker do buttercream (or blathers new Trex frosting revelation) it would be tricky trying to fondant an 8 if you're not used to it. Buttercream, the sweets you favour, jobs a good'n.

For my 8th birthday my mum made me a record cake. I doubt many 8 year olds would know when a vinyl record cake is now.

*blathers you're awfully quiet for someone who was rishing off to make a drum cake?

OP posts:
Original poster
Tinkerisdead · 16/07/2013 18:59

Rushing

OP posts:
MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 16/07/2013 20:08

Thanks thedoctorswife , buttercream it is - I'd be beyond stunned if the other product you mention can be bought where I live :)

Original poster
Tinkerisdead · 16/07/2013 20:10

You can make it but i wont confuse matters Wink

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread