Miniminx has lots of kids coming over for her birthday next Sunday. Things are different this year; with the job loss, credit crunch, and even Woolies gone to the dogs, I’ve put aside posh party planning in favour of a pot luck party on a shoestring budget of £19.99.
Armed with glue gun, scissors, a dusty old craft box and my laptop, I’m sure this will be an adventure in thrift like no other. Being the complete jam tart that I am, I’ve scoured the internet in search of party plagiarisms so you don’t have to…
Are you fed up with party bags that are filled with plastic toys that end up in the bin? Tired of feeling guilty about the amount of waste from your last party?
Lucy from Little Cherry was in touch the other day and really opened my eyes regarding party bags and products. She sent me a nice box of samples and my girls had a ball playing with everything. And I was surprised (and happy) to learn that most of the items could go right into the compost bin after use.
I have dragged myself, battered, bruised and aching to the party of what seems like almost every child within a five mile radius over the last two months, and I can report the following:
1. Gambado's parties suck. I have run out of paracetomol, and patience (see previous party posting). Never again - until the next time.
2. Parties in a restaurant basement are never, repeat NEVER a good idea. Something about the lack of natural light turns children into extras from some low-budget horror movie.
3. Children's entertainers are great if you are a four-year-old. If you are an adult they are just too plain creepy.
I just missed another birthday party. More accurately, my 4 1/2-year-old missed the party and I missed two hours of a child at a party time. I think I took it harder.
I have a vague recollection that when the festive invitation was handed to me my daughter took it gleefully out of my hands. Apparently it also went out of my conscientiousness as well never to be thought about again.
I hate when that happens.
There were indicators that something was amiss when she came home from school Monday and cheerfully mentioned that she had missed a party the previous day.
