Reethika Azariah Kuruvilla gives handy tips on how to whip up an extravagant party for your little one in no time!You know you've dived into the deep end of the pool when you're trying to organise your child's birthday party and your daughter knows more people than you do! This, considering the fact that your daughter is just turning three and you've lived in the city for eight-and-a-half!
Having always been a "backbencher"when it came to socialising, organising a birthday party was almost as good as trying to get my Basset Hound out for a walk in the rain.
Of course birthday parties are a lot of fun, but I like them even better when I'm not the one responsible for how much fun the party is.
So, anyway, here we are, at a stage when the fun of "let's-do-this-birthday-party-with-just-the-four-of-us-at-home" seems to be wearing off, and the kids actually want a party of their own.
Attending a birthday party is so much easier than trying to organise one. All of a sudden, every other party seems to have had so much going on and I have just managed to figure out how many children there are to invite.
In retrospect, it must have taken weeks of hard work to have parties the way our mothers did when we were children —every decoration handmade, every original game actually thought of (with nobody hired to act as a clown) and every item of food homemade.
There has to be some fantastic mantra that every other mother seems to be chanting to be able to throw amazing parties with beautifully-organised games and memorable themes with not a hair out of place.
After a few hours of serious contemplation, much of which was spent wondering whether birthday parties were actually all that they were made out to be, there actually seems to be the ultimate fool-proof birthday party checklist that every other mother seems to know about.
And, as with almost everything else in life, all it takes is a little bit of time (as scarce as that is with twin toddlers in the house), the Internet and an Excel sheet.
Plan ahead.
Start thinking about the birthday party at least a month in advance. Sit down with your spouse for a quick brainstorming session on what exactly you are contemplating — whether a huge party at a place you might have to hire out or a smaller one at home.
Better still, if you want to have a party planner organise something fancy or prefer to do this on your own.
Head counting. This is one step where it doesn't hurt to count the number of children before they arrive. This also helps when you have to go shopping for return party favour gifts and organise food to feed the five thousand.
Detailed invitations.
Make sure you add your name and contact details with directions to where this will be held as well as the start and finish times of the party so that it doesn't end up being a day-night affair. If, by some chance, you have a costume party, make sure you mention it on the invite as well.
Send out invites a good fortnight in advance and call each mother closer to the date as a reminder. It does help to check with parents when you call, if any child has any particular allergies or are lactose-intolerant so you can be better prepared.
Themes and decorations.
It might help to get some sort of a theme going for the party — a favourite cartoon character or a character from your child's favourite book. Decorations and music for either are easily available; although if you have the time and energy, a whole load of coloured paper and glitter glue is practically all you need to get started on homemade banners and streamers.
Entertainment.
Making sure the children stay occupied is three-quarters of the battle won at a birthday party. If hiring a party planner or a bouncy castle is not an option, consider a whole load of game ideas to get the party started.
From basic bubbles to treasure hunts or 'pin the funnel' on Thomas, the engine, as a variation from 'pin the tail on the donkey', party games are numerous and thinking back to parties you attended as a child would certainly give you a whole load more.
Hire somebody for those temporary 'mehendi tattoos' or have one of your friends paint faces or help children paint their own party hats gluing bits of tinsel.
Glorious food.
This is the other quarter that wins the birthday party battle — the part that really requires a lot of thinking, especially if you're planning your party at home and cleaning up after is not a feasible option.
Sandwiches and cupcakes or fruit and biscuits are simple enough, but easier still are packs of read-to-fry potato munchies, 'smilies' that are easily available at the local supermarket and require all of five minutes to get ready.
The cake.
That all-important birthday cake is something that needs to be ordered well in advance and checked about 48 hours before the birthday party. What you don't need is a party with the birthday boy throwing a tantrum about how 'Winnie the Pooh' looks like a grizzly bear and therefore cannot be eaten.
Gifts.
While you concentrate on the numbers and getting those party favour gifts, don't forget to get that special little someone their birthday gift. They are, after all, the most valuable players of the day.
Ultimately, when you do have that birthday party, irrespective of whatever else you manage to do or not do, smile. No matter what it takes, and how stressing out a room filled with children on a sugar rush feels like, smile.
All that will be remembered of this birthday party is going to be on photographs, and the least you deserve, at the end of all that hard labour, is to look like you're a celebrity mom with five nannies.