Question: How does one organise a children’s party at home in winter, while alone with two children?
Answer: Very, very slowly.
Arddun’s 4th birthday party has been and gone, but we are still stretching things out by opening a new present a day. June has turned into birthday MONTH, as far as I’m concerned. I started thinking about Arddun’s birthday party the week after Tony’s 40th party finished. And then it was all about incrementally putting it together.
It was like watching snails mate, it was that slow.
It had been very tempting to lump it all with professional party people, and indeed I had sourced a few quotes. But perhaps it’s been all my casual Pinteresting of late that’s imbued me with this false sense of, “Yeah! I can definitely do that!” What I failed to remember, of course, was how different my life is now. I no longer have long stretches of time in the day with which to plan and execute lavish parties. Even when I was working stupid hours in Corporate Land, I still had more time and headspace to event-manage 50-pax Chinese New Year house parties annually than I do now. For shizz.
Motherhood, in reality, only allows you to think and execute anything in 5-minute bursts. Try putting a strategic plan across that level of chronic interruption. It ain’t easy, even with the best household routine in place. Which is why I needed about a 20-day lead time to pull together a 2-hour party for 7 girls and their mothers.
I had decided on a Vintage Tea Party theme, because lunch was too daunting and I wanted something fun and feminine, but not attached to any Disney franchise (*cough* Frozen *cough*). Thanks to Alice in Wonderland, Arddun has a superficial understanding of what an afternoon tea with friends could look like, but doing it Vintage-style allowed me enough poetic license to go hodge-podge with décor and — more importantly — borrow party gear from friends.
Here’s a peek at the Vintage Tea Party-planning.















As for the party itself, it never quite turns out like how you envision it… but the end result was still deeply satisfying.















There were a few other moments I wished I could have captured. The moment when they all had their first sip of grown-up tea in grown-up china teacups, for instance. My hands were full with having to feed Atticus by then, but it was so precious to watch a tableful of little girls reverently holding their teacups in both hands and sipping solemnly.
Thankfully, there were other mums taking lots of photos too. Can’t wait to see their snapshots! :-)
In the end, I think Arddun enjoyed herself, on balance. And it turned out to be a lot of fun for me, too. Although the pics don’t include them, Tony and Atticus were also at the party, quietly enjoying the festivities in the background. I’m glad we ended up doing it this way, even if it had taken some effort. It’s probably the last birthday party we’ll have in this house before we move, and Arddun’s just old enough now to start keeping memories. I hope she remembers this home.
Not sure what we’ll end up doing next year, but my mind’s already churning. :-)
24 June 2015 at 8:55 am
this is completely hilarious and sooo lovely. Thank you for sharing Velle! what a wonderful party and pictures too.
I resonate with a non-commercial theme. :D
24 June 2015 at 12:14 pm
Thanks. 😊
I should probably qualify my comments about Frozen. Arddun loves a lot of Disney and while I’m happy for her to embrace the franchise, something about going homemade this time really appealed. Plus, I could use what I had around the house and borrow the rest. Score!