F A M I LY
Hip hip hooray!
Melinda Conner
is a party decor
genius, specialising
in celebrations
of any kind and
with an eye for
beautiful details.
Her company is
aptly called Pretty
Things For You.
Here she shares
her top tips for
planning your
child’s party.
Celebrating
Birthdays
Parties don’t need to cost a fortune
or your sanity. In the time I’ve been
planning celebrations for my kiddies,
as well as other people’s, I’ve picked up
a few tips that will hopefully help you
with your next party.
1. If you can afford a party service, do
it. Believe it or not, you actually end up
saving money because you’re not “quickly
just buying one more thing”.
2. The birthday cake, sometimes one of
the biggest expenses, doesn’t need to be.
I’ve noticed that the cake is almost never
eaten, so you can do one of two things;
either just have a small ceremonial cake
that is going to be used for the blowing
out of candles, singing (and screaming if
you’re so inclined), or, if you want a
showstopper cake, don’t go overboard
on other desserts and treat the cake
as dessert.
3. Still on the food – don’t over cater.
The excitement of the party often keeps
the kid dies busy and distracted with
little time for eating. Also, include some
healthy options, such as fruit, yoghurt
or popcorn.
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4. For slightly older children, incorporate
the party food into an activity. Have them
decorate their own cupcakes, for example.
It doubles up as entertainment and a
take-home gift.
5. As far as adult food goes, most aren’t
expecting a full meal so don’t break the
bank here either. A gorgeous cheeseboard
with strawberries and koeksisters is
perfect, along with a few snack items
like biltong and nuts.
6. Set the time of the party between
breakfast and lunch, or lunch and dinner,
and mention on the invite that cupcakes
and tea will be served. This way guests
know to fill up on healthy food before
arriving. Again this saves on money, time
and stress!
7. Kiddies don’t need a lot of entertaining,
so don’t go overboard on clowns, face
painters, magicians, jumping castles and
everything else you find advertised. If
money is a factor, plan a few old fashioned
games like Musical Statues, Pass the
Parcel or Pin the Tail on the Donkey.
4/30/14 2:54 PM