Coming up with a Plan

All of you know that I am VERY big on birthdays.  My boy’s birthday parties are the proudest days in my life.  To me life is such a beautiful thing, and a birthday is the celebration of each individual’s life--- therefore HUGE deal.  Currently I am planning 3 parties which will take place January 14, February 5 and February 11.  Since I always share the pictures of the finished product, I thought I would go a step further and give some mommy- advice on how to plan a party and not go bald.

Budget                                                                        

Before you go nuts and start buying goodies, I really recommend you make a realistic budget for yourself.  Everyone wants to be able to throw the coolest party with all the bells and whistles, but realistically we are not all Kardashian.  So us ballers on a budget need should establish a budget and try to stay within it.  Try to stay within your child’s age demographic.  For example if your little one is turning one they do not need a climbing wall.  My main goal is ensure that the birthday boy has a great time while everyone else does as well of course--- but priority is little one celebrating THIER birthday.  Make it about them and things that they can actually enjoy.  I find that starting early enough helps with the budget, since you can spread out the costs over a couple of months and the damage does not hit the account all at once.  I hate to feel judgy, BUT... try not to "charge" the birthday loot.  If you do, it is almost the equivalent as going over budget.  So when planning sit down make a guest list of both adults and children, this will allow you to set a realistic budget.

Theme                                                                          

The younger your child is the easier it is to predetermine what the theme will be.  My oldest is already beginning to ask for specifics on his birthday.  So parents enjoy it while you still have a say on it!  Selecting a theme early enough will help you when it comes to bargain shop.  The more time you have before the actual event the more time you have to a) spread out your budget and b) rummage through sales!

Time                                                                          

I really cannot stress how vital time is when planning a birthday party.  If money is not an issue, than planning a birthday in 2 weeks is no big deal.  Although venue may be more difficult to find with the shorter notice you have.  Giving yourself amble time will keep you with a nice full head of hair.  The more time you give yourself to craft the less stressful your life will be and the more creative you can  get.

Venue                                                                         

A lot of your brave souls choose to host your little one’s party at home.  Since I truly dislike cleaning up after herds of people I always opt for a park or other indoor party hall as a location.  Depending on your budget try to establish location early on.  Most museums also rent out rooms for birthdays but they fill up quick.  So calling 2 weeks in advance may not be too wise.

Websites                                                                      

The internet is such a wonderful tool... USE IT to your advantage.  I am a very DIY kind of girl, but not everyone is.  I am very aware that we all cannot draw any character at a drop of a dime.  And with that my dears I tell you, etsy is wonderful!  They have beautiful downloads you can purchase: from invitations to birthday banners and are moderately priced.  And than there is one of my personal favorites Hostess with the Mostest.  They not only have the most creative ideas, they also have a number of templates you can download and make your own.  Other websites I use are (of course) EBay and Oriental Trading.  But please do not assume that these sites have the best prices available.  I do a lot of researching around on Amazon and other online stores as well before making any online purchases.  Make sure to check shipping costs before ordering, what may seem like a killer deal can term pricey after shipping charges are incurred.

Cakes                                                                          

I know what you are thinking, since I may the boy’s cakes I really shouldn’t have all that much planning to do.  WRONG!  The cakes I try to keep simple believe it or not.  I am a believer in less is more.  And although I know not everyone can create fancy cakes, there really are so many tools available now.  If you have a local cake supply store near you definitely visit it.  I am a huge fan of cupcakes when it comes to children’s birthdays.  They are so easy to distribute and you also get to cut some costs on plates and spoons :)  Not to mention you can pick up a nice cupcake tower and any of your local stores like Michaels or Party City.  I have actually stumbled upon a tower or two at Wal-Mart and Dollar Tree (super bargain)! If you are in no way feeling adventurous, don’t complicate your life--- again come up with a budget for your cake and shop around.

GoodyBags                                                                    

I also start planning on the whole goody bag loot months in advance too!  These can get pricey is you let yourself go too nuts on the contents.  The way I like to put it in perspective is as follows, how many things from parties do I end up throwing out?  And with that my friends you will get a lump in your throat.  Yes the kids love to poke through the bags and fidget with all those useless knick knacks, but once momma gets a hold of them... they get trashed.  Try to make them something the kids may get more than one use out of.  Bubbles and clay are a favorite and usually make the cut with parents (I usually make little labels with the boy’s theme on it).  My favorite spot to hunt for these fillers is Target’s dollar spot and Dollar Tree.  No use in spending a small fortune on possible trash can fillers. 

Piñatas                                                                       

I am pretty sure this is a Hispanic thing.  We do not use the Mexican hit it with a stick piñata.  We use a pull string one.  Filled  to the rim with candy and other little (as I like to call them) chachkas.  I recommend you fill this baby with candy you like most (without getting too pricey)  most of the candy will be eaten by the parents before they even get home. LOL! Again I am fortunate enough to have my dad the expert make one for the boys every year.  They are not all that difficult to create, just round up some crepe paper and a cardboard box (you can get for free from any retail store).  Be warned you will need to have some art skills.

Stations                                                                     

  I am not sure about in the rest of the nation, but over in our side of the world candy and dessert stations are the latest.  Parents- PLEASE...PLEASE...PLEASE try your best not to use glass jars.  Glass + Kids = catastrophe (guaranteed).  I know they look beautiful, but all you are doing is loading up the kids with sugar and sending them home to a not so thrilled parents who will surely curse you until the kids falls asleep.  What I started doing since Omi’s second birthday is making a goody station.  Instead of placing sugar filled canisters, I filled them with clay, bubbles, and other themed related possibilities.

Food                                                                          

K-I-S-S (Keep It Simple Stupid).  Again you are more than welcome to get all fancy crazy, but for a kid’s party there really is not much of a need.  Pizza will usually do the trick.  If you feel like BBQing, hamburgers and hotdogs does the trick just as well.  Us Cubans we are fatties, and like to add all the extras (i.e. pastelitos, croquetas, etc) but basically just know your target audience and make sure you have an accurate head count.  It will help you from buying too much or too little.

*******************************************************************************I hope some of my little helpful hints make your lives easier when planning these special days.  And if there is something I left out don’t be embarrassed to ask :)  And in case you are wondering yes I have already started on both boy’s birthday parties.  Aiden’s SpongeBob themed extravaganza is almost complete.  And Omi’s SuperHero Squad madness is starting to come along quite nicely as well.