Having twins I obviously only have to throw one birthday party a year which is a bit of a godsend since they tend to leave me feeling more emotionally and physically knackered than after I did when I ran a marathon.
This year however, twin boy and girl left their lovely nursery school and all their lovely friends scattered out to different primary schools. In a moment of nostalgia and following some rare exceptional behaviour I decided to throw a Halloween party for friends from last term. It finished just an hour ago and my hands have just stopped shaking enough for me to pour a glass of wine and snuggle baby beautiful and begin to type.
So here is my User’s guide to children’s parties in your own home when you are going old skool i.e. not wimping out and paying an entertainer.
- Before commencing any party preparation place bottle of Pinot in fridge in order for it to be adequately chilled by the time the party is finished.
- For parties of over twenty children place two bottles of Pinot in fridge in order for it to be adequately chilled by the time the party is finished.
- Buy ear plugs, the volume of girlish screeching in my house today broke several sound barriers and twin boy’s deafness seems to have worsened in two hours.
- Lock all doors and exits once all children are firmly inside the building, there is always one child who has a wandering spirit and the nature of Houdini.
- Should you ignore point 4 and inadvertently lose a child, don’t say to the parent ‘I have two, take one of mine’ it doesn’t go down well.
- Regarding party food, although the temptation to ‘sugar’ up other people’s kids remains strong remember you have the little beggars until pick up time and half an hour of 12 kids high on ‘e’ numbers can feel like eternity.
- Halloween Party games: Don’t skimp on toilet roll for the mummy roll game. Tesco value does not work – it merely causes arguments, strops, and excessive adult helping
- Ensure you have a downstairs loo.
- Should the cost of installing no.8 be over the party budget keep a spare pile of clothes by the toilet, fancy dress costumes are a sodding nightmare to get children out of almost as hard as wee out of your carpet…..
- Don’t forget you have a baby sleeping upstairs, a baby that sleeps all day, screams all night……..
Happy Halloween
My goodness, you are brave, a party at home! That’s on my ‘never to attempt’ list!
I think I’m going to join a religion that bans all parties and gatherings……….
Happy Halloween . . . clink!
Thanks! needed x
Luckily we got invited to the party this year, not as many as you’ve had today though I think! It lasted about 2 hrs (though we gatecrashed a bit longer!) and everyone had *so* much fun, even all us grown ups were dressed up!
Hope you get a good sleep tonight. 🙂
Hiccup from one who has also survived Halloween…just. 😀
We had a Halloween party for Baba’s birthday with seven children that was bad enough don’t think we will be doing it again, I feel for you xxx
Oh how lovely it is to sit back smugly and just laugh!
I remember one “let’s have an old-fashioned kids party and do out own games” occasion many years ago and still have flashbacks.
I need a drink just reading that. You could move to a country that doesn’t go a bundle on Halloween, although it’s probably cheaper to install a new bathroom.
It’s hard enough work having a part for one, but two, I imagine is double trouble and requires more than one glass of Pinot!!
CJ xx
You’re brave, brave, brave. I don’t mind doing birthday parties at home, in the summer for my twin girls with all doors locked so only the lounge and outside area get trashed. But a bonus birthday ooh, now you are good. Actually, we as a family, ie 3 full time kids of my own and two part timers, Hubby’s from before, really enjoy a good old house party. I am fortunate enough to have a cleaner, and always get her round next day. I have been known to mop the floor around the remaining drunk adults….Manners out the window when the kids birthday party is into it’s 10th hour!
my lord thats a lot of kids! good friends never mind you mopping…..thats what i tell myself