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Archive for the ‘Birthday’ Category

Themed parties are always so much fun. Everyone gets into the spirit when there’s one cohesive décor and everything works together. Before you select a theme for your child’s birthday party, read a few friendly suggestions.

• Let your child guide the theme. If they love Hershey bars, who’s to say they can’t have a Hershey chocolate themed party including a Hershey's candy bar cake? Even if you had your heart set on Strawberry Shortcake, your little lady may want baseball or soccer as her theme. Your child will love her or his party if it goes along with their tastes and likes. Put your own suggestions to bed and let your child decide (within reason).

• Suggest some ideas for your child to select from. If you know your child loves fish, ask if she wants a Nemo birthday party, a Mermaid birthday party, or a SpongeBob birthday party. She may surprise you and want a Starfish party, but guiding her along will help her to visualize what she sees as the perfect event.

• Don’t go crazy with the theme. If your son loves monkeys, go with a jungle theme and include monkeys. Don’t feel you have to have a monkey on every napkin, cup and surface that isn’t nailed down. Suggest the theme with a monkey cake, some stuffed jungle animals and maybe some cake plates that feature monkeys.

• Where you have the party will also have an impact on the theme. If you’re already having it at a kids’ place or themed restaurant, you don’t need to add much more. Maybe select a color for the plates and cups and napkins if you’re bringing them. Otherwise, just let the venue provide their normal birthday party fare and don’t step in.

• Small children have no idea what a theme is. If you’ve got one under three, they probably won’t know the difference between a Star Wars party and a Lego party. You can do either and make him happy. It’s having family and friends around—and lots of cake—that matter at the younger ages.

• Before planning a theme party for a tween or teen, ask them specifically what they want. There’s nothing more embarrassing to a young person than having a theme that’s too kiddie-like. Don’t have a Tweety birthday party for a 13 year old. Cars in general for a boy or flowers for a girl should work just fine. If they happen to love a character like Hello Kitty and are still happy to show it, then by all means, have a Hello Kitty party.

• Don’t make kids come in costume to match your theme. They may not want to get dressed up, depending on how old they are. You can suggest to any moms that you are having a themed party and if they want to dress up, it will add to the fun. Or, give out cowboy hats for a Western party or masks for a Super Hero party. Limit the dressing up to a simple item that you provide.

• No matter how good your theme is, the party needs a specific start and end time. Never leave a birthday party time open on the invitation. Writing “3:00 till ??” can mean you’ll have people there well through dinner time.

What is a birthday candy cake? You may never have heard of this trend, but it’s a hot one. People love making and getting birthday candy cakes. And since they’re so easy to make, it’s no wonder why the trend continues to thrive.

A candy cake is simply a tiered “cake” shape that is really all made of candy instead of flour and butter. You build a set of tiers out of Styrofoam or other base material and then have fun getting creative with your candy decorations.

Want to try making a candy birthday cake for your next birthday party? It’s easy. You’ll need a few supplies. Get some Styrofoam. You can buy balls and cut them to have a flat side. Or you can buy squares, rectangles, or other slabs. Craft stores are great for having a range of Styrofoam options. Think of all the times you needed Styrofoam balls for your science project. Today’s kids have so much more of a range of choices in shapes and sizes than ever before. So you should have no trouble finding enough for three tiers.

Build your tiers when you get home. You’ll want to start with a cake plate. It can be a real plate if you are keeping the cake for a family member at home. But if you don’t want to give away your china, use a plastic plate. Paper will be too flimsy. Or go to Goodwill and get a festive cast-off plate and give that away with the cake.

Next, start cutting the Styrofoam to size. You’ll need one big layer the circumference of the bottom of the plate. Make it a wee bit smaller so that the candy won’t overlap the plate when added. Make a tier on top of that and then a final smaller one on top of that. Adhere with hot glue or Elmer’s white glue. When the tiers are dry, move on to the candy.

You’ll need several types of candy. Use whichever candy you like best, but bar candy will stick better to the form. Unevenly shaped hard candies will be harder to use. Although Hershey’s kisses would be awfully cute.

Start by assembling your lowest layer. You’re going to need glue dots for each candy bar or pins. You’re probably safest using glue dots as they won’t damage the candy. You’re going to leave all the candy wrapped, so make sure you don’t use glue that will seep through the wrapper. Pins are fine as long as you don’t stick them through the candy itself.

Work around the cake form placing candy so there is no white space showing. You can fill in with smaller hot balls or sour candies. Just make sure you don’t use any candy that’s not wrapped.

When you’ve made your way around the bottom tier, move up to the next tier. Then do the final third tier. The fun comes in the cake topper. Use something whimsical like a retro ornament or figurine. Or just use a silk flower or another big piece of candy.

If you’re using Hershey Kisses, go around the entire form of the cake using glue dots to secure the flat portions of the Kisses to the form. Just imagine the look on the recipient's face when they receive this edible candy arrangement!

Aromatherapy has been around for a long time. It’s simply the use of scents to target benefits like relaxation, sleep, well-being, headache relief, etc. If you want to give an aromatherapy gift basket, it’s really easy to make one yourself.

The first thing you should do is choose a scent. If you’re not sure what scent your friend would like, do some thinking. Have you smelled candles burning in her home? What scent and color were they? Does she wear a certain perfume? What does it smell like? These are some clues into some of the scents she may like. If you still don’t have a clue, go with something like vanilla or buttercream which just about everyone likes.

Once you have chosen your scent, choose a vessel to put it all in. Often times inexpensive baskets work well, but you can also place everything in a decorative hat box or other display box that she can use again. If you want to make her a travel basket, put it all in a large cosmetics pouch that zips so she can take it with her on the road.

Aromatherapy baskets can include just about anything. Most include relaxing elements designed to help the recipient de-stress and unwind. Candles with strong but pleasant scents are nice as is incense. You do have to be careful to choose a scent that is meant to relax, like lavender, if you intend it for stress relief. If you give a basket full of peppermint or spearmint scents, the opposite effect will occur. Your friend will be much more alert instead of relaxed. Peppermint makes a great gift to give as an aromatherapy pick-me-up basket for someone at work who always hits that 3:00pm slump.

Arrange all your items on some sort of packing material. This can be shredded paper, recycled Easter basket grass, or even just tissue paper. The idea is to make each product stand alone in its own little spot so the basket doesn’t look thrown together. Include a simmering pot for spices or a candle warmer, which allows wax to be heated without a flame. Great for the office or around kids.

You might want to include soap and a soap dish, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, a neck pillow, or an herbal pillow filled with buckwheat that can be used hot or cold for neck pain relief. There are hundreds of scents and thousands of products to choose from. So your options are limitless when putting together an aromatherapy gift basket. Include natural bamboo towels and face cloths, slippers, or a robe.

Tie it all up with a big ribbon and present it. Your friend will absolutely love getting a basket filled with products she can use right away to change her mood and her day. Whether it’s relaxation or alertness you are going for, research the different scents and what each one is thought to enhance. There are so many out there that you will definitely find one for the lady in your life. Don’t settle for the first one you find. Do some sensory research. You’ll have fun doing it and just may relax yourself, too.

Planning a birthday party should be fun. If you’re getting mired down in details and feeling stressed, stick to a checklist so you’ll feel confident you’ve gotten everything done that you needed to. Keep it where you can see it and check things off. The act of crossing items off your list will make you feel hopeful and excited for the party.

Depending on the age group of the guests, you may need to start early. If you’re throwing a 50^th birthday party, you’ll need more time than if you’re planning a child’s fifth birthday party.

One or two months before the party

Decide on a date

Decide where you will have the party

Start creating a guest list (you can always add to it later)

Find a theme you like

Think about what kind of food you’re going to serve and call a few caterers for prices

Get your paper goods and invitations

Three weeks to one month before the party

Send out invitations

Pick a bakery to make your cake

Decide on a DJ or band if you’re having one

Decide on centerpieces for tables

Select your caterer and decide on the final menu

Buy favors if you’re going to have them

Arrange for who will get the guest of honor to the party if it’s a surprise

If kids will be at an adult party, hire a babysitter

One week before the party

Have all chairs and tables on order

Call any guests who haven’t responded

Confirm any reservations you have made for the venue, food, etc.

Wrap your gift for the guest of honor

Choose your attire for the party

Confirm your babysitter

The day before the party and the day of

Within the last 24 hours before the party starts:

Pick up any balloons

Pick up the cake or have it delivered

Set up an area where the guest of honor will open birthday gifts

Have tables and chairs delivered

Be sure linens are ironed

Set up buffet stations if you’re having them

Clean up any areas of your house that guests will see

Take out all the supplies you bought like cups, napkins, etc.

Decorate the party space

Assemble any birthday baskets and place them on the tables

Make sure you have enough ice on hand

Confirm that food is set for delivery

Tie balloons to your mailbox so guests can find your house

There’s a lot that goes into the planning of the party, but you can throw a party that looks effortless when you are organized. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Most people are happy to help out with assembling favors, running out to pick things up for you, getting the birthday boy or girl there, and more. Your aim is to have a fun party, so be sure that you have time to relax and get yourself dressed. Don’t work right up until the last minute and let guests catch you before you’ve even showered.

Your party will flow smoothly once you have checked everything off your list. There’s nothing to do once the list is completed but to grab a drink and start mingling. The more the hostess enjoys herself, the more everyone else does, too.

Need more help with your planning? Here are a few more ideas:

Over The Hill Birthday Party Ideas - Milestone Birthdays

Kids' Birthday Party Game Ideas

Tweens, kids who aren’t quite teenagers but aren’t still young grade-schoolers, have different tastes and likes than you might expect. If you’ve got an 8 to 12 year old on your gift list, consider these helpful tips when purchasing birthday gifts this year.

Go Electronic

If it has batteries or a plug, it will be a hit with the tween set. Kids in this age group love the newest electronic toys. Everything from Barbie as a video camera to the iPod Shuffle will get their attention. They’ll be thanking you all year long. If you don’t know which electronics are the latest versions, ask a salesperson in the electronics section of your favorite store. They can steer you towards the coolest gadgets and games so you won’t show up with a gift that’s considered old news.

Songs and More Songs

Many tweens have their own iPods or mp3 players. They will just love a gift card for downloading songs. You can purchase an iTunes gift card at stores like Target or Wal-Mart and even at some drug store chains. Just ask for an iTunes gift card and the salesperson will point you in the right direction. You’ll have a choice of how much you want to spend. The more you spend, the more songs your tween can download from the Internet into their music player. This is one gift idea that will definitely go over well.

Games Galore

Wii is the current cool video game system. Xbox runs a close second. If you have a tween with one of these systems (ask his mom or dad if you’re not sure which one he has), a game he can play on it is the perfect gift. Just beware, however, that tastes change all the time. Most video games can’t be returned unless they are defective, so don’t purchase a title you’re unsure of as your recipient will not be able to exchange it if he doesn’t like it or already has it. Instead, ask Mom and Dad which game is on his most wanted list. If you’re at all uncertain, go with a gift certificate to a mega store where your tween can select his or her own game. You might write a note saying, “Gramma hopes you buy yourself a Wii game that you really love.”

Tweens are a finicky bunch. They still like to play with dolls and action figures, but they also have more sophisticated (and expensive!) tastes. You can really surprise a tween with the gift of music or a video game or player. Just do some fact checking before making any purchase. You want to know the exact names of gaming systems your tween has as not every game is compatible with every model. Yes, it can get confusing. But it’s better to go into the store with a firm written list that you’ve double checked so that you are certain to buy the exact item you need.

Tweens may not show their love of your present, but be sure that they are jumping for joy inside. They’ll be showing their new games off to their friends on the bus and they’ll be the most popular kids at recess when everyone bends over their shoulders to get a glimpse of the newest handheld wonder.

More Helpful Articles:

• Birthday Party Ideas for Girls - Ages 8 to 12
• Birthday Gift Ideas For The Person Who Has Everything
• How To Plan A Birthday Party on a Budget

When a birthday party invitation for a little boy comes in your mailbox, what can you show up with that will really wow him? While every little boy is an individual, most will love at least one of the birthday gifts on the list below. Happy gift buying!

Blocks

There’s not a little boy around who dislikes building with blocks. Today’s blocks come with bristles, magnets, stripes, and more. Just be sure to purchase a set that’s age appropriate. Many sets have small pieces, so steer clear of those if the child is really young or has a younger sibling. But definitely go for colorful and cheerful. Many sets now are made of plastic with a character inside the block. These are so much fun for little hands to explore. You might offer to stay and build with your little man too, as an extra treat.

Building Materials

There are some really fun building materials on the market now that require no sharp tools but that kids can use to actually build something. These can be found online under “building kits kids” or a similar search term. You can also ask at a toy store near you for construction materials that don’t require any adult tools. These amazing strips of “wood” are really a synthetic material that can be cut with a blunt edge. Kids can nail them together with the “nails” provided. They can build ships, houses and more. When he’s all done, the little builder can take his creation apart and use the materials again. Just check the age group listed on the package before purchasing these kids birthday gifts.

Remote Controlled Cars

Anything that’s remote controlled will be a hit with little boys. Today’s RC cars and trucks are chubby and the remote is easy for little hands to use. They can really direct the car without frustration as these younger kid-friendly models have simple buttons. Look for rechargeable batteries to include with the gift so mom and dad don’t have to run to the store every time the batteries drain out from overuse. Kids love to use toys that really go. Your gift will surely be a big hit at the birthday party.

Lego Action

If you have a very young little boy, stay away from tiny Lego sets. Leave those to the bigger boys. But Lego makes sets designed for little fingers that are a bit thicker and more substantial. Kids can imagine and build to their heart’s content with a Lego set or two. You might just inspire the next budding architect or inventor.

Little boys have different personalities. So ask around the family before choosing a gift. If you find that you would rather give cash so mom can help the little guy pick out his favorite new toy, be sure to wrap it up in a fun way. There’s nothing more disappointing to a little boy than opening an envelope. Attach a small toy to the envelope and offer to go with him to pick out what he wants if that’s the route you choose to go.

It can be so much fun shopping for little boys. You will be amazed at the selection available and will want to spend hours in the aisles marveling over all the fun new toys that have come on the market since you last looked.

More on Birthday Gifts:

• Birthday Gift Ideas For The Person Who Has Everything
• Cheap Kids Birthday Party Ideas
• Birthday Gift Ideas for Little Girls
• Birthday Gift Ideas for Little Boys
• Baby's First Birthday Gift Ideas