As some of you know, I recently had a party for my 5 year old. I never intended to have another party, after the massive one I threw for my 2 year old. Ok, not quite massive, but it was considered massive for me, because I had to cook every single thing. When I was living in KL, I would just pick up my phone and cater. It was so affordable..and of course, I never had to worry about food, cutlery, plates, decorating, etc. The caterers did everything..and it was always worthed every penny. Even cakes, I would NEVER dream of baking them, because it was so much easier to call someone and pay them to bake them.
Over here, it’s a completely different story. One has to do every single thing yourself, or you pay through your nose. Unfortunately, I don’t have a really big nose, so, I can’t afford it.
The decision to have a party only came 2 weeks before the date. My 5 year old insisted that he have one, because he never ever had one before. Which is partly true. When he was 1, I threw him a big party, hired a house, hired the caterers, hired cleaners..it was wonderful, only except he didn’t remember it, because he was too young. Subsequently, I could not bring myself to throw another party….because I was really too lazy.
Well, then, 2 weeks before the party, I write down every single thing I would have to do for the party. I planned what to make for the party. I practised baking the macarons, I really wanted to serve macarons because they looked so pretty..and have all the trappings of a sugar-hi dessert!
But, as you can see… I failed.
Failed, because I arrogantly thought that despite it being my first time, I would’ve been able to nail it. I sure did…and it cracked everywhere! Except for those 6 beauties..which is still a mystery to me, how did this 6 get feet?
Ah..the mysteries of macarons.
Anyway, I then decided to make hot dog rolls. Seemed like a cute idea, making your own bread, rolling it up and sticking ice-lolly sticks into cocktail franks. In my first practice run, it was quite a failure. The rolls rolled out by themselves in the heat. It came out hard as rocks. I had to re-steam it to eat them properly. Gah!
But at the day of the party, I improved it and…I would consider this a success..if you eat it fresh. Like right out of the oven. Not in the next hour or so, because then it would just be a weapon of mass destruction.
Well then, that’s the food.
Then came the runaround for the party bag. I had originally wanted to get plain brown paper bags, but Mr.T cleverly suggested that he would make them. I was thrilled! That would mean I did not have to travel all the way to the craft warehouse, which was like 30 minutes away, with a very impatient toddler. Hooray! Small miracles. Well… that did not work out and I ended driving at the very last minute to a craft shop, 10 minutes away to get those damn bags.
The intended party bag. A prototype, which failed in my expectations.
Handle – Fail : Too thin for lil rough hands.
Cut out wordings – Fail : Fingers could get lodged and too difficult to take out without adult supervision
Size of bag – Fail : Too wide, too short.FAIL FAIL FAIL!
Well.. then there was the party games. I literally wrecked my brains just thinking of what to play. Thankfully..and I say without any gender biasness (which is kinda hard to), that this party was only for boys. If he wanted to invite girls, I would have killed myself. I’m kinda glad that I didn’t have to hire a bouncy castle, magician or pay any hire money. Letting kids (and their friends) play with the current toys and making it competitive (esp. amongst boys) is always the best party games you can have.
All in all, the best helper was my friend, who not only helped make the cream icing for the cake, slapped on the spidey icing on the cupcakes (which btw, took me FOUR FREAKING HOURS to make 12 pieces), helped in my OCD-ness..and actually took off when I asked her to. Without her help..I think it would have been a really really stressful and grumpy time for me.
No more parties for me. For now.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
You did a FANTASTIC job girlfriend!…Worth every frigging effort! The photos will pay off big time!..No 2 will be thankful and grateful forever!(it was for No 2 right?) I on the other hand have a 1 year old party to think about..how easy it would be to just call the caterer, hire the place..etc etc.$$$$$$$
I had fun lah SK!
U even thought about fingers getting lodged in the paper bag. Ha ha ha…..but true.
I think it was all worth the effort.My 10 year old has never ever had a party before and I regretted not giving him one. Now he’s even too cool for goodie bags, tells me he’s 10 alreadylah, no more party bagslah. Sobs sobs.