After the mini party with her grandparents, a party with her friends.
It was supposed to be a picnic in the park but the weather forecast has predicted
buckets of rain for Sunday, so it will be at home.
I'm not a fan of hiring places or people to throw a children party
and I'm trying to be as much green as possible.
No balloons to decorate or plastic toys for the party bags.
and I'm trying to be as much green as possible.
No balloons to decorate or plastic toys for the party bags.
I bake the cake, and I make sandwiches,
I cook foodand make lemonade and
popcorn ( no microwave necessary).
I cook foodand make lemonade and
popcorn ( no microwave necessary).
I use fresh flowers and fabric bunting as decorations.
The goodies bags are paper bags filled with edible and recyclable stuff.
Am I strange?
Why do I bother?
Because I like to think my daughter will remember her home made parties.
And because I can't stand plastic, waste and junk food.
and it is not true that is more expensive if you make your own.
22 comments:
go Alessandra! that sounds like a really nice party, one that Anita will remember for sure.
have you noticed how some of those plastic toys smell heavily of petrol, yuk. the origami is cute.
(hmm, i use a microwave, are you still my friend?!)
I think your party bags look amazing and we love homemade stuff for the Birthday tea in the Frog household, so much nicer and more fun too.
yes! good for you! we are just the same in this household, no microwave, no plastic (excepting vintage Fisher Price of course), real food made by me, etc. we try to be as green as we can. and are trying to instil these same values in Iris too. tomorrow, we are taking her on her first protest march! they want to build a palm oil plant on Portland, and we say NO!
do you know you can buy good balloons? they degrade at the same rate as an oak leaf - this a good site to have up your sleeve for party bags and little gifts - http://www.ecopartybags.co.uk/
hope the sun shines again soon!
cute...i want to come to the party! :)
If you are "bonkers" then I must be too. I am completely with you on the do-it-yourself way, and the green way. xo, j.
I think it is fantastic that you are trying to be as green as possible. And homemade is so much more exciting than store bought for the most part. I try to do the same here as much as possible.
you're so right! Anita is lucky having a mum like you !
I'd love someone to make me a party like that :-)
I don't think you're the odd one out.
Did you see Tropic of Cancer on BBC last weekend? It was shocking seeing the amount of plastic there is on some beaches in Hawaii. The beaches are also covered by tiny particles of plastic the size of grains of sand. And it's not even their own rubbish, it's pushed on to the beaches by the ocean. Go green la casita! Go!
I just wanted to add that the most annoying thing about all those plastic toys sold for party bags is that children don't even play with them. They go home, throw them in the corner and that's the end...
Over here, or at least in my circle of friends and family, handmade parties are still the rule. Often held at the oratorio, as most people can't house groups of kids. We are lucky to have the woods, and I've postponed parties when the forecast wasn't good. The essentials: focaccia, pizza, birthday cake, sandwiches. One year I made little meringues, and dipped them in melted chocolate (one side): they were a huge hit, and they looked really perfect ... almost like store-bought ones:). ANd a ball, always a ball: frankly, more essential than the food for most kids! Mercifully, my kids are either too old or too young for that kind of party, it's a LOT of work, lets face it. Have fun!
to fanja: ah no eh if you use a microwave i'm not your friend any any more ;)
to frog in the field: i see that you actually make alternative party bags, brava :)
to nath: thank you for the tips...have a jolly good protest! happy may day to you!
to whitney,janis, blue hina studio and christel: thank you for your words :)
to exploding cucumber: yes and is not only happening there, is EVERYWHERE! but people don't care (i mean the majority) because they are still buying lots of plastic. And trust me
is hard to argue with people who are still thinking that all little girls want is a pair of plastic (horrendous) snowwhite slippers with heels! and so on...sad, really really sad!
to francesca: that was the way my mum used to do it and yes it's a lot of work, but is well worth it and fun :)and frankly is only once a year!
Happy May,
Happy to see this, reminds me of the parties my mother did for me (and still sometimes, at least the cake)!
Have a good weekend too!
It sounds like a really nice party. I think it's wonderful that you make everything yourself. When I was young my grandmother helped my mother with my birthday parties and I liked it a lot: wrapping toiletpaper around each other, doing contests walking with a spoon in your mouth and some water in the spoon, you shouldn't spill. I liked the simplicity of those games, much nicer than going to places. At least I remember these parties much more.
Sounds amazing! Keep it up. We need it in a world like this. Wish I could go to a party like that.
hahaha real sandwiches and no plastic crap? You really are crazy Alessandra. Hope you all have a lovely time!
All of this sounds completely normal to me, I didn't know I was supposed to throw a party for my kid when his birthday comes at all, honestly... Few kids around, something to eat something to play with. E Basta.
to bohemian girl: well not here, we've been already at 5 parties made in the same venue with the same plastic food and you cannot even eat the cake there, you take a slice at home, how sad is this?...
Some people hire big places because they invite all the kids in their child's classroom, I mean isn't it crazy?
I don't do that I invite only her friends and some of my friends (basically their parents or just the mother), because hey after all we are italian and we like to party, never watched the Sopranos?
and about the bags...who want a bunch of spoiled kids spitting at you because you didn't give them a party bag???
they probably will spit at me anyway when they'll see the bags I made!
a couple of years ago a woman told her daughter that i was crazy to give children a spinach and ricotta cheese tart or as we call it in italy torta di spinaci! and she say that in front of me!
hai capito?
:^)
I would come to a party at your house any day. We make homemade parties too. I hate the plastic junk my kids bring home in goodie bags. We have given nature guides, chocolates, moleskin journals (that the kids decorate/personalize during the party), and other useful things. Have fun!
I'm completely shocked by your writing: where I live, we never heard of a custom that you have to give a present to children that come to your child's birthday party, what a strange idea! And if I had someone over who would have such an opinion about the food I make, I would just never invite them again and that's it. I thought parties were all about bringing together people you and your children feel comfortable with and are glad to spend time with.
And I would love to come to your party and enjoy your company and your food, and so would my son. Not to mention that we would definitely bring a home made present ! :-)
woow, they are so cute! And homemade party sounds lovely! I would love to do it too!
You are so right, I have the same thoughts about kids-parties and I'm happy to see other people feel like that too......!! It looks very pretty!
I just want to say that your rumbling about what happened a couple of years ago really made me laugh.
I can't get used to all this party bag thing...
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