Birthdays

With a large family, you can imagine we have lots of birthdays to celebrate. There’s 7 of us but two sets of twins so really there are only 5 birthday parties I should plan each year.

NOT so.

Somehow we end up planning birthday parties randomly for family coming into town or our nanny or a close friend.

By now I’ve done this so many times and have the formula down that even the toddlers can rattle out my checklist: decorations, balloons, cake, bounce house, prizes!

We celebrate a lot of birthdays at our house and here’s the “usual” list of things to buy and do. As always, this is all done in one note created in Evernote.

  • Decide on date, time and venue – mostly it’s our house but sometimes at a kids venue.
  • Create guest list to determine supplies, favors and amount of food to get.
  • Book the venue
  • Make and send out invitations
  • Decide on food – are we cooking, buying, getting a caterer?
  • Order the food
  • Reserve equipment – tables, chairs and bounce house depending on what we decide to do
  • Pick the theme then buy party supplies matching the theme. This is usually the kid’s favorite character at the time.
    • Tablecloth
    • Paper Plates x 8 or 16 if we have more guests
    • Desert plates x 8
    • Beverage napkins (the smaller ones) come in 16
    • Paper cups x 8
    • Some type of wall or ceiling decoration
    • Pinata and pinata fillers (maybe)
  • Check Amazon for party favors matching the theme.
  • Visit Party City to buy the party supplies and if cheaper buy the party favors.
  • Order any other favors or party supplies we couldn’t find from Party City.
  • Plan for 2-3 games to play during the party. Browse the internet for ideas or come up with your own. Party stores also have great games.
  • Order prizes or grab prizes at Target, hobby stores for the game winner.
  • Order a cake from Costco.
  • Buy a toy to decorate the cake from Costco. I’ll post more about how to make this look like a custom cake  later.
  • Amazon packages arrive the week of the party. I hide them all until the day of the party so the kids don’t get to them.
  • Follow up on RSVPs for day of party
  • Pick up cake and drinks at Costco the night before the party.
  • Pick up food the night before the party (if not delivered)
  • Assemble favors the night (usually late) before the party
  • Fill the pinata! the night before the party
  • On day of party, we set up the dining table with the paper goods. We reserve the themed items for the kids and use plain paper plates for the grown ups.
  • If we have time, get balloons on the day of the party.
  • Decorate cake on day of the party.
  • Get food ready on day of party.
  • Write down the games so older twins can help with the “schedule”.
  • Get ready to party!

We have five children including 2 sets of twins. Currently ages 7,7,6,2,2. That’s 2 fraternal twin girls, a single boy, followed by 2 identical twin girls. Life After 5 – kids that is, has definitely changed.