Blogging for Birdseed: The Weekday Mom's Club Part 3 - How to plan a 1st Birthday Party!

Hello everybody! My name is Julia, otherwise known as "Blogging for Birdseed", and I'm writing to you from Cape Town in South Africa!

Disclaimer: I wrote this just before Madison’s first birthday party in July 2022, but I’ve only recently stopped procrastinating, created a HIVE profile and joined up. So, this is now a snapshot of the past! I hope you will enjoy this journey with me!

It’s The First Birthday Party!

Almost 365 days ago, the world flipped upside down and a tiny ball of perfect energy entered the world.

The effect this little person has had on me has been evolutionary, I am forever changed, I am now her mother.
I call her my civil engineer: in her short life she has built more bridges and connected to more people than I thought possible.

Hence, it’s The First Birthday and it’s a big deal!

The guest list is overloaded, no one can be left out, but I’m not worried… it’s the culture of Cape Town, South Africa to make commitments and then just cancel on the day! I’m fairly sure that of the 60+ people invited there will only be 30 arrivals, so as my friend Sally said “best to cater for 40 or maybe 50, just in case”.

So far all is in order:

The theme has been chosen: Hello Kitty High Tea Party
The invitations have been sent.

It’s a two-hour long tea party from 10:00 to 12:00. Enough time for the child free friends to pop in for a drink and then leave for other less demented plans and long enough for the sugar highs to kick in and wear off so everyone leaves in an exhausted heap.

We await the RSVPs…

The drinks have been bought, pink champagne and castle light beers. This is a morning party after all!

I’ll also provide an assortment of tea, coffee and juices…
Favours for baking have been asked and accepted…

2 dozen cupcakes, an orange cake, a chiffon cake and help icing the sugar biscuits…

The all-important birthday cake has been planned. A pink ombre vanilla cake with a white chocolate ganache, a caramel centre, an edible rice paper print of Hello kitty and pink sprinkles. This I will make in advance, freeze and then decorate the day before the party.

The savouries are still up for debate, but so far assorted sandwiches, spinach & feta quiche and possibly mini chicken pies are winning the race…

Next stop the kid’s table

I’m planning party packs with blowing bubbles and age-appropriate treats: maybe a soft toy for the birthday girl’s “baby gym friends”. I’ve designed the Hello kitty labels using Canva. My plan is to print them out and then stick them onto pink party boxes.

I’m thinking “cake-sickles”, pink candy floss in tubs, box juices and individual packets of crisps and smarties.
For decoration: I’ve stocked up on serviettes, paper plates and party hats. A Hello Kitty themed birthday banner and a decorative cupcake holder in the shape of a one, some paper bunting and the balloon bunch… I’ll buy the day before….

Will it all be enough? Will I end panicked, shopping like a crazy turtle with no shell on Friday afternoon? Probably. Will it be a wonderful success? Definitely… and will it all be worth it? 100% Yes!

Stay tuned for a post and photos from the big day!...