Christmas Party At Home - Why not? :)

'tis the season again - for gifts, shopping, and yes, PARTIES! :)

There's your company's annual Christmas party, your online group's Christmas get-together, your high school barkada's Christmas reunion, and your neighborhood's yearly Christmas party/charity drive... I'm sure your list of parties go on and on.

Now even with all the partying here and there, I'm sure you still want to plan a little something for the most important people on your Christmas list - your immediate family. :)

A Christmas party for your loved ones at home would be an awesome way of making this favorite holiday an even more unforgettable occasion. Here are five tips on how you can go about planning your 'in-home' Christmas party:

My Little Girl's 3rd Birthday Party DIYs - Part 2

My daughter turned three years old errrr, months ago, and started at daycare a month or so ago. :) She's a ball of energy, still a bit shy at times, but definitely less now than before.

Been looking at her first to 3rd birthday pictures just a few minutes ago, and I realized - HEY! I HAVEN'T DONE PART 2! So here you go, so sorry for the delay:

CUPCAKE TOWER 

The cake is considered as one of the 'main attractions' of a party. So I made sure that I also exert some extra  effort to make my K's cupcake tower special. I can't bake to save my life, so even if I wanted to also DIY the cakes and cupcakes, I just couldn't. :) 

So, I made do with designing the cupcake tower. I wanted to make it look festive, not uber girly, but fun and feminine enough for my little girl. I also had to make sure that my design would be easy to execute, since I didn't have the benefit of a 'helping hand'.

Little Girl's 3rd Birthday Party - My DIY Projects - Part 1

So I was thinking which of my many drafts (eeek guilty!) to finish for posting...

And then I realized...hey, I promised a post about my little girl's party for her turning terrific THREE! So there, problem solved. Let them drafts hang on for a moment. :)

Working on my DIY projects for my little girl's birthday was definitely NOT an easy task. I had to do them in between work (I'm a WAHM, work-at-home-mom) - like typing one paragraph for an article, and then cutting paper the next. :-) My workspace was swimming with glue, paper, and whatnot. But I loved it! Oh how I looooved it!

The DIYs were actually pretty basic, nothing super fancy. But they were all labors of love - and that's what matters right? :)

To Party or Not to Party?

So I haven't blogged in ages.

I have been terribly busy with the workload, and with my little girl at summer school, I have additional study tasks by the time she gets home everyday. So yeah, I was pretty much supermom mode for the past couple of months. 


And I sooo missed blogging! To all those who read my blog, my sincerest apologies for not being able to update kiddiepartyholic....


But, I'm back!!! :-)

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I've been thinking this morning about what to post. My mind was bursting with ideas! But I decided to talk about one common dilemma among parents during their kids' birthdays....the question of whether:

TO PARTY, OR NOT TO PARTY?

Thing is, for some parents, this question doesn't just crop up once, but almost every year (*seeing myself in the frame here*). Party preps can be really challenging, especially for super busy mommies and daddies. BUT, it doesn't mean it can't get addicting. :-) Once you start the 'cycle' of throwing one for your kid, oh, the joy! 

But, it's not always as easy as 'Ok, there's a party this year!' or 'Nope, not this year!' There are many times that there'd be a tug-of-war in your head. And if you're doing a solo effort on the planning, it can be way more difficult to decide. 

So let me help you out. Here are a few factors to consider along with some tips so you can decide whether to throw a party or not for your child's birthday:

1. Think of your budget. Oh yes, the age-old consideration of money. Parties are not normally part of a parent's budget (unless you have an overflowing 'treasure chest'. :-)), so you really have to figure it into your expenses. 

If you look at your table of expenses, and inserting 'Party' into it would mean having a negative balance at the end, then don't have one. In the Filipino setting, this means if you have to  make utang (loan money) for the it, then it's not a sound idea. 

TIP for the kiddiepartyholic:  If you do happen to have a little space on the expenses table that you can allocate for a party, then the best thing to do is to just have a simple and intimate celebration. A small budget for a party isn't always a sad thing, it just means you have to be creative and innovative. Instead of having your usual 50 guests, just choose 20-25 who are close to your kid and your family. A DIY party at home works best for most, since you can control your guest list, the food you will serve, and you can keep the party details to a manageable amount. :-) 

2. Is it YOU who wants the party or YOUR KID? When my daughter turned one, and then two, I must admit, it was me who wanted to have a party. You know the usual 'comment' by non-party enthusiasts: "They won't remember it anyway" (referring to parties thrown for little kids). 

I usually answer this with: AH, BUT I WOULD. And I want to remember something beautiful and fun. 

But they do have a point. 

So if you do have a budget, but still can't decide, ask yourself this: 

Do you intend to throw a party because you want your kid to have fun and beautiful memories to cherish about their birthdays or do you want to throw a party just because you have the money to spare and would want to impress your peers and relatives?

If you find yourself feeling guilty with the second question (because you know in your heart you're saying yes), then DON'T throw a party. It's just going to be about you and not your kid. And that's NEVER the point of a kiddie party. :-)

TIP for the kiddiepartyholic: If your kid can already communicate his wants, say around the age of  three or four years old, then by all means, ASK your child if he wants to have a party or not. If he says no, then that's your cue (to pack up the planning table). If he says yes, then make sure to let him know what kind of party mommy and daddy can afford, so you can set the right expectations. No sense in making him expect something with the works, when you can only have the budget for a small and simple (but nevertheless fun!) party

3. A yearly party is NOT necessary, but a party is definitely something a kid should have at least once in  his kiddie years. Back in the day, as in waaaay back in the day, parties were usually held when a child is to be presented to society. It's what we call a 'debut' nowadays. But... in the more modern times, kiddie parties have also shared the spotlight. 

Usually, some parents are at odds about throwing a party for a child's first birthday. Of course with the usual consideration of 'is this something they'd appreciate at such an age?' The answer is most likely no. They'd probably love seeing all the colors, and the balloons, and perhaps the candies - but enjoy in the sense of games and such? No. 

Although....in the future, their first birthday is something they'd most likely ask about. They'd probably ask you if they had a party or not. If you celebrated it or not. Remember that a first birthday is usually a THANKSGIVING for a child's first year of life, so if your budget permits a party, then having one would be a fun idea. It DOES NOT have to be grand, but it should definitely be meaningful. (First birthdays are usually the parties that YOU decide on, the rest should be up to your kid)

TIP for the kiddiepartyholic: The ages at which we usually hold kiddie parties are at 1 and 7 years old. The in-betweens are really up to you. Some have a 'grander' one at the age of three, since this is the age at which they usually 'remember' and are able to play with other kids and appreciate all the party details. 

4. The grand scheme of things. Holding a party for your kid's birthday is a lot about your kid, and the family. If you all want one (especially the celebrator), then by all means, go for it! :-) But, if in any case there are other factors to consider - like a very ill close family member, or a really, really important school event/milestone that your child cannot miss out on, then you might want to 'reconsider' the idea.

TIP for the kiddiepartyholic: If your kid really wants a party, and there are other 'circumstances' that may prevent it, try to work around those circumstances. This may mean you have to sacrifice a party detail or two - like making it a simpler one, or postponing it to a later date, or moving the venue to  more convenient one, things like that. Changes are ok, especially if they're going to make better things happen. :-)




I really hope this helps you decide on whether to throw a party or not for your kid's next birthday. Just keep in mind that celebrations can be done in many, many forms - a day at the theme park, an overnight stay in a hotel, or even a simple meal at your family's favorite restaurant - all these are great ideas too!

But of course, a party is a party - and it's fun! :-) 

Prepping for Terrific Three! :-)

With kids, time really does fly by...my little princess will be turning three in 3 months!


I can still remember her learning how to walk, getting a fractured thigh just when she was starting to walk on her own (because of a little accident), bouncing right back like nothing happened, getting hospitalized thrice last year, starting to talk up a storm, and beginning to look less like my little baby to more of a beautiful little girl.


But ahhh, enough of my 'dramatic' moments... We all know what turning three means to me, and that is....another reason to plan a kiddie party! Yey! *insert cheers and confetti drop here* I have a feeling that by the time she turns four, she'll be the one to give me her 'birthday commands', so I'll take advantage of the fact that I can still do 'my thing' with this one. Hehe.


We've done the big venue clubhouse type, and last year we did the fastfood version, so this year, I decided to  keep the guest list small, the details more intricate, at a venue closer to my heart... OUR HOME. :-)


Yes, this third one is going to be a house party!


And I'm uber-thrilled because this is going to be mostly DIY. Our home isn't that big to require the help of a pro decorator, and well, the purse strings are tighter this year since she'll start schooling soon. :-)


For her third birthday party theme, I decided to go for a generic concept with the addition of elements of her current favorite cartoon, Ni Hao Kai Lan. Here are some of the party elements which I plan to DIY:

1. Photo display 
2. Entrance standee
3. Photo wall (ala photobooth) I'll just do the layout and have the trap printed. 
4. Masks and Hats
5. Dessert/Candy Buffet
6. Personalized Treats (errr, just the packaging. I don't know how to bake. :()
7. Lootbags
8. Tags
9. And everything else that I can do in my power. Hehe. 

My mom-in-law is a grrrreeeat cook, and she has been, for quite some time, longing to cook for her third apo's party. She didn't get the chance to do so for the baptism and 1st birthday because those were catered, and the 2nd one was in a fastfood, so I thought of giving her what she wanted all this time. Hehe. So food is kinda settled, just need to sort out what and how much she'll be cooking. (Downsizing a guest list in my family is a chore I tell you, that's why I'm so excited to finally have a small at-home event.)

We plan to do an afternoon event, so we'll definitely serve more on merienda-type of food (suggestions are welcome! :-)) 

I had been conjuring her birthday plans since December last year, but being swamped with work in the past month had delayed my getting the DIY things started. But so far so good for February, I've already done some mock layouts, tried making a table-top standee, and will soon start drafting stuff for her photo display. 

I'm just so glad we were able to buy our color printer last year, it's going to make a lot of DIY things happen for me this year! Hehe. 

Oh, must get that little pre-birthday photoshoot on the calendar too! :-) Already have some photographer prospects, I just need to talk it over with hubby. 

Ahhhh, so much to do, and I'm sooo excited!

Will update you guys the soonest with more about the theme and what I've done so far. :-) 

This Mommy Got Crafty - Paper Bags

After my daughter's latest birthday party (May 2011), I became a DIY fan. Although there were very few DIY elements on her 2nd birthday celebration, the mere fact that I was able to pull it off gave me a sense of incomparable satisfaction. :)

Since then, I had been searching for ways on how to make DIY party decor. I have also been on a constant hunt for templates - for invitations, favor bags, and whatnot that I can use for parties. On the latter part of 2011, I found some templates online for paper bags (there's a lot here: http://melstampz.blogspot.com/) .

And no, not just your usual paper 'bags'. More like paper purses! :)

Here are some of the stuff I made:

my first take on paper purses. the one on the left is 'Christmas-inspired'. Hehe. 

My first ever paper backpacks

I made some more of the LV-like backpacks and made purse versions too! :) (Will post pics once I find them. They want AWOL on me. Hehe.)

I plan to dabble in more paper crafts this year, and would definitely make some more for my little girl's parties, and other little occasions we have too! :)

Our 2011 Christmas

Can't believe it's 2012 already! And that I haven't blogged in months! *blushes*

My little family had a really awesome Christmas and New Year, simply because we spent it with each other and our parents. Good food and genuine laughs...aaaahhhh, precious memories in the making.

We spent our New Year's day at my in-laws' place. My MIL prepared our media noche, so hubby, little princess and I pretty much just had the task of wolfing down the yummy grub. Hehe. Christmas on the other hand, was something I had personally prepared for (or at least tried to do so. Harhar.) as this was held at our humble abode. Unfortunately, I didn't expect that my little girl's nanny would be going to Batangas to spend Christmas with her dad who's visiting from Romblon. :( Thankfully though, my parents, brothers, and hubby were here to help me out with the many tasks of the day so some of my original plans were able to push on. :-)

Here are some pics of our happy Christmas: