You Can Do It!

The thought have throwing a party in your own home for some parents sounds like a total nightmare. The reality though, is it's not that difficult to pull off, and in the middle of a recession, it's not be a bad idea.

Having a party at home does take a little preparation, but it doesn't have to be overly stressful. First, be realistic with your guest list. Work within the space you have and don't invite more people than you can comfortably fit in your home. Next, decide how long you wish for people to be at your place. Typically a party runs about 2-4 hours. Then you have to decide what time of day works best for you and most importantly, for your child. You do not want to plan a party that interferes with nap time or bed time because that will only leave you with a cranky baby who is not enjoying their special day which, in turn, results in stress for you. Be sure to include the end time on your invitations so people know when they are expected to leave. Leaving the end time blank can make people unsure about when to leave and you might end up with guests much longer than you intended. Once you have decided on the number of invited guests and the time of your party you can start planning your menu.

I personally like to keep things simple and usually order pizza for my parties. Veggie platters, crackers and cheese and chips make great easy appetizers that cater to those watching what they eat and those who like to indulge. You may wish to cook your own food which will save you money but be sure to plan cooking times realistically. Cooking for a large group of people takes good planning and organization. Preparing as much as you can the day before can help your day run smoothly.

One thing that makes parties special is the decorations. Simply hanging a few streamers and balloons will make your child feel special and get everyone in a festive mood. I usually do this part during my child's nap time so they wake up surprised and excited for the party to begin. I like to set up one main table with a themed table cloth, napkins, plates and the appetizers. I tend to focus my decorations on this area to magnify the effect.

Now we have guests, food and decorations in place. Now comes the scariest part for many parents...entertainment. This is where we come in :) By inviting Party At Your Place to your event you can rest assured that your guests will be well entertained and talking about your party for years to come. One of our Characters will engage the children in various activities for one full hour. Typically I recommend parties laid out as follows:

-First 30 minutes for guests arriving
-Next hour for eating and socializing
-The next hour for entertainment
-the last 30 minutes for cake and goodbyes (or opening gifts if you do so)

I think 3 hours is the perfect party length as you do not have to rush and it doesn't drag on.

Our characters would sing happy birthday with you just before we go which also gets the kids settled for you to have cake and makes our goodbye transition easier since the kids know they are about to have cake.

By taking the time to plan your party at home you are not forced to rush in and out of a play center in exactly 2 hours or be charged extra. You can instead relax and let things happen and stop to enjoy the day with your child and save money at the same time because you can control the budget.