14240

Tea Party 8yr - Pass the Parcel

September 2006

Leigh-Anne in Tokai, Cape Town, South Africa

Special Mention

This is the easiest party I have ever done, a dress up tea party just with a few of my daughter's best friends. For her invite I decide to do it rather fancy, I used cream cardboard and typed using script writing,  Miss, and the name of each child, You are cordially invited to Miss Jessica's Tea Party in celebrating her eighth birthday. Come and join her for scones and tea and lots of other tasty treats. Dress up in pretty skirts and hats, even if you have to borrow your mom's high heels. There will be lots of fun things to do On the back of the invite, which is an A4, I printed a picture of two girls dress up drinking tea, I folded the invite and sealed it with red candle wax, I tied pink ribbon around and put a tag that said Dress up tea party with a picture of play shoes and a hat on the back of the tag I wrote the child's name. Everyone loved the invite.

The table decorations were easy, since there were only seven little girls I used one table. I had to decorate inside because the weather was cold and windy. I used the lounge, I move the couches in front of the television to accommodate a table, an old sheet that had pink flowers on was perfect for a tablecloth. I made placemats a week ago, white paper with a pink teapot made out of cardboard glued in the middle, I decorated the rest with light pink butterflies and purple flowers which I got off old gift-wrap.

I painted the Child's name inside the teapot, and covered the page with contact plastic. I used proper china plates and teacups, they were pink with flowers which suited the table perfectly, I then had pink napkins by each plate, and on the side of the plate each child got a small white cake box decorated with pretty cupcakes and flowers, this had their names on the lid so each child can see where they had to sit. Inside the boxes was filled with sweets like candle necklaces, chocolate flowers, suckers which I made into flowers using hard board, etc.

This box  I told the girls when the party started is what they can take home with them, so if the win anything in games or don't finish any of there goodies, they must store it in their box. In the centre of the table I had a line of half scones, some with strawberry jam and some with apricot jam, each scone had piped cream around the edges. I had two small silver leaf trays which I put petit fours on; one on each end of the table. The table was full and beautiful to see. I had two smaller tables against the wall, one which had a tray of pink and white cupcakes, biscuits, butterfly marshmallows, round rice krispie treats and animal meringues. I had a teapot of tea, and a jug of peach ice tea, I also had a jug of fruit juice just in case any child did not want to have tea. 

The children arrived and I sat them on the carpet in the lounge, the room was decorated with white and pink balloons in vases and butterflies on the window, each child dressed up so cute, some even borrowed their mom's shoes which was fantastic too see.

For the first game, and as a ice breaker, I had a jar filled with sweets, I gave each child a piece of paper and told them to guess how many sweets there are, I collected all there answers, with there names on the paper and put it away to read later on in the party. I told them to sit at the table and have their cakes and teas, I asked each child what they wanted and served them all, I then took the tray of goodies around to each child and offered it to them. I left them to allow them to enjoy their tea and chat, that took quite awhile, the birthday cake came out which was a Barbie dolls dress, and they sang and the birthday girl blew out all her candles. 

Game time, for the first game we had pass around the parcel, each child got a two turns to unwrap a layer, each had a surprise so nobody felt left out,  the prices where pink lip liner, fairy tattoo, rings, pink small soaps, and the last item was the big prize. 

The second game was surprise parcel which they really enjoyed, each layer had a sweet, and a piece of paper that had them do something silly, like pull faces to everyone in the circle, blow a kiss to the person sitting on your right, hop on one foot five times. Each child got a turn to do something fun. This had giggles all around. 

I let them have some free time while I set the next game out which was musical teapots, similar to musical chairs. I had different color teapot on the paving outside, while the music played the children danced on the grass, and when the music stopped the y had to jump on a teapot till one teapot was left and one winner. 

It was now time to open presents, this also took time because the girls were chatting in between gifts. She received beautiful gifts. While they were busy I printed each child a photo I took when they at the table drinking tea, they pose with a teacup in their hands. These photos I put with their party pack that where were taking home. After the present opening I announced who won the guess how many sweets, I them let the carry on chatting while I sneaked outside for the last game, which was find the goodie bag, I hid little pink goodie bags that was filled with clips, hair bands, glitter and a pencil and small memo book, I bought all these item rather cheap.

I went inside to explain the game, I told them that underneath their placemats with there names on is an eight digit code, they must try to remember their code, because outside are goodie bags that they must find, each bag has a tag with their code on, they must find their bag and come inside, but they must not remove their placemat from the table or the goodie bag from outside unless there were sure it was theirs. This game took quite some time with the girls running in and out trying to memorize their code, they loved it  and by that time parents were arriving to collect them. 

I gave each child a photo, their placemats and a coffee mug with there names painted on and decorated with flowers, I did these two weeks ago, I got cheap mugs and the supplier, they were reject mugs, some of them had a tiny crack at the bottom or a small air bubble inside. I painted each mug differently and baked it t in the oven, I then filled it with sweets and covered it with colored cellophane, I had a tag attached to each which my daughter wrote thank-you for coming to my party, underneath the mugs I painted love Jessica so they can always remember where it came from. The girls loved the mugs, and they loved the party, it is every girls dream to dress up and act like perfect little ladies.

This is one of the best parties I have ever done and would recommend it o anyone who has little girls.

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