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Tea Party

Tuesday 8 March 2011
Kids birthday parties scare the life out of me. Ok, big parties or group gatherings make me run the for the hill. Every birthday party I've been to including Little L's has always include the following

1) a VERY predictable menu consisting of sandwiches (ALWAYS ham and cheese or jam and butter), cucumber and carrot sticks, chips (oh alright, crisps if you're English), some fruit.

2) an entertainer who's either a magician or a princess. They cost as much as a Hermes 70cm scarf. Yup, I kid you not.

3) party bags which MUST include sweets or else the kids feel they've been cheated.

4) Parents will NOT be fed but a cup of tea or coffee will be kindly offered. You will otherwise sit and watch your kids being entertained while you starve. So either bring your own food or pretend your little darling isn't eating and you scoff down her food instead.

After running around like a headless chook (Kiwi slang for chicken) baking, cooking, organizing, hosting and cleaning up for Little L's party last year, there's no way in hell was I going to be doing this again. Not to mention dealing with a sulky teenager aka my entertainer whose attitude made me furious enough to contemplate wringing her neck.

So this year, I gave Little L two options. Option A: she gets a BIG party and no present from mom and dad or any relatives for that matter (yes, I was desperate to use any form of bribery and lies to avoid planning a party). Option B: invite no more than 5 friends and she gets a nice BIG present from mom and dad. Smart Little L chose option B. Whew!

I booked an afternoon tea session at a stunning manor which has been converted into a boutique hotel, surrounded by awe-inspiring countryside. The staff there were kind enough to accommodate us in a private room and allowed the kids to roam the garden without any restrictions. We were suitably impressed by the amount of work they had done in preparation for our little tea party.

mountbatten room

The Mountbatten Room



sandwiches




scone


sugar



The little girls were incredibly well behaved. They loved that they were treated like grown-ups. They ate, told jokes (why does a chicken cross the road) with much hilarity and giggled.

laughing4




LB BW


LP pensive


M in conversation


tea being served copy

Our waiter was overwhelmed by the sheer number of females in the room.


clare copy



I decided it's time that the moms are given the chance to enjoy the party too. Why should we watch on the sideline? The moms got the chance to catch up, take a breather, enjoy the afternoon tea while the kids roam around in the garden.


running1

The 6 little girls had the time of their lives playing in a 63 acre garden concocting amazing stories and dramatizing their roles to a pretend audience. The weather was cooperating for a change.


laughing7





I've also come to the realization that the best parties are the simplest, by that I mean - do not overplan.

11 comments:

  1. Just gorgeous! I love that you thought of everyone and gave the girls a special event that they will remember for a long time. The food looks amazing, too! I love the pic of the girls running into the garden!

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  2. I'm so touched you said that, lauraloo. I wanted everyone, not just the kids to have a good time. I think it was the best and most relaxed party I've been to in a while. If you ever come over to my part of the UK, I'll have to take you to this place. The scenery along the countryside took my breath away.

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  3. Looks like a fantastic day. Happy belated birthday little L!

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  4. Chin, it was a great day. Everyone had fun.

    Lauraloo, I'm waiting for you to come to the UK........

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  5. Happy birthday ,sweetie L !!!
    Very impressive and well done ,Li
    Great idea for a relaxing and fun party for mums and daughters . :O

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  6. Oh ,really like the photos !!

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  7. Thanks, Mi! Glad you like them. Wish you were here :(

    Thanks, Terri! Princess had the best time ever!

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  8. what a lovely birthday party! thanks for sharing the adorable photos with us ; )

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  9. Thank you, Rachel. One can't go wrong with afternoon high tea. Especially at a beautiful manor with stunning views.

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