Ideas For Celebrating Your Dog's Birthday

If you're the type of person that loves to spoil your dog, throwing a birthday party for him on his special day is the perfect excuse to spoil him even more. This is a great way to let your dog know that you love him and to thank him for being your best friend. You’ll be able to pull all of your creativity together to make a party that can be celebrated with your dog, friends, family and even other canine playmates that he may have.

Organizing your birthday party
The things that you're going to have to think about to get this party organized include the following:
* The date of the party
* Invitations
* The guests
* Decorations
* The location
* The theme
* The food
* Entertainment
* Party favors

The date of the party
Figure out the date of the party early enough so that you can send out proper invitations. If your dog's birthday falls on a weekday, you may want to bump the party up to the following weekend or move it back to the weekend prior to the official birthday date.

Invitations
What type of invitations do you want to send out? If you're creative you can make your own easily by cutting out fancy paper into the shape of a bone. You can also find pre-made dog party invitations online at a reasonable price.

Celebrating 1st Birthday of Cute Puppy

The guests
Who would you like to invite to the party? You can either have a quiet family affair at home or invite a number of doggie guests over for a fun filled day of adventure surrounded by furry friends of all kinds.

Decorations
Ideas for decorations include:
* Dog party hats
* Dog balloons
* Tablecloth with a doggie print
* Pictures of your dog hung on the walls or placed on posters
* Any type of dog themed decorations that can be handmade, purchased online or discovered at the dollar store.

The location
Is this going to be an inside or an outside party? You may want to consider holding it outside if the weather is good - especially if you are expecting a lot of four-legged guests that will expect to have bathroom facilities available. If you don't have a yard or would prefer to hold the party elsewhere, think about a neighborhood dog park for the location.

The theme
It’s going to be a dog theme! You don't have to go any further than that to make this party exciting. In most cases you'll want to keep things as simple as possible since you'll have a lot of activity occurring at the party and what do you think these dogs and their owners will want the most? Dog stuff of course!

The food
There should be plenty of food available for all the fuzzy guests and all the humans as well. Set up a table that offers bowls of food for the human visitors and have a separate bowl set up on the table with doggie treats it. You should also have a lot of water bowls on the floor for the dogs to drink from between their party games.

Entertainment
Some of your entertainment choices include a talent show with humans showing off the talents of their dogs, contests for best tricks, obstacle courses, Frisbee chasing, ball catching etc. You could also fill up a small kiddie pool in the yard and pull out the hose to add some extra fun and to help keep the dogs cool.

Party favors
Every dog that attends the party should be given a goody bag to take home. Inside these bags you can include dog treats, toys and the party hat they were given at the party. Don’t forget to take photographs and share them with your guests, as a memento of a fun filled day.


Susan Wright is a dog expert, veterinarian, and writer for DogTrainingCollars.com. She leads the dog training collar test and review group


Image: www.flickr.com/photos/romeoromeo/2048546111/

What Mum Really Wants For Her Birthday

If you start browsing websites for gifts for your Mum’s birthday or other event, you’ll be confronted with pages of boxes of chocolates, bunches of flowers or jewellery. All this is very nice, and nobody’s going to turn their nose up at a lovely box of handmade chocs, but with a bit more effort and the same budget, you can give your Mum a day she’ll remember and come up with something out of the ordinary.

Gifts for Mother on Birthday

Pamper Day

What mums want more than boxes of chocolates or bunches of flowers is a chance to relax and zone out from the everyday demands of looking after the family. Help her do this by getting Dad or another adult to clear the kids out of the house for an afternoon or evening and leave her with a hamper containing pamper products like bath bombs, nail varnish, pedicure kits and body lotion. Switch off her mobile and unplug the phone and leave her to relax and pamper for a while. You don’t have to buy expensive products, it’s the thought that counts and good quality bath bombs or nail varnishes can be bought along with the weekly shop.

Classes

If your Mum has always wanted to learn to knit, cook Thai food or salsa dance, then book her onto a course as a gift. If she’s the shy and retiring type, book two places on the course so she can take a friend with her. There are courses for almost anything, so get on the search engines and try to find out what is happening in your local area and see if there is anything which you think your Mum might enjoy. If she gets into her new hobby, you’re sorted with ideas for gifts for many birthdays and Christmases to come.

Birthday Meal Mom!

Meal

If all Mum wants to do after a hard day at work or looking after the kids is pull on her Eberjey pants, a comfy sweatshirt and slob around in front of the telly, going out for a meal might be too much of a hassle. Solve this problem by having a slap up meal at home, and your cooking skills don’t even have to be up to much. Many restaurants will offer a takeaway service, and many delicatessens are also offering a “dinner party at home” option which allows you to choose your menu a few days in advance and then all you do is pick up the food and reheat it in the oven. Zero effort, and much tastier than a normal pizza or Chinese takeaway.

Housework Vouchers

If your pocket is feeling the pinch and you really can’t afford to splash out on classes or meals, then make your Mum’s day with a booklet of housework vouchers. Get some paper and write a domestic chore on each, for example emptying the dishwasher, stripping the beds, washing the car or putting the bins out. Give the vouchers to your Mum with instructions that she cashes them in whenever she pleases. The key to making this present a success is no arguing when Mum asks you to do something on the voucher, however much you don’t want to do it.


Morag Peers is a mother who has a clear idea of what makes a good Birthday gift. Morag writes on a number of interesting topics and can be found on Google+

Images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source

Things You Should And Shouldn't Do At A Child's Birthday Party

Planning a children's party doesn't have to be as difficult as a lot of parent's let it become as there are plenty of ways to make it manageable and even fun.

o    PlanYou need to get organised and you need to be organised early because if you try and book an entertainer at the last minute then you'll fail. The best entertainers are all booked up months in advance because they are the best so if you do manage to book someone really close to your child's party then you should ask yourself why they're available.

o    Consider merging your party with another child's birthdayIf you know that there's another child in your little boy or girl's class that has either the same birthday or one that's very close then consider a joint party. Joint parties eliminate the choice for the other children and parents because if two children have a party on the same weekend then one of them will be left upset when less people attend. So to avoid having to race the other parents to get the invites out quickly join them and cut the cost of the party in half for both of you by inviting the entire class to the same party.

o    Guest listYou should never let the child decide who's coming to the party because there will always be people who are left out. Playground arguments are common and if you ask your child to decide who's invited to their party on the day they've fallen out with their best friend then they're unlikely to be invited which means upset later on when it's their party and your child's not invited. Up to the age of seven full class parties are a good idea or just invite their closest friends. Remember that although they might not want to invite everyone if they don't then they won't get invited to other parties which means tears later on.

o    Make sure you get all of the replies
You should always put an RSVP date on invites to children's parties because many parents will forget to respond unless they know they have to. A lot of them will forget anyway or they will never receive the invite so there's nothing wrong with a quick text, e-mail or phone call to any of the parents that haven't replied a couple of days before the RSVP date. There will be some parents that never respond but still show up to the party - there's always a few - so make sure you have enough food and party bags to cater for any unexpected guests.

o    AllergiesIf you've invited a class full of primary school children to a party then you can guarantee that there'll be a few that can't eat certain things whether it's because they're a vegetarian, for religious reasons or they're allergic to certain foods such as dairy. In order to avoid upset children and parents that are disappointed that you didn't consider this, as soon as you receive a reply ask if their child has any specific dietary needs.


Sian Needham has a five year old son and when it got to his birthday she really struggled with ideas until one of her friends suggested she had a themed party and bought the supplies from perfectpartyuk.com

A Very Childish Adult Birthday Party

I have decided to organise a party for my Birthday. It is not that I actually want a party, in fact I really don’t want one at all and have gone to the lengths of arranging to be on holiday on my actual Birthday to avoid all of the fuss. My friends, however, are so determined to arrange one for me that they are planning all sorts of horrors for my return. The only way to head off their plans is to arrange my own event. The question is what should I do?

Age

The real problem here is age. I will be celebrating a significant birthday (50 but don’t tell anyone). Sadly many of my friends are a lot younger than me and my age is a constant source of humour for them. I could bore you forever on the endless stream of jokes that come my way. Unfortunately for me I worked with many of my good friends at a theme park which is a very public place in which the workers have the use of public address systems. On one occasion my best friend told the 1000 strong queue at a roller coaster that the staff at the park were organising a special collection to buy me a Motability vehicle and on another day he told them to all stand aside because an elderly person was coming through! Another friend told the guests that I was the oldest ride operator in the world. I also endured constant requests to turn on my hearing aid and was once refused access to a staff ride in case my pacemaker failed! To cap it all one colleague once asked me if I required the installation of a stair lift to enable me to access a ride console.

The Party

The truth is that I am an active person with a tendency to behave like I am still 20 and with a distinctly childish side. In revenge for the constant jokes about age I have decided to have an anti-age party which will be conducted exactly like a children’s party but with only adults present. I will choose a suitably childish theme like pirates or princesses and insist that all guests arrive dressed for the part. I will serve them all jelly and ice cream on paper plates and we can all play silly games before being entertained by a clown. The clown will be a fantastic addition to proceedings because the particular friend who is so fond of hearing aid jokes is also terrified of clowns. Oh sweet revenge.

Fine Details

The party can be topped off by the handing out of party bags and sweets and then insisting the guests are collected by their parents before 6 pm so I can enjoy the rest of my day in peace. The event will, in fact, be my fifth birthday revisited. The trouble is I have a horrible feeling that my friends might actually enjoy it!

Citations:

• Photograph by Alan Levine Via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 

Sally Stacey was inspired to write this article after writing a post about party bag fillers for kids for online UK store Gifts for Tweens.

Four Tips on How to Celebrate Birthday on Budget

Birthdays are one of the most celebrated occasions, and no matter your age, you certainly are excited about your birthday—unless, of course, if you hate to remember that you are getting older. But almost everyone looks forward to celebrating his or her birthday, no matter the financial status. However, when strapped for cash during your birthday, it might be of a challenge to throw a party, so here are some tips on how to celebrate your birthday despite being on a budget.

Birthday on Budget

1.         Celebrate multiple birthdays at the same time. This may sound a little stingy, but this is actually a good idea. Find a friend or a close relative who share the same birthday as you do, or a closer date from your birthday, and celebrate your birthday together. Despite having different guests, you can still have a great party within a budget. Plus, take it as an opportunity to widen your social circle.

2.         Limit your numbers. It is best to keep your guest list to a limited number. If you really want to save or not spend too much since you are in a tight budget, only invite people within your close social circle. If the people within your social circle are still too many, invite them ahead of time and make sure you get them to RSVP so you can plan further about the menu and any other details that need financial attention. Also, politely and tactfully ask the people you invited not to bring anyone else without informing you first as you are on a budget. Be honest and open to avoid any problems.

3.         Keep it simple. Keeping your birthday celebration simple is one great way to save money. Don’t be envious of your friend’s birthday or at least match last year’s celebrations by spending lavishly. It could be a potluck, salad party, or a simple barbeque in the garden. A sleepover with movie marathons is also another great idea. But what’s important is that the people that matters most to you are with you on this special day. There are a lot of ways you can celebrate your birthday within a budget.

4.                  Choose the right time. Another great way to save money is to choose the right time of the day to celebrate your birthday. That is, you choose the time of the day when people are not as hungry as they are usually or the time when they have already eaten. Around after lunchtime would be a great time since you only need to serve snacks rather than heavier type of foods.

About the author – Manilyn Moreno has several years of experience in catering and writing. Her friends were her first clients when she started out in the catering industry. Managing event financial and recipes has been made easier for her through the aid of software for catering .

What To Do For Your Baby’s First Birthday

If your little one is approaching their first birthday, you may well be wondering what to do to mark this momentous occasion. While your baby will be too little to truly appreciate their special day, parents and family will want to savour every moment, so here are some great ideas on how to celebrate your baby’s first birthday in style:

Home sweet home

Intimate parties held at home are a lovely way to celebrate your baby’s first birthday and smaller numbers won’t overwhelm your little one. The added advantage is that you won’t have to transport all the food and gifts very far! As your child and their friends get older and start running around and demanding party games, hosting at home won’t be nearly as attractive, so make the most of it and hold a small gathering for close family and friends.

Picnics and BBQs

If you’d rather not have your party at home and your baby was born in a warmer month, try a party in your local park. You can tie balloons to trees and family and friends can bring picnic rugs and tents to keep babies well-shaded. Or try a BBQ in the garden to keep the adults happy, with sandwiches and snacks available for the children.

Themes and games

While a theme isn’t necessary for a first birthday party, choosing one can be great fun. There is plenty of choice available, but a jungle or safari theme is great for boys or girls, and there is plenty of food that fits in perfectly – try making a cucumber crocodile with cheese on sticks, or sandwiches laid out in the shape of a snake!

Even though your little one may be too young to really know what’s going on, you can still enjoy some simple party games. Try the classic pass the parcel, musical games and finish with some nursery rhymes. Bubbles are also a favourite with children of all ages, so get a bubble machine for the garden and enjoy some great action photos!

The first birthday cake

One of the highlights of any child’s birthday party is the cake. For your little one’s first birthday you can keep it simple with a number one cake or match the cake to the theme of your party. Some cakes don’t even need to be baked, such as a train which can be made from swiss rolls and jammy dodgers for wheels!

Finishing touches

Your child’s first birthday is a celebration of their first milestone, so make the most of the special finishing touches to make your party come alive. Why not ask party guests to write a message or speak on a video for your child on their 18th birthday, and it’s a good idea to allocate someone else to do photographs and videos so that you can concentrate on entertaining the children and adults in the room!

However you decide to celebrate your baby’s first birthday, don’t forget to congratulate yourselves too! As parents you have survived the first year of sleepless nights and endless nappy changes, so make sure that you enjoy a well-deserved glass of wine once your guests have gone home and your one year old has finished partying and gone to bed!

Custard and Crumble help you to equip your baby’s nursery in style. We offer a range of nursery furniture, gifts and toys to make your baby’s first years as simple and pleasurable as possible!

On The Paper of Roses

On The Paper Of Roses
From The Inks of Moonlight
A Pen of Wishes Has Written Down
Only Two Words For A Beautiful Person

"Happy Birthday"

Reply To Birthday Greeting Messages

What to Reply to Greeting Messages You Receive on Your Birthday

Itx a very 9c feeling coming to know that
some1 likes U,
some1 thinks about U,
some1 needs U,
but
it is quite amazing,
when U know that
some1 9ever ever
forgetx ur birthday!

Many Thanks My Dear Friend!