Sometimes the cure happens in small steps.  That is the way causes are and for those who support them, every big or small thing you do to make better things happen for others…to help them in a time of need….can go a very long ways.  A black Forest cupcake with that pinch of a cherry to top of the look is an excellent seller at fund raising events.  Give it a try and you will not be disappointed.

Perhaps it has been a long hard day and you are looking for a sweet, sweet way to top off that feeling of lethargy.  You need a little chocolate jolt.  Or maybe you and your little ones are just craving the most wonderful and delicious cupcakes  that are so easy to create and incredible to the taste.  Then get a load of this most basic, yet elegant chocolate treat.  It is sweet chocolate cupcake glazed and adorned with an icing and candy that is makes for a triple threat!

Another way to bring out the zest in your cupcake fun is to do a little bit of dress up.  That is right, but we are not talking about your selection of an apron, but the special way you can make your icing shine.  Take a look at this wonderful creation!  They are called High Hat King Cupcakes…

Image Credit: Food Network

So once you figured out whether your invitations will be purchase or created, your attention had best turn to what you think will work in terms of the Hello Kitty party foods.  This is where the sky is the limit.  Let me throw out some ideas that will get you started!  How about a punch bowl filled with cherries and strawberries, topped of with some sprite with a touch of grenadine syrup.  You add a little food coloring and you will have a zesty and fizzy concoction that will be both fun to look at, listen to, and share with thirsty little girls.

OK, if that does not work for you then consider a super healthy helping of sherbet ice cream coupled with ginger ale, grape juice, and topped off with strawberries or cherries.  Perhaps both!

So by now you can tell I like the use of strawberries in my party themes.  So how about this.  A food item winner for any party, whether it is a Hello Kitty theme or not, is chocolate covered strawberries and my girls love to participate in the preparation.  It is as simple as melting some chocolate from chocolate chips or you can mix in some sweet chocolate, white chocolate, etc….and then have your birthday girl do the dipping.  The chocolate dipped strawberries should be laid out on wax paper and later transferred to the refrigerator for the cool down.  And of course, both of you can do some of that quality taste test.  Better yet, make this one of the activities for the party participants where they all can get into the fun of making those delicious strawberries.

Another cannot miss Hello Kitty birthday food snack is cup cakes.  You can make it easy on yourself and buy some as your local baker will probably be all too happy to make them for you.  Or bake them yourself and use a little imagination to decorate the cake with eyes and whiskers with any number of eatable food items.

Now as the party nears you will want so really nice decorations to spruce up the party fun.  Some of the things you can include are Hello Kitty toys, dolls, signs, posters, tablecloths, and many other assorted party decor materials.  Some of these you can order online and in several cases you will find various items at your party store.

Once the kids arrive, get them engaged in Hello Kitty Party activities such as face painting which every little girl loves.  I love the carousel face painting approach where you have three stations and each party person can go to each to get an individualized painted Hello Kitty party face or costume element.  The whiskers are always the longest line.

Other ideas for the party fun include cat races in the backyard and Hello Kitty Hide and Seek.  That can really be fun as your little Kitty cats can meow their way around the house looking for the missing cat.

Most of all, just make sure you get engaged in the fun because after all why not roll back the clock and participate.  When the parents are active participants the party goers feel even less restrained and that just makes it even more fun.

So for starters, let us put on the thinking cap and remember that while these ideas below will certainly be worthy contenders for your final list, you are the final arbitrator of what kind of party you wish to throw and how the theme, decorations, music, food, and other festivities will take shape. Do not be afraid to stretch the boundaries a bit because anything you do that is out of the ordinary will be remember for a very long time.  Ideas on how to make a birthday event come and go.  Some you will know immediately will not work, but eventually you will get to a few that shine bright for you.  These are the ones you jot down and then get some input from a few trusted friends….perhaps they will help you with throwing the party.  Their contributions will be helpful before you make a final decision.  And make sure you make it fun for yourself as well.  It should not be all work.  There is a win-win here where the birthday boy or girl will have a great time, and whatever it is you decide to do…it should be fun for you as well. So lets get on with! In this edition, we will focus first on party ideas and themes for kids.

Birthday Party Celebration Ideas You Should Consider

1. Museum – Most city museums, whether it be Natural Science, History, etc., have a banquet/party room that can be reserved for special events.  If you wish to turn the birthday of a child into something both educational and adventurous consider holding in a museum

2. Zoo – Again, another excellent location aimed for the younger folks whose birthday party fun can be merged with all of the excitement that the city Zoo can offer.

I live near Houston and you will find many of these types of party locations in most other cities and large towns all over the country.  Each of these speak for themselves…..

3. The Bounce U Party Store

4. Gymboree

5. The Party Business Place

6. The Desert Boutique

7. McDonald’s With Indoor Play land

8.  The Plaster Fun house

9. Go Carts

10. The Magic Show Palace

11. Scavenger Hunt

12. Beach Party

13. Pool Party

14. Camping Party

15. Sleep Over Party

16. Costume Party

17. Roller Rink

18. Bowling

19. Spa Party

20.  The Circus

So what we need is a little celebration.  Do not worry so much about what celebratory words that might be written on your prized cake.  Nor should you be too wrapped up on the flavor.  Clearly, you want to have a cake that people will enjoy eating.  But what will really make your party memorable and heartfelt is the look and size of the cake…and to that end I say shoot for size and look in the biggest way your budget will allow.  Because after all, when it is all said and done, what people will remember is less to do with the nice, smooth, delicious taste.  But rather, it will be the presentation of the celebration cake.

Celebration Quotes

It is a healthy thing to do and do often, so do not be shy.  Nor should you think you are spending far too much time thinking of yourself.  No way.  What we are talking about are little deeds and acts of self recognition that may only take up a few seconds or minutes of your time.  But doing it will not only make you happier, but it will also pull you closer to the many selfless acts you can do for others. Let us take a look at some of my favorite Celebration Quotes.

“Singing is like a celebration of oxygen”

“Share our similarities, celebrate our differences”

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

“When you jump for joy, beware that no one moves the ground from beneath your feet.”

“Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!”

“Celebrations are the bread and butter of our daily existence”

“Celebrate not always the happy times, but lift up the sad occasions”

“When we understand the need for recognition, we come to know the face of friendship”

“When I love, I surrender to the need to put others before me”

” Finding the kernel of happiness, begins with the recognition of another’s deed”

Now some friendly advice!  I prefer to work with those catering businesses that I personally have experience with or a friend of mine have utilized.  So in this case, the power of the referral is quite important.  Part of your efforts in planning on organizing a catered celebration party is to weigh not only the quality of the the services as based on the best review and referral information you can collect.  But you will also need to balance that out with costs, schedule, and flexibility of services.  More often than not, when I have used smaller more personalized outfits which perhaps comprises of a couple of people who are in the business and service a specific area, I have been more often pleased with the outcome.  Now, this is not always the case, but that is where your homework of figuring out how they have performed for others and I mean real reviews, is so important.  But usually a smaller outfit really wants to please and will go the extra mile of getting to your location early for set up and doing all of the little things that can make a difference.

Now another really important success element is the planning meeting you have with your caterer.  This is crucial and I strongly recommend that it takes place where you plan to hold the celebration party event.  If that is in your home, then invite them over for lunch so you can sit down with the key players to discuss what you are looking to accomplish and your expectations.  Wherever the event will be held, go there to meet with the people from the catering company.  Part of the reason is that you want to make sure you are both on the same page, plus the caterer will often bring some things for you to look at or sample.  Request that if you wish.  The other reason is that it is very important that the logistics get worked out properly and being at the location of the party event is very helpful in ensuring everything comes off smoothly.

What I think is always very helpful is taking some time to learn what others have done to bring joy and from your investment of time you will likely learn some things that you would want to try yourself.  This is particularly true when it comes to the sweet side of holidays  and of course I am talking desserts and specifically cakes.  Making and baking a cake that is reflective of the holiday being celebrated is such a time honored tradition.  It certainly goes a long way to reinforcing the joyous celebrations because until someone bites into something absolutely scrumptious beyond description, we cannot really fit snugly into the fun of the holidays.  So let us take a look at some of the favorite holiday cakes out there that bring both joy and smiles to everyone’s faces.

Free Printable Recipe Card – Click to View & Print Full Size

1. A Gift Basket with the ingredients for your favorite Holiday dish. Does your sister in law love your pecan pie? Does your childhood best friend miss your to die for chestnut stuffing? Print out a few of your favorite recipes on a pretty recipe card stock, gather the non-perishable ingredients and a fun Thanksgiving, Xmas, or New Year’s serving dish and assemble them into a gift basket – the recipient will be touched by your thoughtfulness and it will help bridge the miles on any of the Holidays you celebrate.

2. Send an edible Thanksgiving centerpiece.

3. Black Friday Survival Kit – put together a unique care package for a shopping buddy (near or far) to prepare for that BIG shopping day also known as Black Friday.  This same kit would apply to those busy Christmas shopping days or the New Year’s preparations. Fill a basket or a funky reusable shopping bag with:

• a sleep mask (to ensure a good night’s sleep the night before)
• notebook, pen and highlighter for organizing the shopping strategy
• a water bottle and some fun snacks for sustenance throughout the day’s shopping
• pain reliever (i.e. Tylenol) and band-aids for blistered feet
• peppermint foot lotion or gel packs for post-shopping recovery

4. Floral arrangement or fruit basket

5. Christmas or Thanksgiving decor pack

6. Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s centerpiece, table linens, or new serving dish

7. College student care package

8. Football Watching Party kit