HOLIDAYS..............EVERYDAY PARTIES

HOLIDAYS..............EVERYDAY PARTIES!!!

We all have times of celebration! If it is not a holiday it is a birthday or celebration for some other special occasion. When my children were young we always made birthdays special with a cake; streamers; blow up balloons; and a decorated table. The atmosphere was definitely more important that the gifts themselves. I just wanted to say; "You are special and this is your day!". Other times the children and I might plan a "I love you " party for their dad after he had worked such long and hard hours. One time we had a "Congratulations on "finishing the Scuba Diving lessons he and my son had taken together". The girls and I were so excited to find small fish crackers; a cake made with blue water and divers; swedish fish; gummy worms; paper plates with little fish on them and blue and white balloons! The girls had "tea parties" with cups and saucers and little cakes and dressed up and sat outside on a blanket. And dont forget "campfire party where we all wore bandanas and cowboy hats and had a campfire meal.

These may all sound silly; but for me they are all fun little memories. Thats what a celebration is.............. a memory to say your special. I suppose you could come up with a celebration for anything. My mom (now 88) never really ate fast food as she was traveling in a car. After my dad passed away last year this became a new thing for her to experience. So ...... with this new experience she made a name for it. She calls it " A Hobo Lunch". We all laughed at this and said why? She said I feel like I am a traverler on the run eating my lunch. So..... now we all celebrate this "Hobo Lunch" and when we call gramma we tell her "Oh today we had a hobo lunch!"

You can make any celebration fun........... Here are a few tips for celebrations!!!!

1. They do not have to be expensive. Use whatever balloons; streamers; nice plates and things on hand to make a party.

2. Go to a dollar store where you can find all party needs. Or buy plain colored plates; cups to use again and again.

3. Try and remember birthdays. Keep them on a calendar. If not send a card; or a call! * We had a close family members funeral on my daughters birthday so we celebrated later.

4. Use a theme when having small children. Remember it to have fun not to impress others.

5. Use small bags to take treats home for others of just a small reminder.

6. Think of ways to celebrate for those you love. Birthday; work; good grades; tried hard; cancer treatments; just because; promotion; kind to someone......

Whatever you do ........make it a memory!