Thanks for all the offers of help for food and decorating. At risk of being ‘too organised’ I want to ensure it is all totally sorted in advance so that Ady and I can enjoy the actual event as well and don’t end up just running around fretting about everything in the style of an over anxious bride and groom 😉
So I’ve been plotting how to keep it all moving along given that there will be various groups and sub groups of people there, some of who know each other, all sorts of ages of children again some of whom know each other and five hours to ‘fill’.
My plan at the moment is to have food and drink assembled in one corner from the outset with a couple of people keeping an eye on rotation of bringing more out from the kitchen as and when and topping up drink recepticles etc and keeping a cautionary eye on it not getting too messy anywhere.
I plan to have some no adult intervention required games and stuff around to engage and entertain various pockets of children. Ideas for these so far include:
Themed skittles with the skittles in the shape of ghosts or witches being knocked down with pumpkins;
apple bobbing – we have a couple of sandsized containers so it can be done en masse;
the mystery shoe box containing yucky stuff for you to thrust your hand into and identify;
some pinatas (although I have concerns about arming small children in large groups!)
Stuff which will require adult assistance such as:
pass the parcel;
pin the something on the whatever;
musical statues/bumps/ whatever we rename it to tie in with being Hallween-y;
musical chairs;
fancy dress prizes;
some team games such as pass the pumpkin, catch the balls in pumpkins tied around waists, pumpkin puzzles etc.
We have got a karaoke machine but I’m wondering whether that is just asking for trouble 😉
The last hour it will be dark (although we could make the room darkish anyway and probably will in the interests of spookiness so a scary storytelling session might be fun.
Anyone got any suggestions of ideas or links for anything else?
Of course souvenier merchanise will be available to purchase in the foyer 😉
lol, you are organised!! I’m trying not to get too excited in case we can’t make it down. We’re getting rid of the 2nd car so unless James can change his weekend or I can get another car we’ll not make it 🙁 Am hopefull we’ll work something out though!
Have to say though that I *hate* party type games. But that’s only because Marcus gets so stressed at the thought of not winning and just has complete meltdowns 🙁 And yeah I know not winning is good for them etc etc but well, I hate it all!
Comment by Kirsty — 27 September 2005 @ 10:58 pm
Sounds great! I’m afraid I’m very uninspirational, but happy to be given orders 🙂
Comment by Barbara — 28 September 2005 @ 12:28 am
I’m terrible at doing stuff like games etc, where’s the space in the itinerary for sitting around getting slowly more merry as the afternoon progresses?! Can we have a home grown pumpkin competition? Mine is about a centimetre in diameter at the moment, the only one from four pumpkin plants, very disappointing. It will probably die during the next month anyway, so scrap that idea.
Comment by Sarah — 28 September 2005 @ 7:57 am
I LOVE games and Bob seems to be keen also so we might become a double act 🙂
Comment by Roslyn — 28 September 2005 @ 9:02 am
Kirsty, I’m more worried about *Sarah* not winning 😉
Comment by Alison — 28 September 2005 @ 11:11 am
You don’t need to worry about Sarah, she only plays when she knows she *will* win. Surely everyone remembers her bowling tantrum at Centreparcs. We’ll just have to let her win.
Comment by Chris — 28 September 2005 @ 12:33 pm
Would you like some cash in advance? Seems like there will be some costs involved. I quite like Karoke, but don’t think I can do it sober, tbh.
Comment by Joyce — 28 September 2005 @ 6:34 pm
lol Alison, we can put her against Marcus and sit back for the show 😉
Comment by Kirsty — 28 September 2005 @ 6:40 pm