Birthdays

Dear Judy ~ it is my daughter's 21st soon and due to the economy, we are battling.  What alternatives to a party are there? - Jen - Dundee, Scotland.

Dear Jen

The good news is that unless your daughter has a wide range of friends she wants to invite, a party need not be too expensive.  Explain the circumstances to her and she is sure to understand.  Bake and ice the cake yourself well ahead of time - you can purchase ready-to-roll icing - all you need to do is to add a plastic 21st key and a few sprigs of flowers.  It all depends on your icing abilities.  As for the party - my suggestion would be to set out cold chicken, couscous and salads.  A few bottles of cool-drinks to pour and a bottle or two of champagne (for toasting).  For dessert just cut the cake and hand round pieces!  Find an outdoor area that you can make really pretty with fairy lighting and candles.  Add some music and leave them to it.  You should have some good photo opportunities here for the memory books and it should not have cost an arm or a leg.  Take a look at "5 Ways to Celebrate a 21st".

Judy

Hello there Judy ~ please give me some ideas to cut costs for my five-year old's birthday! Rosie - Sallybrook, Cork.

Hello Rosie

This is easy.  You can either send the birthday cake plus snack-boxes to the pre-school and ask the teacher to take photographs (or go there to take them yourself) - or you can do the same thing at home.  Saves an awful lot of mess and clutter.  Personalized snack-boxes are the best way to cut costs for a child's birthday party.  Bring out the balloons and arrange a lot of games so the children won't get bored and use cordial for drink.  Kids won't care - they will be too busy enjoy themselves.  With what you save, you can give each child a complimentary gift to take home.  Ideas for birthday party games.

Have fun

Judy