I have a nephew with a birthday coming up, so I created this card for him. I’m challenging myself to keep creating – the more I do, the easier it gets.
Category: CELEBRATE
Harry Potter Birthday Party – Activities
Once everyone arrived and they changed into robes and selected a wand, we moved into Defense Against the Dark Arts class, where the kids decorated their treat boxes. We used paper gabled boxes and decorated them to look like luggage trunks. The had to glue on the Harry Potter stickers, use washi tape for the straps, and with some help, used brass fasteners for the finishing touch. (It was funny to see that many of the kids had not used the brass fasteners before and didn’t know they had to ‘open’ the backs of them to make them stay in place.) They tied a luggage tag to their trunk, so they could fill their box with goodies, and take them home at the end of the party.
We then moved outside for potions. I had three tables, set up in a U-shape. I put four kids on each side, with two helpers in the middle. I was at the head table.
We started by ‘hatching’ dragon eggs. I made the eggs in advance by forming balls of baking soda, water, and food coloring around plastic dragons, into an egg shape. I popped them into the freezer until party time.
We made glow in the dark slime. Mixing Elmers clear glue with a slime ‘reactor’, and then adding in the glow in the dark powder. The kids mixed everything up in black paper cups with tongue depressors, and once they had slime, they put it in a plastic jar with a lid to take home. I had printed labels for the jars, with everyone’s name on them, so they didn’t get mixed up.
We made popcorn to demonstrate another chemical reaction. I used an outside ‘camping’ stove with a clear glass lid, so the kids could watch the popcorn popping. They were suitably impressed, and enjoyed munching on the popcorn.
We next put vinegar into a plastic ziplock back, and then tossed in a tissue filled with baking soda, zipped the bag and tossed it out into the driveway. They kids got a kick out of watching the bags expand and then explode!
We made root beer floats. The American kids were like “ROOT BEER FLOATS – YEAH!!!” The other kids were like “don’t drink that!!! It tastes like medicine!”
We (attempted to) put mentos in Coke. Everyone had a bottle of Coke, and a stack of 6 mentos that I glued together, so that they would all go in at once. Well, the birthday boy put mentos into his Coke. I could only get my hands on seven 250ml bottles of Coke…the teeny tiny ones. I had to use one 350ml bottle, so the larger bottle went to the birthday boy. It turns out the cute little bottles were too small – and the mentos would not fit! The kids didn’t care. They shook their bottles and sprayed the foam, without the mentos. All in the name of science, of course!
I had one more activity up my sleeve, but I was nervous about it. I need industrial grade peroxide. The type you would get from Sally Beauty Supply. Unfortunately, there is no Sally here, so I ordered peroxide. Instead of getting 15% peroxide, I got 50%. Eek! As we were running out of time, we skipped this activity. The idea was to make ‘Hagrid’s toothpaste’, and mix the peroxide with baking soda, add some plastic spiders and watch it all explode from the recycled jam jars that I had collected from my neighbors. Oh well. Maybe next time!
After potions class, we headed to the Great Hall for cake and ice cream. The party was between meal times, so we had lots of healthy snacks out: cucumbers, tomatoes, hummus, cheese, almonds, etc.
We had lemonade and water to drink, and then a three-layered birthday cake, made to look just like the one Hagrid brought to Harry on his 11th birthday. Pink frosting, with green lettering: Happee Birthdae, Jackson. With two layers of vanilla cake and a strawberry layer in between there was something for everyone, and the birthday boy was on cloud 9! We also had a choice of vanilla or strawberry ice cream.
Once everyone had finished eating, they headed to the trolley to fill their treat boxes with popcorn, chocolate frogs (that I made from Ghirardelli chocolate and plastic frog molds), jelly beans (Bertie Botts and the ‘nice’ Jelly Bellies), and gold coins. They also took home the dragons they hatched, the slime they made, and their robes and wands. It truly was a magical birthday!
Harry Potter Birthday Party – Decorations
Platform 9 3/4 and Hogwarts Express: I had suitcases and trunks along with Hedwig (and cage), Scabbers, and Crookshanks at the front door. I also had a chalkboard with the message “Wizards Welcome – Muggles Tolerated”. Using a spring load rod and ring clips I hung backdrop with a brick design and the slit already cut – the for the kids to walk through. I made a Hogwarts Express sign with cardboard and paint. Once ‘aboard’, the kids changed into robes and selected a wand. I used graduation gowns and ironed on Gryffindor badges to make the robes and I used hot glue and paint on large chopsticks to make the wands. (include picture of sign, wands, robes)
Defense Against the Dark Art class: Brick patterned plastic sheeting that looked like castle stones to cover up the junk on my bookshelves. I set up Wizard’s Chess, keys with wings, greenery to represent Devil’s Snare, and a plush Fluffy – the three headed dog on this table. This is where the kids decorated their treat boxes, so I also set out glue, Harry Potter stickers, washi tape, luggage tags with their names, and brass fasteners.
Potions: Outside, I set up three folding tables. A head table for me and all the extra supplies. I had a cauldron, glass bottles with cork stoppers that were filled with colored water, and lots of vinegar, baking soda. I had brooms leaning up against a potions sign (add photo). The tables were set with gold paper trays holding all of the ingredients they would need. (Coke, mentos, Root beer, glow in the dark powder, Elmers glue, paper cups, glass jelly jars, tongue depressors, etc.)
Great Hall: I set up the dining room table with a tablecloth, cloth napkins, gold chargers, candelabra, stemmed (plastic) cups. Nearly Headless Nick was looking on. (a cardboard knight cutout taped to the door)
Bathroom: There’s a TROLL in the dungeon sign, with a picture of the troll – hung on the bathroom door.
Harry Potter Birthday Party – Early Planning
There are so many options and ideas for a theme – it is so easy to go overboard. I focused on the first movie – The Sorcerer’s Stone and kept it very light – nothing scary. My goal was to use props and supplies that I already had, and to buy things that could be reused for future party decorations. I ordered most everything from Amazon, and I ordered early – knowing that mail often takes a month or more to get here, and frequently gets lost along the way.
I organized everything by station: Hogwarts Express, The Great Hall, Defense Against the Dark Art class, and Potions class.
I even gave Jackson his Lego gift early, so that he could put it together before the party, and we could use it as a decoration!
Harry Potter Birthday Party: Invitations
Back in December or so, I convinced Jackson to let me plan a Harry Potter birthday party for him. He has been quite against it, but once I convinced him to watch the Sorcerer’s Stone with me, he was all in. We agreed to have a small-ish party at the house, and we set the guest list to 8 kids total.
I started with the invitations. Most invitations are digital these days, but I went old school and created ‘flat card’ paper invitations, with a Hogwarts wax seal for the envelopes. I used 4 Privet Drive font for both invitation and envelope, with black ink for invitations and a green ink for the text of the envelopes. I think they turned out marvelous!
Getting Ready for February Birthdays
My brother and his daughter have birthdays in early February. I created these adorable birthday cards for them, and Jackson helped me with the scoring tool, so that we could fold them easily and get the in the mail.
I created both cards in Adobe Illustrator, using a template I had set up previously. It is for a 5X7 card, with fold and cut lines. I also bought these cute watercolor woodland animal designs from Creative Market.
LE Staff Appreciation 2022
Each year, we celebrate the local staff who work at our embassies. The celebrations vary from embassy to embassy, and from year to year. This year, we organized a Thanksgiving lunch for our (400+) colleagues.
I shared my Thanksgiving decorations – pumpkins, leaves, acorns, etc. – which were set out on the serving tables. I also helped to serve lunch. We had turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, cranberry sauce, and apple crisp. It was so lovely to see my colleagues, serve them, and let them know that they are appreciated.
Happy Halloween 2022
We celebrated Halloween on Saturday with a trunk or treat. The cub scouts had a teepee for the ‘trunk’. Jackson shared some plastic spider ‘rings’ with his fellow scouts, he enjoyed a snow cone, and lots of cookies and cupcakes – along with a chicken nugget and a French fry. It was so so so hot. But the veteran trunk or treaters said they were not complaining, as it typically rains! We had so much fun!
Then on Monday we celebrated in our neighborhood with door-to-door trick or treating, American-style. With lots of American candy! After the trick or treating was complete, the kids ran around, and the grown-ups gathered at a neighbor’s place to wrap up the evening with chips and salsa and margaritas. We are already looking forward to next year’s celebrations!
At home, our air freight arrived so we had a few decorations to put out. I taped paper bats to the front window and mixed our fake pumpkins in with the Jack-o-lanterns that we carved.
Halloween Treats for School
I’ve not heard anything from Jackson’s teacher or homeroom mom about Halloween festivities at school this year – no reminder to wear Halloween costumes and no request for candy. It turns out that Halloween is not celebrated at our school here. No costume parades or parties. Assuming that we would have a party at school, I stocked up on treat bags, bought treats, and made these cute little tags. Since I’m already prepared, I’ll just send in the little treats for the class to take home. Each pack has an American candy, a Halloween sticker, and a Halloween ‘punch’ balloon.
And fortunately, we have other opportunities to celebrate this very American holiday over the next few days…so lots more fun to look forward to!
Daddy’s 80th Birthday
We’ve got several milestone birthdays this year!
Daddy turned 80 the week after Josh turned 30, so Mom and I organized a surprise virtual celebration.
We set up the link in Google Meets and tested a few times with Aunt Darlene before we had the invitations finalized.
We pulled out the old photos and picked a few and went to Etsy to create the invitation.
We then found a cool poster on Etsy from the same seller.
I then went to Staples.com and had the poster mounted on posterboard. (Unfortunately, there was not option to pick it up at the store.) Delivery was scheduled, but did not arrive in time for the celebration. I might not use them again, or would order farther in advance.
My oldest brother and I went in on a flower and balloon bouquet, so dad would have some decorations in the background of his virtual celebration. I ordered those online through the local florist, and scheduled delivery for his special day. I also put a bag of balloons in my suitcase, as I was likely going to be away for his actual birthday.
Mom and I picked up an apple pie at Sam’s Club and I ordered huge golden 80 candles from Amazon.
For his gift, I ordered a Storyworth subscription. For one year, he will receive weekly prompts to write about his life and memories, and at the end of the year, he will receive a hard bound book with all of his stories printed out.
For the actual event, I had just arrived in Indonesia. I pulled the balloons from my suitcase and inflated them before I called (on Google Meets!) to wish my dad a Happy Birthday. We were chatting away when the other guests started to pop onto the screen! He was so surprised. Everyone chatted and mom pulled out the apple pie and lit the candles. It really was a huge success, and my dad was so happy to be able to celebrate his special day, even with everyone so far away.