birthday parties

There are a lot of good on-line party supply shops in the UK that have lots of decorations, etc. for themed parties.  Just do a google "party supplies" or "party decorations" and you'll get lots of results. 

cheers I managed to bookmark a few places (partybox , sillyjokes)

I'm not really fussed about where to get stuff or need to organize a lavish do ...I'm just more worried since her birthday is on an ackward date ..I would hate for her to get disappointed if her friends don't turn up. Guess more birthday party appearences in order to gain more points 

well talked to jess and she actually came up with some good ideas about her birthday . She wants a Pirates & Mermaids party.  Games to include the mermaids making necklaces and crowns the pirates decorating their hats and patches . Ships race and the old favorite musical chairs. DH bought this huge whiteboard which we have still the giant cardboard packaging...this gave me the idea of painting it to turn it into a photo board...remember when you went to the boardwalk there were these wacky picture boards where you stick your head through?? It gives me a good project for jess during her half term ...we'll colour a pirate and a mermaid on it ...I've got an old polaroid camera which they can use to take wacky pictures of themselves. Maybe if I alocate some of the responsibilites on to Jess she'll see what a hassle it is put her off doing it again ......only kidding

That sounds like a blast!  You have a lot of great ideas!

Here's another little idea to go with your theme.  Play a game like pin the tail on the donkey, only make a treasure map of an island.  Give the kids X's (instead of tails), blindfold them and have them try to place their X as close as possible to the treasure chest.

Have a great time!

The eight year old has just been invited to a 'Pop star' party.  Sounds like fun.  Only thing is, because she has older sisters she's more into The Kaiser Chiefs and The Killers than Girls Aloud.     I have no idea what she'll wear.  I think we'd better start looking now. 

Is summer really such a bad time for a party?  My b-day is Aug 11 but I never had much trouble with parties, I guess because most of my friends were in the neighborhood so we played all year?

Anyway, Dagmar's birthday is 8-8 so I've been worried about this since I got pregnant with her!  I loooove parties and throwing parties but hate to think that nobody will come! 

My little guy's birthiday is August 13, so I'm in the same boat.  He only started preschool in February and next school year, most of the kids currently in his class will go back on a different schedule.

Since he's still little, I'll just do a family bday party, but I'm not sure what to do when he's older.

Depending on the term times and how the families are....if you are a middle of the august month birthday  it's slight risk that people may have plans to go somewhere.. the families in my area are quite transient. My husband is also an Aug baby and his mum says she suffered the same thing as his is bank holiday Aug so she used to have it early. Oh well that mean 2 birthdays for aug babies 

My brother had it the worst.  He was born in the beginning of September, and his birthday almost ALWAYS fell over Labor Day Weekend.  If you grew up in the US, you know that no one is home that weekend.  We'd do a family thing on his birthday and my mom usually had a friends party a week or two later.  He actually loved it because he got to celebrate twice.

I've also known friends who were born over winter or summer holidays to celebrate 1/2 birthdays with a party.  Of course, the kids would have to be a bit older to appreciate it and not think you were trying to gyp them or something.

Alicia, we had a huge pirate party for Brett in March. This place has tons of great themed items very cheap. I spent £50 and got tons and tons of stuff including a 5ft Jolly Roger flag and hooks, swords, hats, eye patches for everyone. Also I bought little treasure chest boxes instead of plain old goodie bags. I filled the little treasure chests with pirate themed items. Also from that store!
Two days ago I bought all the stuff for Jack Jacks first birthday party.
check it out!
http://www.partydelights.co.uk/
Also I might add they are very nice there. I must have called three times to add things to my order and they were very kind about it. Their delivery is cheap and fast also.

My first son was born right at Easter time and with Easter never being on the same date would sometimes fall on his birthday or right before or after it. THEN I had my second son December 23rd. Even worse. Parties have always been next to impossible for both of them.

I'm dreading it 

My bloody birthday most of the time landed on Superbowl sunday

Update : Well we went to Party City in US and got a pack of felt pirate hats (12pc ) for $9.99!! Ariel the mermaid garland $1.10 and other pirate bits and bobs all for $25.00....they had all the stuff in the bargain bin which was perfect. I also went to Walmart and got some stampers one kinda looks like this:
so she had a ball stamping mermaids and pirates in multicolored envelopes (which were cheap from Woolies). I also figured out the venue situation...there is a small playpark that is perfect to use instead of having it in our garden and assessable to everyone (it's actually right next to the school but doesn't belong to the school ) Jessie's joycam works and I got 60 photo pack from ebay for dead cheap. We'll work on the photoboard this weekend. We are just going to do it on the last day of term which they break up early than normal so it will be an end of term/birthday party really.

Don't know what to do about nibbles ...just crisps and sandwiches??

As someone who had a birthday on December 26th, I can say that you get used to either having parties not anywhere near your birthday so that people would come...or having very small parties as no one was around.  It's not a big deal as long as you have a party and your best friend is there.  Parents are more concerned than the kids - they just want good food and fun games. (at least until your pre-teens...then you just want to do it yourself and be left alone)

I'll be happy when that time comes ....(kinda)