Coping with stress Pt 2:
CHILDRENS PARTIES
As a child growing up in a rural environment I seemed to attend quite a large number of parties around Christmas time. One farmers wife put in a Christmas party for all the Hamlet children every year.
One child had a birthday within a day or two of Christmas and elected to have a Christmas party rather than one for her birthday.
There was of course the school Christmas party , a great occasion which always followed a concert put on by the children and finished with a gift for every child from under the tree.
All the parties had games,competitions and lots of lovely food, each child brought a small gift for the hostess(a much nicer tradition than the obligatory party bag which modern parents feel blackmailed in to giving to each child) for Christmas games I advise you to ask your Granny about the sort of games that were played when she was a child herself.
A few ,like pass the parcel still survive , but in these days of parties catered at M cDonalds and timed to the minute so that the next set of guests are already queueing up before you and your party leave games are rudimentary to say the least.
Spin the plate ,postman’s knock,sardines and charades are still great fun and keep children entertained for longer.
If your house is large Hide and Seek is exiting,if your house is smaller then try hiding a number of objects in odd placed around the house then set the children to find them. Prizes for the winners of course.
Forget the burgers and serve a selection of mini sandwiches pin wheel sandwiches,sausage rolls,so easy to make,cup cakes of course and don’t forget the trifle great big one covered with edible silver balls.
PIN WHEEL SANDWICHES
I sliced loaf
softened butter or spread
Meat paste,chicken,ham etc.
Remove the crusts from the bread then spread with a little butter. Next spread with some of the meat paste. Now roll carefully in to a sausage shape and with a sharp knife cut in to four. You can make your own fillings as long as they are smooth enough to allow the bread to be rolled up.
TRAFFIC LIGHT SANDWICHES
1 wholemeal sandwich loaf
a few thinly sliced tomatoes
half a cucumber thinly sliced
half a pound of hard yellow cheese thinly sliced or slices of boiled egg
butter or spread
Remove the crusts from the bread and butter thinly and cut in half. With a small pastry cutter cut three small circles out of half of the slices. Next place the cheese tomato and cucumber onto the slices without holes making sure that when the tops go on the fillings will show through the holes red,yellow and green just like traffic lights.
TRIPLE DECKER SANDWICHES
l sandwich loaf
softened butter or spread
an assortment of fillings (at least three
party cocktail sticks
remove the crusts from the bread and butter thinly
Take the slices three at a time and using g two of your chosen fillings make a three layer sandwich. Cut in to quarters and secure with a cock tail stick.
Instead of a salad which most children will ignore try a more adult approach and offer a dish of carrot sticks, celery sticks,spring onions and cucumber wedges, place a savoury dip in the centre.
For the dip
Half a medium sized jar of mayonnaise
a teaspoon of Italian herbs (dried will do)
teaspoon of garlic salt
the rind of a lemon
Mix all the ingredients together and place in a bowl in the centre of your veggie sticks
Any of the cookie recipes from recent blogs will be suitable for the occasion ,a selection is best.
Sausage rolls either home made of cooked from frozen are always popular.
Make no apologies for the absence of the ubiquitous party bags ,so many young mums of my acquaintance detest the practice but are not bold enough to ignore the fashion...be the first and start a new trend.
Finally don't try to go it alone.,rope in older children,your mother,your sister,your best friend,the lady next door,never be afraid to ask for help,you will often find that many people are not only waiting but are wanting to be asked.
Tomorrow the birthday cake and cheats cheese straws.
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