Sunday 24 April 2016

Musings of the mind . . .




 I think a lot at night, do you?   When I get into bed and after I have read a while, turned out the light, said my prayers   . . .  all these random thoughts come into my head.   Last night I was thinking about Birthday Parties from when I was a child.   My mother organised Birthday Parties for me up until I was about ten years old, but after that age they stopped.   I am not sure how long she did them for my brother and sister, but I know for sure I had my last one when I was ten. 

 I remember one year when she made ice cream clowns for us all. And there would be soda pop and hot dogs . . .  potato chips . . . and a Birthday Cake of course!

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 I have always appreciated all the work she put into them for us . . .  the food, the games, etc.  Knowing her as I do now, I am sure it was a real sacrifice on her part as she was a person who didn't really like entertaining or having other people in the house.  I think this was mostly due to the fact that my father didn't really help with anything at home and it always ended up being a lot of work for her.  She went out to work full time when I was 11 and so this would have meant that her work load doubled.

I did love to get invites to other people's Birthday parties and each was accompanied with a great deal of excitement!

 

This was a chance to wear your Sunday Clothes on another day of the week!  And you got to take a present to someone, and with any luck it might have even been something that you got to pick out yourself.  I don't believe I ever got to do that really  . . .  I think I would have chosen something really expensive.   I have expensive taste when it comes to things like that, lol.  Nothing changes!  I have always felt that if you want to get someone a nice gift you buy them something which you would really love to have yourself, but wouldn't quite splurge on for yourself.

 

Birthday parties were always so very exciting.  Filled with lots of giggles and smiles.   Everyone all dressed up.  An air of anticipation.  I must have been fairly popular because I don't remember ever not being invited to parties.   It must have been sad for those who were not invited.  I am sure they felt very left out.   My birthday always fell in the middle of August, so leaving people out was never a problem.   I was lucky if there were enough people around to invite that weren't away on holidays!



I loved playing Birthday Party Games . . .  frozen tag, blind man's bluff, pin the tail on the donkey, etc.   I remember one game in particular where my friends mother brought in a tray with an assortment of items on it covered with a handkerchief.   She removed the handkerchief for a few minutes so we could observe, and then the handkerchief was replaced and we would have to try to remember everything that was on the tray. 

Some of my friends had really well off parents and I remember being taken to the movies and everyone having popcorn and a drink.  I remember one party where the meal was a roast beef dinner with all the trimmings.  My mother would never have been able to afford cooking a roast dinner for that many people.   I remember yet another Birthday Party where we watched Disney Cartoons on the television, also a real novelty.

 

The culmination of every party however would have been the cake . . .  all nicely decorated and candled up.  There was a great deal of  anticipation when it came to the blowing out of candles.   Would they be able to do it all in one blow and get their wish???  Only a really crass person would help to blow out another's candles . . .  but I do remember some people doing just that.   Some really lucky kids had little bits of money buried in the cake for the guests to find.   Small dimes or nickles, wrapped carefully in waxed paper and tucked in here and there.  You could buy a lot with a nickle or a dime back then!

I don't remember being given treat bags at the ends of any party, but do remember little treat baskets at each place setting at the table.  Little plastic baskets filled with an assortment of candies.  That would have been your party favour.   And probably a balloon.  And party hats.

They were simple times, but as simple as they were, they left a great impression on me as a child and lots of lovely memories.



I was invited to my very first boy/girl dance birthday party when I was ten and that was a whole different kettle of fish!  It was  held in someones father's garage.  There was dance music and balloons hanging from the rafters of the garage and it was darkish.   It smelt of gasoline and rubber and aftershave.   The boy's name was Maurice.  Thinking back on it now . . .  it was probably a bit too  much for a bunch of ten year olds.  I was still playing with my Barbies.  Then again, if my memory serves me correct, Maurice had older brothers and so he was probably a lot more sophisticated than I was.  This is the same boy who,  one day when I was with my friend Janice and him, told her to ditch me because he wanted to be alone with her.   I couldn't imagine why they would ever possibly want to be alone.

Oh boy  . . .  was I ever naive . . .  but I am glad that I was!!


 photo copyright mistletoe elf_zpszpnvvvl1.jpg

I did a few little bits yesterday for the show in NYC yesterday.   They had asked for some Christmas stuff.  Not sure if it is any good or not but here it is . . . a mistletoe elf


 photo copyright Christmas light elf_zpsjjlxomrv.jpg

A christmas light elf  . . .


 photo copyright little caroler_zpsuzvnzraa.jpg

A little caroler . . .

We will see how it goes.  I have other things I need to be working on as I was asked to make something a week or so ago and haven't started it yet.  Life has gotten very busy!

A thought to carry with you through the day  . . .

  ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ
You can never cross the ocean
unless you have the courage
to lose sight of the shore  . . . 
~Unknown
 ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ

Spiritual Enlightenment



In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Rhubarb Dumplings.


I wish for you a wonderful Sunday!  Don't forget!

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════


And I do too!


8 comments:

  1. thanks for sharing your treasured memories, very sweet.

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  2. Gosh two mornings in a row I've got on first time ....!!.....it was lovely reading about your birthday parties. It made me think back and I actually can remember just a few, as I was so often in and out of hospital and away from school that I had very few actual close friends and although mum organised parties for me it was mostly Sarah's friends ! Plus Phil my school friend and the two boys Alex and Tom the three of us Tom Alex and Phil were neighbours we had great fun at the parties like you playing the same kind of games etc..of course my birthdays at least the earlier years were just after the war and things were still on rations so maybe parties were not held so much, I certainly can't remember going to anyone else's parties ! But never felt left out so think there mustn't have been..Phil. Alex and Tom didn't have parties I don't think LOL....anyway thinking back has been fun thanks as always xx. Looks like another nice day ahead, if only this cold north wind would go away, we are not going out for lunch today so when I come home from church I will have to think something up ....maybe a stir fry...hope you, Tod, and Mitzie have a lovely day xxx

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  3. Thanks Shortybear! xoxo

    I loved reading about your party memories Sybil! I lived on small airforce bases, so the party guests would pretty much have been the same at all the parties! I can remember my mother being very excited that I had been invited to a Colonol's daughter's Birthday Party! They were all just children to me! A stir fry sounds nice! What time should I be over? lol I wish! xoxo

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  4. Good morning Marie,

    I have had a day out visiting Anzac sites down the Gold Coast. I have wanted to do it for the longest time and I doubt I will manage to be up early enough for any of the dawn services tomorrow morning.

    I was often one of the left out. So when my children had parties it was rare and it was the whole class/ cub pack etc. They were always given a celebration with family and other friends though. Parties weren't frequent when I was a child. Mum didn't like doing them although she could make fantastic cakes. Sometimes we were taken to a pantomime or children's play instead of a party. Mum used to pay my aunt to take Lang and I to the movies. That is how much she hated those childhood things. I remember two special cakes. One was a clown and the other a dolly varden. I wanted a basket cake decorated with chocolates but they always went to other children.

    God bless your day.

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  5. Oh my goodness...
    I so enjoyed this today!
    Thank you for sharing the sweet memories of the Birthday parties...
    And the images to go with them!
    I wish that things were still like that today, don't you?
    Have a cozy day!

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  6. (((((hugs))))) Suzan. So sorry you were one of the ones left out. I had the odd Birthday party for the kids when they were growing up, but mostly we just took them to wherever they wanted to go for the day and then they had a friend to stay overnight. I never got to have sleepovers when I was a kid, so that was really special to me! I think they enjoyed anyways! xoxo

    Thanks BillieJo! I do wish things were still so simple, yes! But with computers, because I like my computer and all of you! Hope you have a cozy day also! xoxo

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  7. Totally cute Christmas girls..♥
    You are a wonderful artist.I hope you will remember us when you are finally in a well deserved limelight.

    I remember Pin The Tail on the donkey in a hallway..not quite sure if it was ours..

    I don't rememer a party:(
    I do remember the plastic baskets I loved them..now loot bags are real loot bags..gifts a plenty!

    Theme parties now straight out of movies..

    such a different life..I do have a picture of me at a party..outside..but not mne? Or maybe it was.

    I loved doing parties and cakes for my daughters:)
    Nice memories..

    enjoy this day ...

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  8. Oh my Monique, God forbid I should ever forget my friends, not that I think there is any real risk of this ever happening! I bet you did lovely parties for your girls! My kids had special cakes I made just for them, each one a different flavour and style. Oh I did love doing this. I hope you are having a lovely Sunday! Xoxo

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