| How will I tell them?
A special word on the importance of a child
birthday invitation.
Relax.
There is so much fuss and anxiety tied up in the
selection that it can be the catalyst of tension that rolls thru the family 'til the Hostess
(usually) falls in a heap at the end and says "Never again".
That's not good now is it?
In its most basic form the child birthday invitation would
have taken the shape of a verbal:
"Hey, You. Party! My place. Ok?".
Little darlings do have a way of
being direct, don't they?
Direct, but not so charming for little kids..that's why Winnie the
Pooh, Princesses and the Disney Hall of Fame exist exists.
Origins of the birthdays gives a snap shot of where
the humble invite has come from. In essence, from Nobility to Profitability in about 350 yrs!
The commercial aspects of the invitation have only really come about since the
1950s.
The following considerations might ease some of the tension around your child birthday
invitation blues.
BEST Child
BIRTHDAY INVITATION Considerations
Time Spent Doing
Invitations
Come back to time. It's at a premium when you have children. Can you
remember a single child birthday invitation to one party you went to as a child? Me
either!!! No one does. DO NOT agonize over invitations.
There will be plenty of time for showing off artistic talent, graphic
design brilliance and theme appropriate clever invitations.....when they
and YOU are older.Cost and Fuss
Should be proportional to the age -- but always keep it simple. There
are enough invite packs and envelopes to cover most themes -- if you're
having one -- and interests (e.g.: Dinosaurs, Piglet, Pirates)
Choice
Can be consumed by choice. This further wounds a time poor parent. Think big,
bold and simple. Whatever child birthday invitation will do the job -- that's the one.
Key information to gather
Who is coming! That's it. No, really, that's it. You need to know that they are
comfortable with being -- wherever the party is -- and the best time
to tell them this is, that's right, in the invitation.
The message you need to deliver via the invite is pretty
important to be understood:
When, where, what, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO NOW (Not every one knows what RSVP
means. Use: Please respond by...")
Make it clear THAT THEY MUST RESPOND - that's their job, And for those parents
who are just as busy with their kids as you are raising yours, make it easy for them. Put a
phone number on it.
Other important stuff to know..
Present or no present?
Parents:
Stay or go?
Allergies Catered for?
Special Food Needs?
Time on the day?
An idea of who will be there?
When do they need to let you know?
Address?
What's your theme -- if relevant
How they may help you..
This can all be conveyed in an invitation.
Sending them out:
Do I get writers cramp or go
"impersonal" with a printed page?
Let me paint a picture: Mum with 3 kids under 7. Part time work, Husband
commutes. Daughter wants to have 20 children over for a Princess Party in the
Park. It's only for 2 hours on a weekend about 6 weeks away. What can she do..?
Step One: Go to Best Birthday Party Idea
Step Two: Grab some invites and start writing....
Step Three: STOP!!!!
In all seriousness to accomplish
the task of getting 20 kid's invites to a 2 hour party, you would most likely
spend 2hours HAND WRITING INVITATIONS.
Please don't do this. Printing is much much, much, much, much easier.
Alternatives to you handwriting invitations
Phone them
Email them
Poster at Pre school
Get others to help you
Outsource it entirely.
Free Online Invites
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One to many or one to one?
From my not so private collection of birthday stories...
This story that came out two years later - thankfully.
An invitation went out to the staff of our daughter's preschool for her 2nd
birthday. We'd sent a group invite and were looking forward to spending time
with them out of school - a way to say thanks for all their help. No one
replied. No one gave their excuses. No one ever came. Not one. We thought it was the knits
or the whole "what-we-do-for-one we must do for all" OR the "MY kid free days
are weekends!". We didn't hear a single word. Two years later... we
discovered --the invitation was never posted in the staff
room. Nobody knew about it. Somehow it had been "filed" and then forgotten.
We had spent two years wondering what had happened -- I'll admit, I thought the
worst -- when a simple, misplaced birthday invitation was responsible. We
missed out, so did the staff and, sadly so did our daughter.
Next time: personally addressed to each staff member is the way we'll go.
Finally...
Build up to the invitations by dropping
a word or two here and there in the months before the party. Nothing too
structured, just in passing, to pre-warn people. Then, when the invite arrives
they have been expecting it! Cool huh?
Whatever the invite looks like, or how it arrives the things that all parents
are going to want to know is will their child be safe, well cared for and have a
fun time.
So, put your energies there and not into an
over-the-top child birthday invitation. As a loving parent you'll deliver that
care, safety, and fun for their kids as easily as you do for your own child.
Go well, and let me know how it went.
Best Child
Birthday Invitation SUGGESTION
Make a quick selection of the How will I tell them. Cover off the key bits of info. Get
'em out early and if you have to follow up ('cos no one's replied sniff
sniff)... tasks groups of friends to hassle each other. You've got more
important things to do.
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