A Guide to Celebrating Birthdays in the New Normal: Amelia’s Drive-By Party!

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BIRTHDAYS ARE MEANT TO CELEBRATED, NO MATTER WHAT

So, there’s a global virus spreading around, it’s invisible, and it’s in the air. Oh and people have been stuck at their houses for more than a year. Ever since the pandemic started, parents have had a hard time planning their kid’s party. Worst case scenario, they didn’t celebrate at all.

But I think it’s time we put an end to all the doom and gloom. For starters, let’s all agree to stop saying that “P” word. Comprende?

Our team believes that every moment with your child must be cherished. Time will never go back and your kid’s chubby cheeks will not be the same next year.

Sneak Peek At Amelia’s Drive-By Party

All it takes is a slight shift in mindset. In another words, a change in attitude:

I will celebrate this special moment, pandemic be damned!

So how now? What to do? For Mommy Aileen’s case, it was a literal light bulb moment:

DRIVE-BY PARTY!

It all makes sense: a drive-by party is in the outdoors, so there’s less risk. Guests would drop by, take photos, get some giveaways and souvenirs, chit-chat a bit with the family (at a safe distance, of course), then go on their merry way. Everyone ends their day happy and fulfilled!

Picking all sorts of goodies at Amelia’s Drive-By Party. Can anyone be more excited?

We understand that everyone wants to celebrate without compromising their family’s safety, so having a drive-by party is one of the best options out there right now, in my honest opinion. For Mommy Aileen’s case, she made sure that all her guests would have enough time and space (and not to mention all those fresh fruits and veggies as giveaways!) to see her baby, enjoy, and celebrate with them even from a distance.

Here’s a general guide on how to plan your baby’s party, new normal edition:

1. Theme, theme, theme

Theme is very vital to make your kid’s day really memorable. Finding the right theme for your kid and family will make the whole party planning much, much easier.

Here are some questions that you might like to consider in searching for the right theme. Do you know the look and feel that you want to achieve? What’s your child’s favorite character? Favorite book?

Props to Mommy Aileen for choosing probably the best theme for Amelia: Peter Rabbit!

Concept Art by Party Magic by Michelle Lao

I absolutely LOVE the soft colors and hand-drawn authenticity of Peter Rabbit. Here’s how the stage turned out:

Oh, and another thing to consider: if your Drive-By party is at your house, make sure the theme fits the look of your driveway and house (more or less). Which leads us to point number 2 below.

2. The right venue

The most logical choice of venue for your drive-by party would be your home. Logical, because you have greater control over your event at your own residence, not to mention the extent of decor that you plan on having.

But if for some reason, you don’t want your home to be the venue, here are some other possible places to hold the party (all of which Party Magic has already done):

  • Private function room of a restaurant, ideally a room that can hold 30-40 pax. (Even if your guests are just around 20 people, you will still need extra space for the stage decor and for some social distancing)
  • An outdoor / al-fresco venue
  • A private resort / garden in the outskirts of the Metro

Mommy Aileen and Amelia sharing a magical moment (with a turtle!)

Once you’ve chosen your venue, a few things note:

  • Make sure the area has good lighting, particularly natural sunlight, as this is the best magic trick you can do for perfect photos.
  • Safety for both your family and guests. Make sure that the area that you have is spacious enough and far from cars and other people outside your circle. We all don’t want our kids to accidentally run somewhere and cause people to panic. We only want happy memories in the parties that we’re all creating.
  • Ventilation. In addition to good lighting, we want fresh air too.

3. Spice things up: prepare photo areas, treats, giveaways, activities!

Make the whole drive-by experience an adventure, and make your guests feel so happy they wish the party wasn’t just a drive-by!

The key here is to have the right idea, and get the right suppliers to execute. Upon entering, guests can grab a hat and a basket:

They can then choose to fill their baskets with fruits and veggies:

And drop by the dessert table to get some goodies:

In the middle of everything, the guests can take photos at the stage, and chit-chat with the celebrating family. After which, on their way out, they pick up their giveaways, which are these super cute planter set, complete with customized watering can and seeds!

Aaand, not to mention: these super cute plushies!

Extra tips and suggestions:

  • For suppliers, make sure to check not only the products that they offer but also their level of service: the level of customization that they offer, ideas that they suggest, and overall professionalism.
  • Food Platters. You can also choose to give away food to your guests, just make sure they are securely packed and individually wrapped. Try to avoid sauces since they easily spill, and make sure that the food can be easily reheated by the guests when they get home.

On kiddie parties, we have to satisfy the real bosses: our kids. In choosing treats, they must be new and challenging enough for them to be excited, as we don’t want a bored child seating in the car asking where to go next.

What I love about Amelia’s party is the sheer variety of it all: the kids get to take photos, pick desserts (and eat them), choose fruits and veggies to take home, get their giveaways, choose a plushie. It’s all more than enough to capture the attention and wonder of every child. When the kids arrived at the drive-by, they left their bored faces in the car and immediately put their farmer hats on, ready to do some market shopping!

A Happy 2nd Birthday to our precious Amelia!

Love,

Michelle

About the author

Michelle Lao

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