My son Luke’s 12th birthday coincided with the opening ceremonies of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. We combined the two and had our own backyard Olympics for friends in the neighborhood. I somehow managed to plan, decorate, and execute all of this in 24 hours, and I think somewhere out there must be a Party Planner Gold Medal with my name on it for that feat!
We played ten games. Five were team events and five were individual. A ball toss through Olympic rings, javelin (our modification was a hiking stick!), shotput (a Bocce ball), a 100-yard dash, discus, balance beam, long jump, timed free throws in basketball, a water relay, and a kayak relay. It was a HOT evening here in SC so we had plenty of water bottles available, and the kids competed hard. It’s always fun to watch a plan unfold, knowing that you are pouring into your kid’s heart and memory bank in real and tangible ways. The work is always worth it.
For dessert, I bought chocolate cupcakes with white icing from Walmart and then decorated them with the Olympic rings colors with M&Ms. Simple and cute.
First place got gold Rolos and a gift card. Second place got silver Hershey’s kisses. And third place got bronze Hershey’s chocolates.
Many thanks to Dollar Tree for keeping this affordable and doable. I bought most of the elements for my ideas there, and it kept the cost so much lower than it could have been. My kids loved the decor so much they want to keep up during the entirety of the Olympics. We spent Saturday and Sunday binge-watching the Olympics, resting, cheering, and enjoying this magical summer event that we have waited 5 years for.
Every birthday doesn’t need to be a decorating affair, but man, doing it now and then is satisfying and memorable. Just making the day a little outside the normal box makes a memory which can be done by eating at an interesting restaurant, taking a day trip, or giving the unexpected and/or extravagant. Life is so short. I am reminded of that again and again. Celebrating lights a candle of joy and hope during all the suffering and hard and even mundane. I want to light lots of candles in this life, going down in fireworks and flames!
Yours for balloons, crepe paper, and cupcakes,
Aimee
24 hours!? Girl, you are amazing! My mom planned a field games theme for my 9th birthday, and it was the most fun party I ever had. (3 legged race, hot potato, egg race, etc). You're definitely filling the memory tank with love for your sweet boy.