Birthday party ideas?

[DeBora4BobbyL]

My birthday is coming up next month. I want to have a cookout with my friends and their families. However, I want to go as easy and inexpensive as possible. Any ideas?

My some of my friends have children and some have teens. My DD will probably come with her two young children. I am thinking about putting a bunch of soft drinks in an ice chest. I also want to make sure that noone brings me a gift as the socializing will be what I want. I miss my friends so much and they miss me. It is so difficult for us all to get together. I want to have it by the river where I live where there are grills. I can also make food ahead of time. I cannot decide whether or decorate a cake or bring something else. I appreciate your ideas and suggestions and recipes.

[cat lover]

I'll have to get back with you on some recipes. But your idea of make ahead and grilling sounds great! Since you are doing outside, what about pies or pastries vs. iced cake? Then you don't have any heat problem with icing melting. You can buy a box of burger patties and hot dogs work great. Would you have a place with outlets? If so you can do crockpots with baked beans or other veggies. Fruit salad or just a large bowl of assorted fresh fruit would work also. You can even ice up a chest cooler and place the fresh fruit on top of the ice;quick and easy! A veggie "tray" works that way with an ice chest also.

[ajrsmom]

You could do the hamburgers and hot dogs route with a fixins table.

Or you could bar-b-que chicken legs.

I would go with lots of salads--potato, macaroni, broccoli...etc, cole slaw, baked beans

For low carb, you can do deviled eggs, celery and cream cheese or pnut butter.

Birthday cupcakes would be easier than a cake and a lot less messy.

There's always salad desserts like 5-cup salad, strawberry pretzel salad, Jell-O salad....ect.

The soft drink chest is a good idea. You might want to consider "little hugs" drinks or juice boxes for the kids.


Have fun!!!

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I won't have any outlets. I could get them for a price, but I don't think I will need them. I don't want to do pastries of pies since I am not fond of them and never have. I like the idea of baked beans and fruit salad.

I LOVE the idea of deviled eggs since they are my fave. I can make them ahead of time too. Tami, didn't you post an idea on how to pack them for travel? I like the juice box idea too for the kids.

I also like the idea of a fixins' table for hotdogs and hamburgers. That way, ppl can put what they want on their meals.

We have 2 large ice chests so we can put drinks in one and other stuff in the other.

What is strawberry pretzel salad?

Thanks for the ideas.

[ajrsmom]

I won't have any outlets. I could get them for a price, but I don't think I will need them. I don't want to do pastries of pies since I am not fond of them and never have. I like the idea of baked beans and fruit salad.

I LOVE the idea of deviled eggs since they are my fave. I can make them ahead of time too. Tami, didn't you post an idea on how to pack them for travel? I like the juice box idea too for the kids.

I also like the idea of a fixins' table for hotdogs and hamburgers. That way, ppl can put what they want on their meals.

We have 2 large ice chests so we can put drinks in one and other stuff in the other.

What is strawberry pretzel salad?

Thanks for the ideas.


I did win an award on FC for my egg idea. I use this tip all of the time.

Slice your hard boiled eggs, add the yolks to a Ziploc bag and the whites to the tray that you will be using. (make sure the tray will fit into your cooler. Or you can carefully add the white parts to another Ziploc bag to put into the cooler--dont forget to take the extra tray! ;)

Into the baggie with the yolks, add the rest of your ingredients for deviled eggs. Mush together in the bag to mix everything. Toss the bag into the cooler for traveling. When it's time to fill the eggs, small a small snip in the corner of the bag and....voila! Your own pastry bag. :)


Strawberry Pretzel Salad is soooo good! It sounds strange but it's good!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

2 C. Crushed pretzels
3/4 C. Melted margarine
1 C. Sugar
8 oz. Cream cheese softened
1 Container Cool Whip (8 oz.) thawed
2 pk Strawberry jello (3 oz.)
2 C. Boiling water
2 pk Frozen strawberries (10 oz.)

Mix pretzels and margarine. Pat into a 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool completely.
Cream sugar and cream cheese until well blended. Fold in cool whip. Spread over the pretzel layer. Chill until firm. Add boiling water to the jello. Stir in strawberries, still frozen. Mixture should become thickened, but if not, chill until slightly thick. Spread over the cheese mixture.
Chill until set. If desired, crushed pretzels may be sprinkled on the top. Cut into squares to serve.

Yummy!!


At a party like this one, where you want to mingle, I am all for "fix it yourself" ----the fixins table, the soda cooler, the easy side sides and cupcakes and easy desserts.

This way you don't have to wait on everyone and you can enjoy your party!!

[cat lover]

The pretzel salad is wonderful!!! My SIL makes one for gatherings and it makes either a nice salad or can count as dessert!

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Tami, NOW I remember the idea! I am proud of myself that I remembered that it was you who had the idea. I usually remember that there was an idea and that it was on FC or MM, but that is about it. lol I think I will try that. I will talk to my DD when she comes tomorrow and ask if she wants to come and if she does, I will ask her if she wants to help. If she'll help, I can do more sides ahead of time.

I do want to mingle. I am fortunate that all my friends and their spouses get along with each other, even though we all don't hang out together. One of them doesn't even speak much English. lol Actually, her DH works with my DH. He married a Mexican woman and when I took Spanish, she helped me with it and we hit it off. They have teenage boys. She is so shy about being around people because she is self counscious about her English. But, after she met a friend of mine who does speak Spanish and my other friends who made her feel welcome, she seems at ease with in public.

With the cupcake suggestion, I am wondering what everyone thinks about this idea? What if I bake the cupcakes ahead of time, and bring the icing and candies for decorating to the party. Instead of a sudae bar, I could have a cupcake bar, where everyone would ice and decorate their own cupcakes? I could bring toasted coconut, M&Ms, and other things to top the cupcakes?

Another thing DH and I have been discussing it whether or not to have it on my birthday, which falls on a Thursday, or to have it the following day, which is a Friday, when most people don't have to go to work. I am going to have to hit my friends with that suggestion.

I know that 3-4 years ago I had a party at the "Beach" (the name given to the park at the river) with my friends. We had such a blast. I want to duplicate or outdo that.

[ajrsmom]

I love your cupcake idea. :)


Who says that kids should have all the fun at their parties??? :p


This way, everyone can top their cupcakes with whatever they want---and I bet that you will have a contest erupt from the fun! ;)

MMMM.....coconut, M&Ms, chopped up Snickers or other candy bars, Jimmies (sprinkles), nuts.....the list is endless!!:)

Don't forget the candles.....everyone needs to light a candle and sing happy birthday to you!! You are never too old for that!! ;)


It sounds like a wonderful time. Having good friends around makes the party 3/4 of the way prepared already!! :D

PS.....I would vote for Friday so that most wouldn't have to worry about getting up early on Sat. :cool:

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Thanks for the suggestion. I will have to talk to DH about taking off on that Friday since that is his first day back. Bummer that school starts on Monday. I guess I had better talk to my friends about when their school starts.

[ajrsmom]

When is your birthday, anyway? :)

[DeBora4BobbyL]

August 23rd.

[cat lover]

Sounds like the party is coming along well! Decided on the menu yet?

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I am thinking about keeping my party simple as possible so I can do more for my DGD's. But, thus far I am planning, burgers and hot dogs. Then, I can set up a buffet of various veggies and pickles for everyone to dress their own burgers and dogs. I may make some potato salad and baked beans as those can be made ahead of time. I wonder if they could be kept warm double wrapped in foil? Then the clean-up would be a piece of cake. I would also have chips. I would like to make deviled eggs if I am up to it as they are my favorite.

I am also thinking about bringing the cupcakes. I thought that maybe having the guests decorate their cupcakes to honor me and let me judge who has the ugliest, cutest, and other such awards. I don't know what I would do about prizes, but I thought making a game of it would be fun.

My friend is back from being out of town, so I will have to get her involved in some planning ideas.

[ajrsmom]

Sounds like you have everything under control.

If you can't use a crockpot to keep the beans warm, double wrapping them should keep them warm for a while. They are good at room temp, though.

I love the idea of judging the cupcakes! LOL! Hit the Dollar Stores or Party stores for some kind of little silly prizes. Or make silly stickers that look like blue ribbons and say something like " Blue ribbon for ugliest cupcake". "Blue ribbon for nicest cupcake".

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I LOVE your idea of prizes at the dollar store. I will have to see if we have a Dollar General around here since that is one of Bobby's sponsors for his Busch car because I am loyal that way. lol I will continue to plan though.