five tenth birthday parties in one day

[kareina]

Since my birthday happened to fall on a Saturday this year I booked the Gillestuga in Gammelstad for a party. The up side to this was a much larger room than we have at home, so it was possible to have both space for dancing and a bunch of tables pushed together in a square big enough for a dozen or so people to sit around and have all the food in the middle.


Knowing that December tends to be busy for everyone, with most people having multiple invitations to choose from every weekend all month, I opted to do the invite as "drop in whenever you can between 11:00 and midnight".

Party #1

The day's first party began right after I arrived and started baking the bread rolls (from dough that had sat in the fridge over night) and making a pot of soup to share. People kept arriving as I cooked. Some of them lent a hand, while others entertained us with conversation, and by the time the lunch was ready to sit to the table, just after 13:00, we had 13 people present.

Party #2

Then some of the guests had to leave for a choir and a few new people arrived, I unwrapped my presents*, and then some of the musician started playing, so the second party included a mix of dancing, quiet conversation with good music in the background, and more food.

Party #3

Then a few more people left and others arrived, including my acroyoga partner arrived, so after she had a chance to eat a bit she and I started playing. We are getting much better at this trick, and I can report that it is every bit as much fun as it looks. We convinced my dance teacher's grandson to try a bit of the acroyoga, and, to no one's surprise, he was able to do everything he tried on the first go. The kid is a competitive gymnast, and it was his habit of walking on his hands during our weekly dance sessions that first inspired me to start working out and doing the acroyoga etc.


Party #4

After the acroyoga, and the departure of some people and the arrival of others, we spent some time singing, while I worked my way around the circle braiding people's hair. I also ate my dinner somewhere in here, and baked more bread for people, since we had eaten the last of the bread rolls.


Party #5

Later in the evening my friends from Phire arrived and we went outside, across the street to the large parking lot, and they did a little fire show, which was quite nice. Not every birthday party gets its own private fire show. After the fire show most of the jesters ate cake and relaxed, while one of them joined me in a nice long yoga session before everyone pitched in to help clean up and head home.

By the end of the evening a total of 28 guests (not counting me, of course) had spent anywhere between an hour and 12 hours at the party, and I count the day a wonderful success.

*I had said in advance that I didn't really need any presents (though, of course, I would accept contributions to next year's personal trainer so I can continue in my fitness journey. However, a few people opted to ignore this. Several of the people who arrived early in the day came bearing gift-wrapped boxes, but since I was busy shaping breadrolls, with flour covered hands, I had them put them on a table till I got the rolls baked, the soup cooked, and had eaten a bit of lunch.

Even without the cards it was easy to remember which package had come from whom as I unwrapped them:

lord_kjar's brother and sister in law brought me a small useful wooden box in the same size as a stackable set we already have, and in the lid of the box they hid a pair of fabric scissors, as one can never have too many pairs in the house.

lord_kjar and C. presented me with a new air-pop popcorn popper, so that we have a way to pop corn that our nut allergic friends can eat (I often use peanut oil in my old popcorn popper, and the above mentioned sister-in-law is allergic to nuts).

Our Nyckleharpa teacher and his wife gave me a trollkors and some candles.

Then I noticed a small, shiny silver coloured cardboard box I didn't recognize and opened it to see what it contained. There was no card, but there was also no doubt at all about who had made the contents:



These wonderful silk hair ribbons were tablet-woven by my talented senior apprentice, who managed to weave them together so that there is no seam where the three ends meet in the middle. I have been wanting something like this for quite a while, and these are everything I had been hoping for (but I had no idea that she was going to make them for me). When braided into my hair it gives me lovely blue braids that reach to my hips. It is so nice to have hair back to a decent length again, even if it is only silk.

Later in the day my other apprentice arrived, and she also presented me some weaving--her first attempt at the traditional Swedish rigid heddle band weaving, which came out really well, and I am very pleased with it.

In addition to all of these wonderful gifts, I got the gift of some amazing music, the above mentioned fire show, and some contribution's to next year's personal trainer. All in all it was a fabulous day. I strongly recommend turning ten for the fifth time, or, if you prefer to count that way, 50.

Comments

[fjorlief.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a magnificent way to spend your natal day! What fun!!

[katerit.livejournal.com]

What a lovely day - I am glad you had such a special celebration. I am sending my belated love and wishes for a spectacular year filled with love and friendship and music and projects.

[kareina.livejournal.com]

Thanks!