ANNIVERSARY SAFARI

J-25 No doubt about the party theme. It will be Safari / wild animals / panther / tiger / lion / elephant… In short, everything closely or remotely related to the Lion King and the Jungle Book. Let those who live my life raise your hands! I feel like I'm living in the middle of a hostile jungle. I'm on the verge of cracking up and buying my little Mowgli a super cute NAC. I hesitate between a reptile, a fennec or a monkey. Wouldn't that be great?

J-25 always. I come back to my senses. Seriously ? Can you see yourself feeding a snake with field mice? You who are vegetarian and very protective of animals? Let's make the guest list. Ok, Jules likes everyone, like his mother, he wants to invite his whole class, uh not like his mother. It goes against the "good practice" of the birthday. I have a mad desire to hiss. But I'm going to do the Kaa technique instead. Deceitful. 28 children, my love, that's a bit much, can we list your best friends? Have confidence.

J-22 I have the list. They are 8. That's already not bad. 4 girls. 4 boys. Not only am I vegetarian, but I am also an activist for parity. Now we have to move on to the invitation cards. I don't have time to order them anymore. I decide to make them myself.

J-20 I sweated like a leopard in the middle of a dodger. But the boxes are finished. It goes without saying that Jules, 4 years old I remember, didn't help me much. I'm exaggerating, he stamped the envelopes. Now, the first treasure hunt which consists in distributing the cards begins. It is during this exercise that I become aware of my savagery. I don't know any of the parents of Jules' friends...

Just a practical reminder: the party lasts two and a half hours. Not a minute more. 2 years is very small. And on the card, we don't forget the name of the person celebrating his birthday, the person for whom the card is intended, his address, telephone number, date and time of the start and end of the party!

J-15 I distributed everything. At the rate of a little more than one box per day. I am proud of myself. At the same time, the mantra of the month is "it doesn't take much to be happy" (as the mythical baloo song says...)

J-15 always. It's time to place my order. I have a pretty clear idea of ​​what I'm going to do as a birthday decoration. So I'm going straight to the point: spark plugs, confetti, bunting, printed balloons, lantern and pinata. Orders.

J-12 I just received my order. It's almost too easy.

J-10 For some perfectly obscure reason, I dreamed of panther and leopard in Italian in the text. I don't know why, really, I don't see. Someone whispers to me: Versace-Roberto-Cavalli-Bottega-Veneta… in one word. I go to Toto to buy me leopard print with Toto Cuttugno in the ears. Don't thank me, it's a gift. I'm going to make myself a strapless panther dress just like Jean-Paul's in 97. I'm going to do everything the same, but in synthetic, so as not to end up with a PETA demonstration in my living room and turn my head into a hunting trophy. Well, if you have a leopard dress, panther boots, tiger tights, that works too.

J-10 always. The opportunity is too beautiful. Dressing in a total feline print look without anyone thinking you've fallen in love is downright a godsend. I take this opportunity to recite my mantra. I still need to soak in, it doesn't fully resonate with my chi yet.

J-7 Preparing the playlist, printing printables, printing the list of games and the games themselves...

J-1 at night in my kitchen. In a zebra apron, I prepare the dough for my chocolate cake, the shortbread dough and the dough for two pound cakes. I make a cake with my double dose of pound cake. I cover it with ganache and at the top, I put a wild animal figurine ! That's done ! A small dose mantra.

J-1 always in the evening. Now in my living room - I do most of my party decorating which is to turn the room into a jungle! I glue tropical leaves on the walls (sheets that I've either bought or dutifully cut over the last month to the point of blistering each finger), I swell my balloons if it's on the air, because I understood that if it's on thehelium, you have to wait for the day of the feast. And I put masks on each chair back. One animal per child.

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⏰ D-DAY ⏰

9h I'm exhausted. Jules has been roaring for two hours. Maybe two and a half hours, but I'd rather not know. I hear soft music in my head. It must be said that the atmosphere is suffocating, compared to the wall vegetation. We make the gift bags. I take out my treasures. He can't believe his eyes. He would like to keep everything to himself. I explain to him that it will not be possible. Have faith... There is tattoos, tampons, mini figurines, rubbers…, I make stacks (a stack candy, a stack of gifts, a stack of stickers, a battery pouches) and it fills.

10 h I swell the balls : None Tigers, leopards and zebras. I install them at the height of a small man (armed with weights, balloons and a ball of wool). I set the table after covering it with leaves.

11 h One more hour of cooking - I transform my shortbread into lion's paws using almonds! I make tiger shortbread. I dispatch the sweets (spiders, snakes…). Jules is thrilled! I make a fruit salad that I turn into a palm tree. Years of Top Chef in replay, it leaves indelible traces.

13 h We have lunch on a corner of the table, compared to the snack table which is already set up...

14h45 I dress Jules. Finally, I undress him. Jules, it's Mowgli. So he's just wearing red underpants. I haven't taken him to the hairdresser in ages. The resemblance is striking. It's perfect.

14h55  A few drops of Panthère de Cartier. My perfume. I am ready.

15 h They ring! Welcome to the jungle! I don't know who, children or parents, are the most surprised. I don't know if it's my fawn outfit, my perfume or my decor, but they're amazed. And again, they didn't see anything!! The parents clear off, compared to my tigress look that says “it's okay, I don't need you, I'll give them back to you at 17 pm”.

15h05 I introduce myself. Hello, I'm Jules' mum, I'm not a tigress/mistress, we're all going to play together and I'm the king of the jungle… Do you know any wild animals? Apart from me of course! The secret lies in your ability to take them to your world which is the one chosen by Jules.

15h10 I'm going to give you a jungle quiz!

15h15 All these wild animal cries, it makes me want to scream. How about a personal development workshop? Ok, I digress.

15h16 Children, I would like you to stand in single file, on all fours. You are the elephant patrol. It's perfect, follow me. I remind you that it is forbidden to speak in the ranks!!

15h18 Here we are in a labyrinth of lianas (a corridor). These lianas (of green crepon) are very fragile. You will have to pass through these vines without breaking them. Regiment, ready? At my command, one after the other! You will all pass!

15h30 Company, march! (I know, I've watched too much The Jungle Book, but if you're reading this text, you too are under the influence). We will now have to cross the Crocodile Bridge. If you have a pinata croco is great and if you have a "jungle animal" sound box, it's even better. For the atmosphere, I mean!

15h40 We are now going to make a round. And sit down. It's time for the musical gift. The jungle playlist is ideal.

15h55 How about we try to find out what your favorite characters are. The ideal is to print beforehand the portraits of characters like Mowgli, Baloo, Baghera, Simba, Nala or photos of wild animals. You will need one poster per child. Remember to help them ask questions. They are all small...

16h10 Kids, it's time to reform the patrol. All on all fours and one behind the other. One, two, one, two, one, two!!! At my command, head for tea!

16h25 Now is the time to go on a safari!! Here is a poster where there are different animals. You will have to find them all. They are hidden everywhere. Each time you find one, you have to come back and tick the animal found. The safari ends when you have found all the animals!

16h40 My own songs. Let's do a round. And if you sang me your favorite songs. Who knows Baloo's song? What about the lion king? I would already be king...

16h50 I would like us to make a photobooth so that we can keep a memory of the party. I will make you pose one after the other then like statues to reconstitute the jungle! Either they put masks (the ones I put on the chairs last night), either you make them up, or you dress them (wild animal tunic)!

17h05 How about we play musical statues?! Take the opportunity to redo the choreography of the monkeys when they sing "To be a man like you" !!

17h15 It's time to face the tiger! Pin the tail of the tiger.

17h23 You were very skilful, will you be able to be agile? It's the Brazilian dance. But, to make it more jungle, you can disguise your broomstick with foliage!

17h28 Ok, you've earned it, it's time to open Jules' presents!

17h32 Your parents will arrive any minute, I let you find out this giant coloring. (I suggest sticking it to the floor with masking tape, giving them markers, and letting the kids figure it out. Kids love lying down to color.)

17h33 The parents are there. Punctual and bewildered by the calm that reigns in the jungle. Quick debrief and delivery of surprise bags on the doorstep.

17h40 You have worked well, you have the right to snuggle up in animal skin and be forgotten.

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Council of friends

Friend's advice : do not hesitate to visit our safari blog section. You will find some ideas for animations, decorations...