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I can do this... It's just 3 hours!



One Hudson Valley mom has birthdays down to a science

One Hudson Valley mom has birthdays down to a science. You can throw a fantastic party in only three hours that will leave your kids excited for next year!

Jennifer Wiegert lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband and two toddlers. She is a teacher in the Washingtonville School District. She feels her greatest achievement is being a mom. Thanks Jennifer for this awesome guide!


This is my three-hour party schedule:
1. Half hour for guest arrival and greetings

2. One hour for food to be served and enjoyed
3. Half hour to forty-five minutes for games
4. Half hour for happy birthday cake
5. Half hour for goody bag distribution and guest departure.

Throwing a party on a budget?




Many people are opting to open the gifts after the party. I made the mistake of opening gifts at Julia’s first birthday party. It took an hour to open the gifts, and Julia was too tired to help with the unwrapping of her presents after the excitement of the party.      
  • Accept help. As mentioned earlier, there is always a helpful family member who will eagerly accept any chance to help with the party. It seems like common sense to accept help, but as multi-taskers we often feel that we have it under control. Accept offers for childcare when you set up for the party, accept any help during the party, and accept any help for clean up after the party
  • Be gracious. We live in technologically advanced times and I love my computer, but I don’t think emailed invitations are appropriate. It’s nice to have an actual invitation to pin on the calendar. Also after it’s all over, remember to send a detailed thank you card after the party, especially if you don’t open gifts at the party.
  • Relax. You may not be able to relax at the party, but be sure to make time for some R&R after the party. With any luck, the birthday baby will take a nice long nap the day after the party, and you can schedule some peace and quiet time for yourself!