Pepper
It was my cousin’s daughter’s birthday. My niece turned 3. My cousin had been planning her birthday bash for months. The venue was some party hall in a 5-Star hotel. In my opinion, the whole do was a little too extravagant. I wondered if this was the best way to celebrate a child’s birthday party. Aren’t they sure to be spoilt if they’re brought up in such excessive lavishness? My cousin on the other hand was sure she would have only one such grand celebration for both her kids and this would not spoil them. Anyway, I am nobody to judge and this post is not about her parenting, but my personal observations.
The little girl was excited for over a month about her upcoming barney themed birthday party. I loved listening to her innocent babble and she went all out inviting every soul she met for her ‘bird hay paaty!!’.
I knew the celebrations were planned on a grand scale, but I was still a little unprepared for all that I saw. I was a little late by the time I reached, but the moment I entered, I saw a clown entertaining the little kids by bobbing on a one wheeled cycle. The kids seemed to be having a whale of a time and were laughing and cheering the clown. My niece, the centre of attention was on top of the world. Her expression was priceless and something I cannot describe. The whole party seemed like a lot of fun. Clowns, comical and entertaining hosts, tattoo artists, magicians, artistic hair braiding specialists, fun puppet shows, thoughtfully designed games, I was truly amazed!
The buffet was another story all together. I was baffled by the spread that lay in front of me. The live pasta stations and the dosa centers kept me busy all evening. The cake was heavenly. I had such a great time, and I paused to take it all in. Here are my two cents:
The money: I’ve realised you can do a lot if you have the money. There is simply no end to the world! I have also realised that people *do* have a lot of money, and they’re willing to spend it.
The kids: I am still not sure if it is wise to give the kids a glimpse of this world and raise their expectations. What if there is no room left for small joys? All that said, I saw the kids having such a terrific time and was left confused. Would they have been as happy with a cake and ice cream affair at home? If you can afford it, maybe their joy, happiness and endearing smiles makes it all worth it? I am still confused.
The women: Okay, I’ll have to call them the girls! Every single one out there was gorgeous. How do they do it? I thought they were moms, and dealing with a pregnancy messes up with the shape of your body! Those slender legs, fitting jeans and hot bodies made me green with envy. I found it so hard to believe, that they were actually mothers! And like I said, it looks like people do have a lot of money. What other explanation would there be for the kind of clothes, shoes and accessories that were on display? On conversing, I discovered that a lot of these pretty ladies had either quit their jobs or were taking a break in their careers to spend time with the kids. That made me more curious to know how the designer labels came, just from a single income?
The men: Or the young guys. I was quite pleased to see the new age dads in their roles. No longer do the men isolate themselves, form separate groups and simply watch their wives toil and manage the kids. I saw every guy there participating in every activity, as much as the women, and in some cases, more than the women! So they played games, chased their over energetic toddlers, fed them, kept a watchful eye on them, and basically did everything a parent should do, and not simply a mom. I am glad!
The couples: One of my most favourite things to do is to observe a couple’s interpersonal chemistry. I love seeing how they deal, interact and behave with each other. It gives me an idea of their relationship. I saw two couples quarrel over something which seemed rather silly. The husband wanted to drive to khandala the next morning (it being a sunday), and the wife wanted to just relax at home. Their argument intensified and had the ‘shut up and get lost’ thrown in, complete with frowns and sulking. And the moment their little one started dancing in the crowd, both of them ran to the spot. I saw them jump and cheer in excitement, hold hands and smile. All good in a single moment? My cousin, who was present said something to me which stayed with me for a long time, ‘You know, a lot of times kids are the binding factors for parents, and they are what brings them closer’. I guess that is true.
Families: They seemed so happy. All the young couples and their little babies, playing, clapping, dancing along to the tunes of ‘put your right leg in, put your right leg out..’ Just watching them made me feel peacefully happy.
I’d call her bird hay paaty a huge success! I only hope the little girl enjoys all her birthdays as much, whatever be the mode of celebration.
PS* This post has been sitting in my drafts for a little while. I finally decided to publish it.. And oh, I wonder if I mentioned on the blog, but I have moved back to India. And being able to participate in such events makes the decision totally worth it.
A dash of Pepper... 