Friday, September 7, 2012

The Party In The Prep


Deb: Often I blog about the aftermath of a party or event and its lovely results, complete with photos. But as I prepare for a big party we are throwing on Saturday, I am consumed with the preparation of it, both physical and emotional. My Mom and Dad are celebrating 65 years of marriage! The real date was August the 30th, but we are having the celebration tomorrow!

What came to me as I decided to write this particular blog was the realization that an event planned with excitement, anticipation, and love, is in fact a big part of the event. The party itself is just the icing on the cake. I always feel sad when I hear tales of Bridezillas gone wild, for although I know there are stresses involved with planning a wedding, there also doesn’t have to be. I have had a very full plate with the planning of this party, but when you really think about it who doesn’t like to look down and see a full plate? A full plate of good things. First of all, my parents are 85-years-old and celebrating 65 years of marriage. Lucky, joyful, grateful does not begin to cover how I feel about that. Add to that the fact that I am going to see family, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends I have not seen in a long time. Perfect. Mom and Dad are going to connect with people they love that are not in their every days lives. They are going to be reminded of old times, good times, sweet times. Our home will be filled with the good spirit of family and friends here and departed. The party itself will be something Mom and Dad’s memories can dine out on for years to come.

My party planning excitement reached a new level when I decided to put an old-fashioned sing-along into the mix. When we were growing up, every single family gathering would burst into song. Grampa would play the accordion, everyone had their own party piece, and the whole group would rally to mutual favourites. We went through some old favourites of my parents and printed out lyrics from various websites and I am printing out song sheets for everyone. We are covering everything from “Swanee” to “Don’t sit under the apple tree” and it will be such fun. All singing levels welcome! My Mom and her darling beloved sister Isabel (she of the perfect harmonies) used to sing together; their party piece was “Sentimental Journey”. For this event my cousin and I are going to sing it. My cousin Scott will step in for his mom Isabel who died many years ago and, yes, I am already crying at the thought of it.  My parents are as excited as a kid on Christmas Eve. It will be a day to remember and I am already filled with anticipation. I guess that’s why I love Christmas Eve more than Christmas Day!

But throughout this planning and in the doing of it, I have been at the party. I have been there with every i dotted and every t crossed. Because I am wrapped up in the joy of anticipation. It is really like having the party twice. Once in my imagination and once for real. It has been so much fun answering the phone to find my brother on the other line saying things like, “What about this angle for the toast?” while we bounced ideas back and forth.

It brought to mind for me the blog we did a while back when we talked about hurrying to get stuff done so we can relax and enjoy ourselves and how it was making us miss any value in what we were hurrying to get through.  And I thought, Wow, if I had hurried through this, I would have missed half the fun. Literally half.

Party on! And on and on and on!
The beginning of 65 years together! Happy Anniversary, Nan and Jimmy! 



Barbara: Once again, Deb, you surprise and delight me with your refreshing new take on a thing. I am a major “planner” when it comes to anything, especially something as schmancy and special as a milestone party celebration. Usually I am vibrating with nerves and sweating up a feverish frenzy. What I never thought to do—even though, from experience our get-togethers abound with love and cheer and good energy—was enjoy that part: the lead-up, the planning, the antici………..pation. What a lovely, wonderful idea!!

As a side-note, we are sadly going to miss Deb’s party—we are off for the weekend to celebrate the 25th wedding anniversary of our dear dear friends (and to finish moving our younger into her new apartment—sooooo looking forward to seeing her!). But we will think of you, Deb, and your parents and their (and your) wonderful friends enjoying and feasting and reveling. I can almost hear the singing from this point in the present!

25 comments:

  1. you have organized a brilliant party the right way Deb. instead of getting hugely stressed out and worried what people will think you have remembered that the party is all about meeting family and friends and first and foremost celebrating the wedding anniversary of people you love . as you say it is too easy to get caught up in the stress of organising an event like this and forget why you are doing it .

    they are amazing pictures . your moms dress looked lovely .

    send your parents my best wishes for a belated happy anniversary and i hope they enjoy their party .

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    1. Thanks Linda! We are looking forward to it. Rain is in the forecast but what are you going to do? Cannot control the weather right. AFter all, we won't melt!

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  2. Lovely. I too love the anticipation of something like this. I love Christmas Eve, I love buying and wrapping gifts and hiding things. Of course, I love to watch people open their gifts too, seeing the happy looks on their faces. Deb, I am so glad you are enjoying this planning. All my love to your parents. Congrats to them for loving each other and being together for so many years.
    I too have a celebration of sorts planned for this weekend. My mother and I are celebrating my birthday a few weeks early, so I am ready for the weekend to get started!!
    Happy Friday, everyone!! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

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  3. Steph thanks, I hope your celebration is wonderful too!

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  4. AWWWWWWW!!! Happy 65th Anniversary to your parents Deb....WOW 65 YEARS!!!! Amazing!
    I Really love family gatherings like this! FUN FUN FUN! Gosh and Party PLANNING is the best! You must be savouring every delicious moment of it! And it'll be more fun when you actually have the party! WOW! And I love the pictures. Your Mom looks soooo pretty and your dad looks sooo handsome!

    In fact we are having a bit of a party this month too. My cousin's back from West Virginia for a couple of days to celebrate "Ganesh Festival". So We are going to have a BLAST!!!! She's very eager to dive into all the Indian food she can....!!!!

    P.S. We wanna hear EVERYTHING about it (WITH pics..with your new camera...WOW) after the party.....And you guys have a lotttta fun! And give your mom and dad a BIIIIG HUG FOR ME! I'll be thinking about you all :)

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    1. Thanks Shalaka it is Amazing isn't it? Your party sounds fab! Ganesh festival! Wow, Indian food abounding!!! I will report back with party details for sure!

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  5. Oh, congratulations to them! And I LOVE the anticipation of a thing. I am far more exciteable in the build up than at the actual event most times. Probably it is because in MY family, we nearly NEVER break into song. It isn't that I want them to, exactly... we are tone deaf. But I'd love to add a few more musically inclined family members.

    I hope you all really enjoy it, Deb!

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    1. Hart that made me laugh! Not every one of us sings well but frankly most of the family is pretty good! We aren't the King family (how's that for a reference?) Thanks for the good wishes!

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  6. I love the photos Deb. Congrads to them as the celebrate their 65th year of marriage . I hope that their party is great 65 years is amazing.

    My grandparents would have. Celebrated their 50th year of marriage this year November 20th. I think that's called the golden year. Or something like that. Sadly my grandfather did not make it to their 50th but the love that my grandparents had for each other lives on.

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    1. Lyndsie I am sorry your Grandfather did not live to see his 50th. But at least he had all those years with your Grandma. Yes the 50th is golden and it sounds like their lives together were golden!

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  7. Oh, Deb! How fabulous! A million congratulations to your parents!!! What an amazing joy!!!! I can't wait to see a huge blog post about the party (with lots of pictures)! And, maybe even video?

    This is such a sweet, happy post. YAY!!!

    (p.s. Barbara - Nice Rocky Horror reference. ;> )

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  8. Thanks Rigel and yes I will post pix and video!

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  9. That is so awesome! My parents will be celebrating 31 years on the 22nd of December! Glad to see that after 65 years your parents are still on the up and up! :D

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    1. 31 years is awesome indeed! Good wishes to your parents too Kelly!

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  10. Congratulations to your parents that is quite a special anniversary to celebrate. Hope the party is even more fun than the planning has been.

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  11. Thanks Erin. I am sure it will be a very special day in our lives!

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  12. First off Congrats to your parents Deb!
    Last month we celebrated my grandparents 50th anniversary and we also had a party : )Ours was much less grand than yours sounds thou. Ours ended up being a surprise party but there was no sing-along : )
    Good luck with the party, sounds like it will be amazing!!

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  13. Deb, your family sounds so special and celebrating as you plan is so perfect. I couldn't help but smile big as I read your post, and it made me realize it is a real joy "knowing" you through your blog.

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  14. Loved the blog post Deb! All my best to the lovely couple sadly it's rare to see marriages endure like this. Have fun much hugs and love to the beautiful couple! Enjoy each other and don't forget to share pictures of the event. XOXO

    4 hours ago · Like

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  15. You make everyone feel so much happier when you write about stuff like this.

    My brother just wished my sister-in-law a happy 14th wedding anniversary. ON FACEBOOK. Ah, how times have changed...

    May you and your parents enjoy all the events, before, during and after!

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    1. And she replied later in the same thread. LOL

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  16. Happy anniversary to your parents! Sounds like you are going to have a really good party. I like the planning part best. I have already planned two different kinds of bdays for myself, but won't be having either of them. I just might have my party together with my house warming party when I move to live with my sister in few months. Or at least plan one :)

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  17. Have a wonderful day celebrating an amazing event in your life as well as your parents. I know it will be perfect because that is how you roll and it will be more than a lasting memory for your parents. WOW 65 years-that is quite the accomplishment. Can't wait to see photos.

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  18. Awww...65 years, that's just awesome...they must have so many great / sad memories together...
    Congratulations to your parents! :) I think my Grandparents were married for like 60 years, but I'm not sure...it's just amazing.

    I love planning parties, too. It's so exciting, and I'm quite good at organizing stuff, cooking, baking and decorating. :)

    I don't like the parties themselves, because I don't like being amongst a lot of people...they exhaust me after some time.
    But I like to help, serve food, do the dishes, stuff like that. I like being in the background. :)

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  19. 65 years? Gosh, I don't think anyone in my family tree has lived long enough to celebrate that one! I'm hoping to buck the trend, of course. :P

    Massive congratulations to your parents. I hope you all have a great time, whatever the weather throws at you! x

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