So in the lead up to Freya’s birthday this year we discussed all kinds of options from hiring a karaoke booth at tiger tiger in Manchester which is really reasonable (only £4 per person per hour), doing an adventure climbing party or going for an afternoon tea party with all her friends but Freya had other ideas.. To celebrate her 9th birthday she really wanted to invite the whole class and have a ceilidh.
I’m sure the ceilidh idea stems from the fun times she’s had with her cousins in Glasgow but I do love organising parties so was happy to rise to the challenge. When I first looked into hiring a band I was quoted £600 as they’re usually only for weddings unless you live in Scotland where not surprisingly I found loads of Ceilidh Party links. Just as I was about to give up I stumbled across a band called “Triple Scotch” in Manchester who were absolutely fantastic and gave me a reduced rate of £200 and I really can’t recommend them high enough. From start to finish they were full of energy and all the children loved it. .All the children wore tartan and looked fantastic and once the boys got over the initial embarrassment of dancing they all fully embraced it. Tim and my father-in-law David added to the occasion by Tim wearing the obligatory Scottish hat and ginger wig and David wearing his Douglass Tartan kilt which looked fantastic.
I hired St Paul’s church hall Monton which was great and I’m ever thankful to the lovely lady who lives in the vicarage for letting me in as the woman I’d booked it with hadn’t turned up as she thought it was booked for the Sunday! As I was stood outside the locked church door laden with boxes I had that sinking feeling that something wasn’t quite right. As I recalled my telephone conversation when I booked the hall I remembered the lady mentioning that people will be having coffee in the hall when I arrive which I didn’t think to question! I had visions that the ceilidh was going to have to take place in my front garden although I’m not sure how well that would have gone down with the neighbours..
I did contemplate making neaps and tatties but instead took the easy route and accepted help from my family and friends. We had a buffet of scotch eggs, sausage rolls, olives, Iron Bru, Tunnocks cakes, tartan table cloths, lamb curry made by my lovely friend Rekha, chorizo, chicken and rice made by Tim, home-made yummy mars bar cakes by my fab friend Jane and delicious spicy onion bajjs by the talented Shauni, fruit from my kind friend Sahitya and not forgetting the home made pavlova and cheesecake from my chef extraordinaire mother-in-law Norma.
It was so lovely having so many different dishes and not having to expose my limited culinary skills. The food was delicious and I can say that as I didn’t cook any of it. Maybe next year I’ll attempt one of the dishes.
It really was a fun filled day and by the time we got home I turned around to see Freya opening her presents and Tim and Rory fast asleep on the sofa at 4.30 in the afternoon.. I’m so glad we were able to give Freya the party she wanted and it always makes me smile when I remember her initial reaction to my played down versions of how to celebrate her birthday – she turned to me in disbelief and said “Mummy, we’re Douglass’s we love a party”
Huge thanks to the fabulous band Triple Scotch
https://www.facebook.com/triplescotch/
lancashiremummy 