Since adding a second child to the family, we’ve always done combined birthday parties, since their birthdays are so close together. This year was the first year the kids wanted separate celebrations. I decided we’d do even-yeared-birthday gets the big party (8, 12, 16, 18), so that meant that this year my youngest got his first ever birthday party celebrating just him. Since he made it 4 years before he got his own, I really wanted it to be awesome for him.
He has been r e a l l y into Mario this year (and, no, he hasn’t seen the movie. He just loves Mario Maker). Though I’ve historically been pretty against many character toys, and parties, I knew that a Mario party would be the perfect party for him, and the whole point was to delight him. Because I didn’t want to hear about how much he couldn’t wait for his Mario party for a month, I decided to keep it secret. He knew we were having a party, but all details were a surprise.
This party was very much about the birthday boy, so I focused on activities over food and other things for adults. The entire party revolved around renting a bounce castle. I thought these would be crazy expensive, but once I discovered I would get one fairly reasonably—I spent $90, and that was technically for 2 days, because we rented it on a Saturday—that became the centerpiece.
I got the bounce castle idea, because I’d originally thought we could have his party at FunBox, and do a Mario theme, but they left town a couple of months ago.
My lovely mom gifted him a Mario costume, and I dressed him, blindfolded, and took him outside for the big reveal once all the guests had arrived. He was so excited!
Besides the bounce castle, we did a scavenger hunt to save the princess. I got some cute Mario Kart figurines as toppers on the cake, which all the kids were dying to play with. However, I swatted them off, until after we’d had cake, then said they could play with the cars. They couldn’t find Peach, so I suggested the check with the guy who always takes her (Bowser), and that’s how the scavenger hunt began. Since our readers were two 7 year olds, I kept the clues simple, and we just did 4 or 5 all over the yard, ending in the bouncy castle. “Your Princess is in a different castle”. All clues were hidden in easter Yoshi eggs.
We had a homemade Bowser fireball corn hole, painted by my talented husband, Todd! It turned out incredibly! The birthday boy loves Bowser, and fireballs, so that was an important feature.
We also played pin the mustache on Mario. None of the little kids won, but that’s on us for letting big ‘kids’ play.
For decorations, the only thing we added, besides a “Happy Birthday” banner, was star balloons, which we painted eyes to look like the ones in Mario.
The piece de resistance—aside from the castle, obviously—was the Rainbow Road cake. Here’s the thing: I typically make cake once or twice year. And despite making Todd the same complicated cake for, like, a decade, it’s still very hit and miss. I only practice once a year. However, I hit it out of the party with this cake!! I made the same chocolate cake I made for Todd—because that’s what my son requested—but didn’t split the layers in half. Then, I followed a recipe for black buttercream (using black cocoa powder, and black food gel). I researched how to get icing smooth and nice looking—Todd’s is a naked cake—then added star sprinkles by hand, rainbow air heads, and added the toppers. It looked amazing, and tasted like a brownie. I am still so proud of how it turned out!
Completely incidentally, about a week before the party, my best friend was showing me pictures of a work party that had been Mario themed, and Harry saw. He was blown away, but so sweet. He said he knew I already had a party planned for this year, but he’d really love a Mario party for his next birthday! As the week went on, he said it should be outside, and also stated he’d need to have a Mario outfit to wear. So it was, by happenstance, a new dream come true.
The kids had a great time, and I’m so glad we were able to have such a special birthday for our Little Bear.
Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate, and helped us out when Todd’s back was out!
