Celebrations and Making Memories

With busy lives and children seemingly growing up quicker these days, I try and make the most of birthdays and celebrations. We often celebrate international holidays such as Chinese New Year and Mexican Cinco de Mayo to name a few, but more important than this, I love to make sure birthdays are super special.

Not just for the children either, my husband loves a bit of a celebration so I include him in this too, making sure to decorate the house so when everyone comes down in the morning they see banners and balloons and making special cakes like this Maltesers cake I made my husband last year.

I remember when growing up, my dad who always left at six in the morning would put all of the birthday cards by the front door, like the postman had delivered them (receiving mail is still exciting right?.) It is something that has always stuck in my mind and so I hope that what I do for my children will for them too.

When it comes to birthday cakes there is nothing more special than a homemade cake, whatever your skills. I remember some of mine even now, with everything from the standard hedgehog cake of the 80s, to the time my mum made me a cake that looked like a house, with buttons used as tiles on the roof, it was the best.

This year has seen my daughter turn five and my son turn eight, my daughters tastes change all the time but we decided on something pinktastic. She is such a pink loving little girl and so when I found these fabulous Talking Tables candles on the Candle & Cake website I knew that these were going to be pride of place on her cake, along with a one of their fabulous little balloon numbers.

This particular cake consisted of three layers of sponge, layered in between with a bit of raspberry jam and some icing, followed with more icing on top.  The overall effect of this was really great, with the simple cake, topped off with the candles and balloon number.

My son wanted something that I knew would be a bit controversial, especially with members of the family who don’t like bugs! However, it was his birthday and so, after a busy Saturday drinking gin at the Gin Festival, I was up early on Sunday morning to make his chocolate covered bug cake.

With some Bon Anniversaire banners I'd picked up on our visit to France last year, party hats, and another of the fabulous balloon numbers from Candle & Cake his cake definitely had the required effect and he loved it.

These are the moments in life we remember forever, the memories that shape what we become and what we love.

Do you remember any birthday cakes or parties from your childhood?