Luau

When you're about to turn six you must certainly host a drop-off birthday party. And you have a pretty specific set of ideas about how that party should go.

You've been planning it all year long, in fact.

First ideas about potential themes and decorations probably sprouted into your brain before you peeled the wrap off the packages at your fifth-birthday princess extravaganza.

The theme for this year's bash, therefore, has been percolating for months.

Decorations should be strictly homemade.





And it is vital for the Mama in charge to transform the backyard into a setting that looks as close as possible to the almost-six-year-old's vision for the day.



Narrowing down the guest list is a little tricky: Not too many friends so as to overwhelm the Mama in charge, yet not so few that a handful of Kindergarten classmates end up with hurt feelings about not making it on the list.

Including all of the girls from Room 4, but not the boys, is acceptable. Younger brothers may be included, too.





Then there's the cake. In our household, that's Papa's department. He can turn tins of spongy cake and mounds of butter cream into a masterpiece to meet any birthday child's request.



Pina colada? No problemo.



Games must be simple and fun. There should be no losers--only winners.



And favors are required, so that all guests leave the party feeling almost as celebrated as the birthday girl.




This is the recipe for a successful six-year-old soiree.



Next week we'll start planning for number seven.