Our Bright Light Party

Best Party Ever last night.
We called it a Bright Light Night and invited friends and neighbours to come dressed as something brave or beautiful, bringing glass jars for making lanterns, and fireworks. The purpose - fun of course! And also because we are not keen on Halloween's ugliness, but we don't want to be killjoys and stop our kids having fun. So lets have a party but celebrate Light instead of Darkness.

Between us there were about twenty adults and thirty kids aged from 0-10 years. From little princesses to Superheroes they came and played.

Its on nights like this that I am so grateful for our wonderful backyard. On a warm spring evening it's perfect to spread out in, like a great big outdoor party room.

There's space for bouncing and climbing trees, racing bikes on the driveway, playing foozeball and bullrush and holding lolly scrambles. The grown ups can relax and chat while the kids race round having fun together.

In true Kiwi BBQ fashion we all brought meat to share plus a salad or dessert and drinkies. Everyone pitches in to help bring out food and tidy things away. I made my world-famous Sangria and a kids punch... which Scrag... er... loved a little too much.



{He stood at the punch bowl dipping in his cup, taking a few sips and then "recycling" the rest. Luckily most of the parents weren't drinking punch and the kids didn't care.}

Being a Bright Light Night, we strung up our Christmas lights, hung homemade coloured lanterns in the trees...


...lit the brazier and handed out glow sticks; waved sparklers and let off fireworks...

As the sun set, our backyard turned into a magical place.



I stood on the lawn looking back at the house and felt a wave of happiness? joy? All those lovely people enjoying themselves. Our friends. All those laughing kids with shining eyes. Our kids.

And all those pretty pretty lights!



It was well worth the effort.
Sigh.
I just love a good party. And this was one of the best.

• How to make Homemade Tree Lanterns
• Recipe for the Best Sangria Ever

P.S. After the party was over and our lovely guests had trundled off to tuck their kidlets in bed, our lovely friends Meg & B lingered long enough to sit around the brazier and toast marshmallows together. Meg took the coolest ones of these photos. She is a very clever photographer. Thankyou Meg!


P.P.S. Can you spot some Kiwi Mummy Bloggers and their kids in these pics??