Giggles to Gumdrops: Creative Birthday Party Ideas

Margaret Bremmer was an artist and illustrator in Chesterville, Ontario.

There are a lot of ideas and suggestions packed into this book, as well as recipes. It is printed in an attractive dark blue and the typeface adds a light-hearted feel.

The first section is based on 16 themes: cowboys, Indians, cars, the baker’s hospital, puppets, at the pool or beach, dancers, trains, carpenters, toboggans, the circus, harvests, dolls, boats, and bikes, hikes, or horses. Included are theme cake designs, ideas for theme food, theme games and activities, related party hints, and a checklist. The next section on ideas for party foods has recipes for various cakes and icings, cookies, beverages, edible egg-yolk paint, popcorn balls, edible gelatin toys, frozen treats, main courses, and many others. This is followed by several pages of food ideas: suggestions and very simple recipes as well as serving suggestions. The party hints section contains more than eighty ideas to help make the party even more of a party: from balloons at the front gate to easy napkin-ring designs; from coins in the cake to putting a lifesaver in each balloon to avert disappointment when itinevitably pops! There is a section on party games: quiet games, indoor games, outdoor games, standards like “button, button” and scavenger hunts, games for little kids and older ones — a good variety. There are also three pages of gift ideas, and a page of clown-makeup ideas.

The index is by section, and then alphabetical by item so one is unable to look up ‘outdoor games,’ for example; but this is not serious. The six color photos by Con Boland show many of the dishes and some of the decoration ideas.

As the mother of a two-year-old I think my copy of this book will likely see a lot of use over the next several years!