Yes, I know its abit late now but here's some ideas for next year, and for your present giving, I thought alot of the ideas where great previously by the way. Get the e-mail addresses of the parents who children you want to invite, and send a e-invatition, ask them to e-mail the reply. yes electricity, but no paper or fuel in postage and no hassel. wrapping presents, use newpaper, old magizines, they are going to rip it any way, paper bags, for some reason my state you have to have your wine in brown paper? like no ones going to guess what you just brought! or if you have fast food for some reason, save these for wrapping but get your children to decorate them, at the age they are, people think it really cute, make cards out of old paper and pictures in mags, get your kids to make papier mache plant pots and decorate them, if for an adult, stick in a packet of seeds you know they like and if a child, a couple of seeds could be a bean, pea, nesturtium, radish something that shows a result quickly, and some planting medium in a bag, the bags I use are the ones manufacturered bread comes in! Party Favours same thing as presents except you could present something growing athough maybe difficult in October, I am sure someone will come up with an idea, all I can think of is lettice and even my veggie loving children won't eat that! and brussel sprouts just too big, haha!, keep the party simple, my boys love picnics and love indoor picnics even more, I actually produce a more authentic picnic indoors than out, cos I don't have too lug the picnic basket around! rug on floor etc, old fashioned games such as pass the parsell, wrapped in newspaper easy to rig so every child wins a prize, prizes well, I just keep the merriad of rubbish my boys have accumilated over the year in favors, which they examine and then discard, currently I have 9 pensils, 6 mini tubs of playdough, 10 erasers, 6 flying discs and 1 tub of assorted beads from frendship braclets. once you start looking for ways to reuse stuff it becomes easier and easier, your brain just seems to make new connections you will find yourself hovering over the trash can with a used item, thinking, I wonder! today our washing machine died a death, repair man could repair but only if we where prepared to spend $600+ we brought a new one for $420 and on looking at our old machine, I kept saying could it be a composer, husband (who is not a natural recycler but buys second hand most the time and is a great bargin hunter) could it be a fire pit, get away says I! look on the garden forums and sure enough people have used old washing machines for both these purposes, so yes! if I was really really green I would have had it repaired (well I would probably have a wash board and Mangle) but I live in the real world and needs must but there can ways to do it. BTW paper mache pots can be planted straight in the ground and decompose, but I would only do this if decorated for flowers not food! last but by no means least, don't force you ideals on any one by asking them for green toys and paper, it will only get backs up, for example do not judge them, just as you should not expect to be judged for your decisions, it was my birthday the other day and ony one person asked what I wanted, a watering can, okay I expected a big cheepo one and recieved a dinky red posh one, put it does the job and looks pretty, I also got cut flowers which have lasted very well, 3 weeks and counting and as they die off, into the compost they go, a huge scented cantle which is now in the energancy draw for power cuts etc, the pretty cardboard tub it came in will become something to keep sewing bits in or I will put someones gift into, the bags other gifts came in have been squirelled away for rewraping presents for others, and the wrapping paper is in my boys craft box, the Best buy Voucher...oh I used that today towards a new washing machine! Grurr! Just do what you can, we don't need to be tree huggers, and force our opinions, lead by example, and use what others waste, the link I enclosed is of a childrens TV program I loved in the 70's in the UK last verse sums it up We're so incredibly, utterly devious Making the most of everything. Even bottles and tins. Pick up the pieces and make them into something new, Is what we do! Here is a link that might be useful: Wombles

I just attended a 25th anniversary and it was great... my younger cousin (20) hosted the event in honor of her parents (my aunt and uncle). Now keep in mind she is a full time university student paying her own tuition on a small budget. Because she was on a very tight budget she decided that she would have an open bar (which is fine by me as I am there to celebrate the 25 wonderful years that my aunt and uncle have shared.) Secondly she decided she would have everyone pay for their own meal... this is how she worked it out... she asked for $35 from each guest... $20 to go towards the meal, which was very good... and the remaining $15 from each guest was pooled together and given as one gift from the entire family to be put towards my aunt and uncles trip to Hawaii. I know it seems we paid for everything... but that is not the case... I think people sometimes overlook the other hosting details that add up... such as the venue, decorations, favors, cake, centre pieces and etc. She also hired a photographer, which I think is more important paying for than the bar... the photos are lifetime memories that will help remind our entire family of the amazing time we had that day/night. I am happy she kept my aunt and uncle in mind that day... it was there day and if that meant I had to spent a little bit of my money to make sure it was everything they dreamed, then so be it I LOVE MY FAMILY. I almost forgot... we raised $1800 toward their trip to Hawaii. Pretty good, eh! (Yes I'm Canadian.) Think about it! If I had to go out and get a card that's $5... gift wrap and bows $10-$15... a gift is approx. $50 or more if you want something worth buying... this would have added up to a lot more money. So basically I saved... I paid $35, $20 to my meal, $15 toward the Hawaii pool and approx. $12 on drinks the wine was free and set on the tables. So if you do the math based on buying a gift at $50 and the card and bow at $15... I saved $23, WOW! Sure she could have left the bar out all together, but I think it's best she gave her guests the option to have a few casual drinks or not. I mean really what does it really cost for a few good casual drinks approx. $15. Just my opinion! Have a good day!

Where are all the postings from other people? Okay, I have another idea... Send him on a Scavenger Hunt the day of the party. It will get him out of your hair for a while and give him something to do. You will have to do some work to put this together. If you live in a small town it will be easier for you as the shop owners will probably know you and will help you out. Before the party, make up clues to send him to each pre-arranged location and eventually back to wherever his party will take place. If he is leaving from home give him a beautifully wrapped box with the first clue in it. The first clue will lead him to his favorite garden shop where he will find his next clue near his favoite flower, tree or some garden tool he has been drooling over. Have one of his friends meet him in the row with the flower, tree or tool he is looking for to present him with his small gift (the favorite flower etc.) and give him the next clue. That friend can join him in figuring out the next clue that will lead him to his next favorite place. Give him a funny word to say to someone from the store who is aware of the game you are playing. That person will give him 2 clues one to find his gift in the store and the second to his next location. The next clue will lead him to a coffee shop where a few of his buddies will be waiting to have coffee with him. They will buy him a coffee and each give him a piece of the clue which will lead him to the next destination. All the friends will join him to the next location, perhaps his fav. place for lunch where he will meet more friends for a light lunch and more clues. Some of the gifts can be pre-arranged to be gag gifts given at lunch or coffee. You know what he likes so you can plan his destinations and gifts. The final destination will be where his party will be held and the rest of his friends will be there to join in on the fun. You can meet him with a stop watch telling him if he wasn't as old as dirt he would have figured out the clues faster and been home hours ago. The rest of the party can have the garden theme but how about a ho-down (don't know if this is spelled correctly) but you get the idea. Have all the things you mentioned along with a big bowl filled with water and apples for dunking for apples, hire a Caller and have square dancing if you have the room or someone to do line dancing and other (I'm going to have to call it country dancing because the name escapes me right now). You can also rent a floor to lay down in yr. yard if you don't have a deck or patio to dance on. Okay, I'm done for the night. If I think of something else I will post again. Eyerish PS sorry if I spelled anything wrong, I need Spell Check!

Get a caterer! That is a LOT of people to cook for. You can do a few things yourself and ask the caterer to serve if you ask nicely. If a caterer isn't in the budget, at least order prepared food or platters to serve. Cooking for 80 at a hall is just too much. Hard to say what kind of food. I would pick what your mom loves best -- keeping in mind what your guests will enjoy, too. If she's a baseball fan, for example, have hot dogs and peanuts and beer. If she loves travel, have exotic choices. But I think really your best bet is to give the caterer a budget and let him/her suggest things. That always works for me. For decorations, flowers always say "special occasion," but they can be expensive. You can make copies of photos of her at different stages of life and put them in inexpensive lucite frames of different sizes (you may even be able to ask the store if you can return them if you keep them in perfect shape) and put a few on each table for centerpieces, perhaps with a single flower or candle. We did that for my mother's 70th and it worked nicely. Potted flowering plants with a ribbon around the pot are also nice and inexpensive centerpieces (and a lot less work). You can give them as thank you gifts to people who help you with the party. You are so nice to do this for your mother! Good for you. I am sure she will be thrilled.