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The season for celebrations is upon us.\u00a0 Communions and confirmations abound.\u00a0 During the Celtic Tiger years many will agree that the whole thing was getting a little out of hand.\u00a0 I was a guest at one or two ceremonies during that time and remember some eyebrow raising moments when the cost of the child\u2019s dress was discussed or the amount of money the child \u2018collected\u2019 was revealed. \u00a0 I reflected on my own communion and confirmation, which weren\u2019t without celebration, but seemed to have a different set of values attached. \u00a0 I certainly remember them being special and a huge amount of effort was put in, but it could never have been compared to the \u2018mini weddings\u2019 of today.\u00a0 Needless to remark the kind of things I was dreaming of buying with the proceeds didn\u2019t involve high tech gadgets like mobile phones, mp3 players, DS Nintendos or Wii game consoles that all seem to cost the bones of the average weekly industrial wage! \u00a0 My dreams were smaller and, as my mother insisted, included a boring savings account!<\/p>\n
While no one would ever have wished for the downturn perhaps it forces people to come to their senses.\u00a0 I think sometimes it makes us focus on the actual event rather than the shiny packaging, but it shouldn\u2019t make us feel that we are being deprived or that the occasion would be much better if we had an unlimited budget.\u00a0 If anything we might find that having to be a little more creative with the entertaining rather than just throwing money at it, brings a much higher satisfaction rating overall.<\/p>\n
For many the answer to the party dilemma is to have it at home.\u00a0 Having any kind of celebration at home has many benefits and not all of them are budgetary.\u00a0 Because you are in your own home the children and the guests\u2019 children are free to run around as much as they want.\u00a0 They have access to all their toys and have more freedom than they do in a hotel or restaurant.\u00a0 We have all witnessed bored youngsters hanging around hotel foyers trying to amuse themselves.\u00a0 Usually the adults will sit huddled in a nearby group and every now and again as the noise escalates and the running reaches fever pitch some says, \u201cHey lads, calm down\u201d.\u00a0 The miniature marauding gang will usually stop for all of thirty seconds before the din starts again.\u00a0 It\u2019s unfair to ask children to be quiet just because the environment doesn\u2019t lend itself to their games, particularly as it is their special day.<\/p>\n
There is also the intangible benefit of getting the family around and sharing food or a meal with them in your own home.\u00a0 There is something very special about this act of breaking bread together and sharing these special moments in our children\u2019s lives.\u00a0 Jewish families have long known the benefits and regularly share long lazy days with food as the centerpiece.\u00a0 In Ireland our busy lifestyles, shift work and extra curricular activities mean that many families have largely moved away from the idea of sitting down together for meals.\u00a0 The clock often dictates and it is definitely damaging our sense of family and our sense of connection.\u00a0 This means that occasions when the generations come together are even more special.<\/p>\n
So how do you keep it simple but at the same time make it simply stunning within budget?\u00a0 The first thing with any form of party planning is to draw up a list of guests. \u00a0 This will often dictate the catering needs. \u00a0 If there are elderly family members for example there may be special dietary requirements or a buffet may not suit.\u00a0 If the numbers allow perhaps a sit down meal would be a better arrangement.\u00a0 If you do decide on a buffet style, it\u2019s up to you whether you want to go with all finger food or a full plate hot or cold buffet; there are a myriad of choices.<\/p>\n
Creating the meal can often seem daunting but there are many ways around it.\u00a0 Due to the sudden increase in home entertaining we spent several days putting together our outside catering menu.\u00a0 It features hot, cold and finger food options all delivered to your door without any of the hassle (and you can still take the credit.\u00a0 We don\u2019t cook and tell!).\u00a0 Some people rely on us entirely to do the work while others will create most of the dishes and augment their selection with just one or two things from our selection.\u00a0 The full range is available to look at online at jameswhelanbutchers.com.\u00a0 Of course we\u2019re not the only ones doing take away party food and there are plenty of options all worth exploring.\u00a0 One of the other benefits to having the celebrations at home is the leftovers!\u00a0 You are not returning tired and hungry to a cold house in the early evening having to make do with a sandwich.\u00a0 This way the party can go on all day and, if planned correctly, there\u2019ll be little cooking to do the following day.<\/p>\n
Probably the most important thing about a home event is that the celebrant, the child, can have a much greater involvement in the arrangements.\u00a0 They can choose colours and themes for table decorations.\u00a0 They can get involved in choosing the food and sometimes, even making it.\u00a0 This can make for a really satisfying experience for the whole family.\u00a0 If there are other children in the family, they too can get involved in the planning.\u00a0 They can offer opinions, suggest ideas and sometimes even make things for the event.<\/p>\n
I always think it\u2019s appropriate that most confirmations and communions take place in the late spring, early summer period.\u00a0 This time of year is all about renewal.\u00a0 Having a party at home gives us all a chance to catch up with friends and loved ones after the long winter.\u00a0 It offers an opportunity to nourish with food and embrace our family in the bosom of our own home.\u00a0 It is also a great example for our children that events and celebrations are about good people, good food and plenty of love rather than expense and fancy venues.\u00a0 Having a wonderfully positive experience of fun and fellowship will create memories that last a lifetime. I welcome your feedback to pat@jwb.ie<\/a>.<\/p>\n We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of \u00a0James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin.\u00a0Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The season for celebrations is upon us.\u00a0 Communions and confirmations abound.\u00a0 During the Celtic Tiger years many will agree that the whole thing was getting a little out of hand.\u00a0 I was a guest at one or two ceremonies during that time and remember some eyebrow raising moments when the cost of the child\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[25],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n