16 Tips for Holding an English Summer Party

1. Prepare weeks in advance, cutting grass, painting signs, ordering food and drink etc;

2. Send invites, await RSVPS, chase RSVPS;

3.  Ask a (reasonably) local baker (me!) to bake the biggest cake covered in the birthday boy’s favourite sweets;

4.  Arrange, and then put up a stretch tent marquee;

5.  Set up Summer Toys around the garden for the younger attendees;

6.   Decorate the Garden;

7.  Put together a brilliant bar and a separate barbecue area;

8.  Make sure you have huge jam jar drink dispensers with clear labelling (this one might have been learned just before a seven-year-old took a swig of Pimms);

9.   Cook, prepare and cook some more;

10. Light the barbecue;

11.  Greet the guests whilst ignoring the clouds that are beginning to gather overhead;

12.  Get the party started despite the now pouring rain;

13.  Raise a glass and thank Mother Nature as the sun comes out again and everyone ventures back outside;

14.  Laugh as the thunder starts and it looks like everyone’s playing some kind of weather-based hokey cokey;

15.  At the end of the evening go to bed tired and happy with lots of guests choosing to camp (the thunder stopped, but the neighbouring cows and owls managed to get their own back during the night);

16.  Curse the weather gods as you all wake up to the most beautifully glorious morning the following day…

The above is an accurate depiction of a wonderful party put on by my youngest sister Victoria (of Cherry Vintage Home) for my Brother in Law’s 40th birthday recently, she really should add organising this kind of thing to her business ventures she’s that goodc…

Thankfully the typically English Summer weather was a great icebreaker (and we now know a lot of guests really well ahead of Victoria’s big wedding next year)!   You really can’t beat the determination of my fellow countrymen to have fun, come what may…