PARTY PACKS AND PIZZAS! #BLOGCHATTERA2ZCHALLENGE

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What we call 'return gifts' back in India are 'party packs' here in Johannesburg. No birthday party is complete without these. Since we were here well in time for Zoya's special day, we went to one of the China malls, which is the haven for gifts, little, medium and big.

The above-mentioned shop stretches out with arrays of articles, from birthday treats to homeware and knick-knacks for every occasion. I remember picking up a collection of stickers - stars and smileys, plus bright little accolades like 'Well Done' and 'Good Effort' which always come handy in school.


                                                                                               Joburg.co.za


So, there we were, traipsing down the aisles, scouring the shelves for what would go down well with Zo's little guests, spoilt for choice by the never-ending shelves of shiny attractive baubles. Zo and Sam dashed around, giving suitable suggestions, pointing to the gifts they thought apt for the occasion. It is amazing to find one store which houses every item required for any party.

Pink and yellow gift bags were the first buy, followed by little diaries, metal straws and marker pens for the older children, and play dough, DIY masks and bubble wands for the younger ones, and glow sticks, a packet of chips and candies for all.


                                                                                                 Partycity.co.za

Once the manual labour was done, we went for lunch to a restaurant and chilled out. Zo was understandably excited about her three pending parties.

Back home, we formed an assembly line. P, Zo, Sam and I put the gifts, one by one, into the 17 party packs. I went back in time, when P was little, and we used to go shopping for 'return gifts' which were always little toys, candies and chocolates, balloons and a slice of the birthday cake.

Zo and Sam often come home from school with party packs, little plastic buckets filled with goodies. In fact, after every birthday, little guests wait eagerly for these party packs. I have witnessed the excitement while foraging into these, and even if the treats are small, the fun and the anticipation are not.

                                                                                               Cab Foods

There are party venues readily available in Johannesburg. A few years ago, we had Zo's birthday celebration at Picolino's, a rustic outdoor place with a wooden bridge and water bodies, which serves the most delicious pizzas. The smiling waiters hand over a list of ingredients which can be ticked - cheese, meats, toppings, sides - everything to make that mouthwatering pizza designed to pique your taste buds. An extra treat is watching ducks bob up and down in the water.

Pizzas are versatile. They can be custom created, and one pizza can be shared by a couple of people. For Zo's party, Margarita, Pepperoni, Mexicana and Californian pizzas straight from the oven were the stars, along with sticky chicken wings, chicken rissoles and crumbed mushrooms which kept coming out and were savoured by all. The birthday cake, which P, Sam and I had decorated with Easter eggs, marshmallows, with a chocolate bunny in the centre, (Zo’s favourite animal), served as the dessert. The eggs disappeared in no time; the chocolate cake took longer to do so.

The atmosphere was informal, and it was evident that the guests, adults and children, ended up having a good, relaxed time, which was the main objective after all. Gone are the days when throwing a party meant slaving over a hot stove, making things from scratch and waiting till the last possible moment to dress up in your Sunday best. Nowadays, everything is readily available, and the only thing that one has to hang on to is a drink and a bright smile.

                                                                                                  WallQuotes.com

Our next trip to the Chinese shop will be before the 23rd of April - World Book Day - because Zo and Sam have to dress up as their favourite book characters. But that’s a tale for another day…!

I am participating in the #BlogchatterA2ZChallenge2025.

https://deepties.blogspot.com/2025/04/party-packs-and-pizzas.html

Comments

  1. A Rustic Mind4/22/2025 01:12:00 PM

    Such a heartwarming post! Loved the mix of nostalgia and present-day fun. The party prep sounds like a blast—especially with Zo and Sam adding their own flair. Can’t wait to read about the World Book Day adventures next

    ReplyDelete

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