Big Brownie Birthday Party Holiday Preparations

Each year Brownie Holiday preparations seems to get more complex. Well, except the first year. The qualification took a LOT of time and I was lucky that I had a month’s wait on my new job to spare the time. Many aspects of Brownie Holiday prep come from adjusting the previous year’s documents, but activities each year are different.

You may have seen from my blog last week I tested the Big Brownie Birthday cake recipe as found in the Brownie Annual 2014. (My family have been eating it all week, it was awesome!) Another Birthday Party related item I created was a piñata. This led me to try creating something from paper-mache. “Two parts glue, one part water,” an Art Attack phrase that never left a vault in my brain, a quote that I have held without ever using until now. And how amazing to get my hands messy without looking over my shoulder at a Brownie asking for the toilet.

I didn’t know how many layers to do. I don’t want it opening after one hit. But I think I went too far instead. At least it should mean Guides and Leaders can also take turns!

After the paper-mache balloon dried I came to decide how to decorate it. I could’ve gone with an owl, but I always think it looks a little self-centred as the only owl in our group. I also didn’t want Brownies telling Mum and Dad they hit Brown Owl with a baseball bat.

I went for Brownie branding colours instead. The circle design I found through Pinterest and I was surprised at how effective it came out. It will make a nice decoration for the house until it comes to smashing it open! I’m very proud of it and do not think the photo, with this lighting, does it justice.

One aspect of Brownie Holiday prep that I take from the previous year but also update is the holiday diaries. This is an important document for the Brownies as it is part of the Brownie Holiday Badge syllabus. They keep track of what activities they have done, document the healthy food they eat, the sports they play and show they know what clothes are appropriate for the weather. Plus a few quizzes and puzzles thrown in too. Each Brownie Holiday has a theme, and so does the diary – updated with related clipart to help them remember their special weekend.

It all takes time, sometimes time that I really don’t have, but the end product makes it worth it. I hope this all adds to an exciting Big Brownie Birthday weekend!