We're in Mexico not 5 months and we get invited to a birthday party. Our neighbor's daughter was turning 13. So not a little kid, but not an adult. We were surprised it was 13 because when I asked how old back when we first met she said 13. But apparently you start saying your age when it's the year you'll be that age? I don't know. But it wasn't a Quincenera. Just a nice birthday party.
We were invited THE NIGHT BEFORE THE PARTY. Like...what? That's not enough time to get a gift! Our neighbor Elba said no gifts. She'd held a party for her older daughter's quince and no one showed up. She thought because they didn't want to bring gifts. So she said this time, no gifts.
But there were gifts, so I'm glad I whipped something together.
My neighbor rented a party venue that had a swimming pool. It was nice. Outdoors, but with big powerful fans, a fully covered seating area, and the pool had tarps to semi-block the sun. It was less than a mile from our home.
I looked it up and the face book said you could rent a weekday party for only $120usd. Wow.
I didn't know what to do about a gift. I figured I'd put a 500 peso bill ($25) in an envelope and call it a day. BUT. I had bought some young adult books in Spanish because I wanted to start reading in Spanish. One of them, The Princess and the Cheese Sandwich, was still shrinkwrapped. BOOM! An age appropriate brand new book. We wrapped it in a wrestling poster. Done and Done.
Except I'd also ordered two boxes of mini-skittles. So I brought them too and she was able to use them as party favors. :proud:
I was worried this daughter would suffer what her sister did, but there were 50 people. The kids played in the pool. They paired off for slow songs and danced together in the pool They were so cute.
My mom and I sat at a table with the mother, our neighbor and her husband. She served pizza and ceviche (we ate the pizza), Agua Fresca which is a drink made from Jamaica leaves that tastes like cranberry juice to me, Sangria the non-acoholic soda that's popular here, and Fresca soda which is shockingly not diet here.
I ate three cupcakes and a little cheesecake cup thing that was super creamy. We stayed for hours talking and joking with the other adult guests. I brought a bottle of wine and my neighbor and her husband drank it with me. Then they took out another bottle of sparkling wine that looked familiar...because I had given it to them a while ago when I bought multiples of it and didn't like it. Lol.
A very nice party. I wish I'd had more notice so I could have gotten the girl one of those plushies everyone is crazy about. Le Sigh.
No pinata. ;_; She's too old. Ah well.
