Birthday preparations.

Today K has been busy making things.  She chose a trip to the theatre instead of a birthday party, so tomorrow we're heading down to London to see Matilda the Musical again (we saw it when it opened in Stratford-on-Avon nearly three years ago).  As she's not having a party, there will be no party bags, so K has decided instead to make something herself.  Her friend, N, is coming with us tomorrow, so she has made three 'theatre boxes' for N, M and herself.

Three sets of Matilda models.

From left to right there is Bruce's chocolate cake, Miss Trunchbull, Matilda (complete with book under her arm) and the Wormwood's telly!

She also bought three boxes to put them in (rather bigger than she'd planned, but that was all the shop had), and decorated them.

The 'theatre boxes'.

K has been very clear about what she would like for her birthday and in particular the fact that she doesn't want to be given a lot.  She was explaining to me that although she has given me quite a few ideas to put on her 'birthday list' (a list of suggestion in case anyone asks me for ideas), she really doesn't want to be given all of them and would have a dilemma if she were.  We've talked previously about how sometimes we might be given something as a gift that we aren't particularly keen on, but that people give presents with good intentions, so we should remember that when thanking them, but actually re-gifting to someone who would appreciate the item or giving to a charity later is a good way of recycling things.  K was telling me that although she would rather not be given lots of things, she realises that if she were given things from her list or that she liked she would find it too hard to do this, and so she wanted me to make it clear to people who would usually buy her a present that if they did buy her something (and she really wouldn't mind if they didn't), please could I ask them to just get her one small thing.  She has also said the same to M, who has painted her a lovely picture of Dobby the House Elf.