t-25 still – As you would expect, like me, you are exhausted by all of this reasoning. So let’s keep it simple. We’re going to buy pre-made invitations, because we mustn’t waste our energy. The party is in 25 days. If you want to make them yourself, it’s still possible! However, I’m going to order mine.

t-25 later – Note to self for later: next year, try to think of everything at once and make one single order.

t-22 – And just like magic, I have my invitations. The internet is crazy! I fill them in myself because my daughter has decided to hide in her den for a long period of hibernation. I guess she’ll come out again for the day of the party. Note: the odds are in my favour – the party falls on the first day of Spring. Practical advice: always allow the possibility to change the address of the party at the last minute if you aren’t sure about having it at your house (you’ll understand on D-Day).

t-17 – I would love to hibernate myself, deep in a den. But my daughter explains to me that her den is too small, and that there isn’t enough room for two. How dare she! In a forest, there are rabbits, foxes, deer, hedgehogs, raccoons, squirrels, owls, mice, robins, mushrooms, acorns, pine cones, and much more… I do what my secondary school aged son does for his history and geography projects (I’ll make a post about this some day), and jot all of my ideas down, before making a detailed plan and then getting down to work. So, there are also bears and wolves. I could make it half cute animals and half ferocious beasts. I don’t know, I’m not sure…

t-15 – Armed with my lumberjack shirt and tartan shawl, I decide on which acitivities and atmosphere we’re going for, and I make my order. A bit of planning was all that was needed. It was a big fuss but finally, all it took was to be in these tartan clothes which, for some weird reason, really suit me. That makes me happy, and therefore more efficient.

t-10 – Everything is going well. I remember that I made my order 5 days ago, that my son is a teenager and seems to forget that he even has a mother, and that my daughter is in hibernation. So, I have nothing else to do but entertain myself. After a few hours of yoga, I feel in touch with the forest. I am Mother Nature.

t-7 – Prepare the playlist, print the printouts, make the list of games, write the shopping list, decide which animals to incorporate in the different games, make the party bags… Yes, I’ve decided to do them myself! When making the playlist, it seems stupid to leave out Chantal Goya, Once Upon A Time and Snow White. To get the party started, I mean. To get in the mood, and all that…

t-1 – evening in my kitchen
I dive straight into making:

* red and white meringues to make some little mushrooms like these.

* round shortbread, and plenty of them. Tomorrow, I’m going to cover them in icing or almond paste to make little raccoons, rabbits, foxes and bears.

* a nutella yule log, covered in white icing and nutella (all to fit in with my decoration and the season), as well as little icing-covered trees, animals and flowers (also to fit in with my decoration and the season).

8am – I wake up just before the sun has risen, so that I can say hello in hope that it will be good weather for the day.

9am – Option 1 – My daughter is still sleeping. She doesn’t understand that hibernation ends today. I feel wonderful! It must be all of that Ginseng that I drank this winter. I’m going to go for a little jog, just to check the state of the forest and to do my last bit of preparation. It’s just like a dream – the woods are green and budding. Let’s do this. I find 4 trees quite close to eachother and hang golden garlands between them to create the party zone. I call my husband and tell him to come and drop off all of my materials (that I prepared beforehand). I now have everything that I need (my husband is Spiderman). I set up my garlands. It’s beautiful, with the sun reflecting off of them. I then set up a second-hand table in the middle, with a large white tablecloth. To add a magical touch, I hang two big chandeliers. I’ve already customised my candles with a bit of golden glitter. Next, I scatter some golden confetti, leaves, acorns, pine cones and little woodland animal figurines across the table. I even add some flower petals and some colourful figurines! I then set out the plates, the cups, and the glass bottles with golden straws… The table is crazy!

9am – Option 2 – My daughter is still sleeping. She is snoring away. I would love to go back to sleep myself. It’s absolutely freezing. Didn’t someone tell me that it was meant to be Spring? The trees are still bare. I decide to opt for the indoors version, and make the most of the peace and calm to construct a mini woodland in my livingroom. I pretend that I’m in the fairytale ‘Once Upon a Time’ with my magic wand. A large white tablecloth, chandeliers, confetti, leaves, acorns, pine cones, little glittery animal figurines, plates, cups… and, of course, a ceiling of golden star garlands. I told you that I was in a good mood.

12pm – I find my daughter, who has just about gotten out of bed. I really hope that she’s not sick… I put on a rabbit mask, a white jumper and black jeans, and give myself little rosy cheeks! My daughter wears a woodland animals dress. It’s magnificent!

3pm – A dozen little forest animals are here. I give them little whiskers, cheeks, freckles and antlers. Now they are really, really cute.

3:10pm – Let’s make a circle. Let me introduce to you the Woodland Animals Quiz!

3:20pm – You’re all very clever. We’re going to play Grandmother’s Footsteps, but this version is a bit special. You need to walk like woodland animals! Let’s start with a wolf. And to spice things up a little, you can also make the animal noises!!

3:40pm – Let’s do a little creative activity. Sit yourselves down on the floor infront of me, and I’ll explain to you how to make some 3D woodland animals. Here are all the materials that you need.

4pm – Well done. Don’t forget to write your names on your animals!! Time for a little animal circle game.

4:05pm – Snacktime!

4:20pm – Do you know the story of Little Red Riding Hood? And The Three Little Pigs? As you all know well, in both of these fairytales, there is a wolf! Because there aren’t just squirrels in the forest! Shall we play a game of What’s The Time Mr. Wolf? Children love this one!

4:30pm – And now, Pass the Parcel! This is my favourite game…

4:45pm – How about a game of Well Seated Pet?

4:55pm – Now for Foxes and Rabbits!

5:05pm – Don’t you know how to play Musical Statues? Let me teach you. Every time that the music stops, you must turn into a woodland animal!

5:15pm – Let’s do a new activity. I’m going to have you make your own herbarium. So, I’m going to give each child a little notebook (you can also have the children make them), as well as some leaves that I collected before the party (if you’re in the forest, you can obviously ask them to gather them up themseves). If you don’t want to make a herbarium, you could alway have them make a memory game!

5:45pm – Before opening the gifts, we have one last job to do… Wake up the bear who hasn’t yet realised that it’s Spring and therefore time to come out of hibernation. A game of The Tickling Bear. We must try to get the pinata that he is preciously guarding, without waking him up…

5:55pm – It’s time to open the presents!

6:05pm – The party is over! I am amazing! And exhausted. I can finally sleep. A hidden den, and even just a little one, will do the trick.