Another DVOM bar mitzvah --- help wanted!

DVOM

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 5:59 pm

2.5 years have passed since the last DVOM family bar mitzvah. We once again have a beautiful young man approaching Jewish adulthood. I'm feeling so grateful, proud, and joyful! Now all we have to do is plan a party worthy of this very special occasion! The imamother party planning committee was a huge help with our last bar mitzvah, and I'm hoping you all will help me brainstorm again.

This bar mitzvah is going to be celebrated in stages.

Mr. Almost 13 will be turned bar mitzvah on Pesach. Great timing! We're going to be making a very small immediate family celebration; grandparents will come, and whichever neighbors are around will probably come over to stay Mazal tov, but that's it. It's going to be Pesach, so serving....Pesach chips and macaroons? Clearly food can't be the star of that leg of the celebrations. Any other ideas to make this day special without breaking the bank would be most welcome!

We will not be having a big evening party like we did for our oldest son. Instead, our plan is to spend the summer in Israel, which was the dream of our bar mitzvah boy. When we planned this in August 23, we obviously had no idea that this would mean taking my kids to a war zone. I'm a bit anxious, but barring any major changes, this is still the plan.

All this leads me to our conundrum: we'd like to have some sort of party that our family and friends can come to. Mr. 13 has many beloved aunts and uncles and cousins, and we want them all to celebrate with him. We're thinking of an informal, not fancy, not expensive, but still special dinner party in our home for about 60 people.

I'd love some help planning this party. Mr. 13 wants flaishigs, but that's as far as we got. I need help deciding if we'd do a sit down meal (fancier) or buffet (easier to put together) and what to serve. I'd also love an idea for entertainment. At another party I hosted, we had a lady come and make spray paint baseball caps for everyone, which was so much fun. I'd love to do something like that, but have no ideas.

Alright girls, that's it! All help, suggestions, ideas most welcome!

amother

Mintcream

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 6:05 pm

I think an informal buffet style event at home will be lovely. Decorate the side of the house with a balloon arch , which should be behind the main food. You can do a sweet table at the opposite end of the room.

For entertainment, this might be girly but my sil hired a huge photo booth thing for my niece's bas Mitzvah party. It was basically like a huge screen/mirror that printed out the pics straight away. Was really cool and so much fun!! It came with hats and props to dress up a bit and get silly. It's expensive though. You could just put together a video of old clips of mr.13 growing up. And maybe have friends wishing him mazel tov on it without him knowing in advance.

And I can't believe it's already been so long since your last Bar Mitzvah,I remember it well, like yesterday! I love the way you do things out of the box.

Chayalle

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 6:08 pm

amother Mintcream wrote:

I think an informal buffet style event at home will be lovely. Decorate the side of the house with a balloon arch , which should be behind the main food. You can do a sweet table at the opposite end of the room.

For entertainment, this might be girly but my sil hired a huge photo booth thing for my niece's bas Mitzvah party. It was basically like a huge screen/mirror that printed out the pics straight away. Was really cool and so much fun!! It came with hats and props to dress up a bit and get silly.

And I can't believe it's already been so long since your last Bar Mitzvah,I remember it well, like yesterday! I love the way you do things out of the box.

My nephew had a photo booth at his Bar Mitzvah last summer. They had boyish options for backgrounds, and I distinctly remember a Kosel backdrop being one of them.

amother

Hibiscus

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 6:46 pm

By Pesach do you mean Yontif itself? We made a kiddush and did cakes in or next to the packages so people knew where it came from, fruit platters and I think someone sent an oh nuts chocolate platter. Put out enough grape juice because you need a revius of grape juice if you’re not washing or eating mezonos. We didn’t put out a lot, most people didn’t eat they just came send mazal tov and left.

Highstrung

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 6:51 pm

Buffet for sure , but maybe put an appetizer at everyone’s place so they start off at the table and everyone helps themselves for the mains and sides . That’s what I did .

This Chanuka I made an spontaneously planned party with finger food and I decided to make meat pizzas for the first time . I made the dough from scratch and used different sauces and types of meat , popped them into a pizza maker and when they were sliced I scattered arugula over them and drizzled garlic Mayo dressing (homemade) and spicy Mayo (homemade) over the pies . They not only looked heavenly but tasted delicious too.

Some of the variations I made :

Pulled beef . Drizzled the dough with honey and BBQ sauce , topped pulled beef (made in crockpot ) . When done drizzled BBQ sauce and Mayo dressing

Sautéed onion with sautéed pastrami
Sauce: drop of Marinara mixed with some honey
Drizzled Mayo dressings and arugula on top

I also did others with sautéed onion, pastrami and diced smoked Turkey breast

I did a few with duck confit (someone had given me and was trying to use it up ) with craisins .

Did some with ground beef sautéed , sautéed onions and colored diced peppers and mushrooms with BBQ sauce .

There were so many different types , some of them I mixed all the toppings together and changed up the sauces .
It was fun , pretty and delish.

You can for sure make these ahead and freeze (at least the cooked meat ones) and then reheat the day of , top with greens and dressings .

Don’t know if meat pizza is something that talks to you but just throwing the idea out

amother

Honeysuckle

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 6:52 pm

DVOM wrote:

Time really does fly! It's hard to wrap my head around!

I like the photo booth idea. Any leads regarding how to rent this/set it up on our own? Any other entertainment ideas?

I'm going to have to pass on the balloon arch, sadly. I love it, but I've priced it in the past, and it's so so so expensive. Any other (cheaper🤪) decor ideas?

There are really user friendly DIY kits on Amazon for like $15. They take a while but they are easy to put together and look like the ones from the stores.

B'Syata D'Shmya

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 6:53 pm

I am davening that your simcha will be celebrated with tremendous and simcha and nachas and the war should be over by then. In the interim, there are sooo many families whose lives have been affected this year because of the war, perhaps some activity to acknowledge and support them. It doesnt have to be an expensive initiative but any small step in helping another Jew is the best example you can give your son in his tafkid as a Ben Yisroel. If your son is not on board, dont push it. Just a suggestion.
May you shep a lot of nachas from this son and all your kinderlach.

DVOM

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 6:53 pm

keym wrote:

So you're hoping to make 2 things?
1 small drop in for Pesach and then something else after?
Or is it just the 1 thing on Pesach that you're trying to find entertainment for?

Mazel Tov. I remember all of us helping plan your older son's event. Can't believe time has flown

Mr. 13's bo bayom and leining is Shabbos chol hamoed Pesach. My folks will come, but that's it. I wish I could host a big Shabbos with all of our family, but realistically this just isn't something I'm up for planning or paying for. Because it's Pesach I'd have a really hard time putting up and feeding everyone.

The party for family and friends in our home will be separate, probably after Pesach. That's what I'd love some menu and entertainment help with.

DVOM

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 6:56 pm

B'Syata D'Shmya wrote:

That's a beautiful suggestion. I think if presented right, Mr. 13 would very much be on board.

Any ideas?

DVOM

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 6:57 pm

Highstrung wrote:

This is a great idea! Cool, in style food is very much appreciated by Mr. 13. He'd love this!

DVOM

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 6:58 pm

amother Hibiscus wrote:

This sounds perfect. I couldn't picture how to make this work, but that sounds just right.

amother

Mintcream

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 6:59 pm

amother Honeysuckle wrote:

There are really user friendly DIY kits on Amazon for like $15. They take a while but they are easy to put together and look like the ones from the stores.

Yes I plan to use this for my son's 3rd birthday party Smile

my dh said it's not an upsherin (for us) because it's not our minhag. we cut hair before 3 if it's messy etc. my sil used an Amazon kit and she said it was quite easy to put together. Definitely the consuming.

DVOM

Tue, Jan 30 2024, 6:59 pm

amother Mintcream wrote:

Definitely leaning towards buffet.