In this vintage book, Betty Crocker shows us that kid’s parties weren’t always about Disney princesses and Lego Star Wars.
I have an undying love for vintage illustration, especially from the 60s. I also never tire of old timey arts-and-craft books. So when I spotted Betty Crocker’s Parties For Children on a flea market table last summer, it was a no-brainer: I needed this book. A spiral-bound hardcover brimful of easy recipes, decorating DIYS and fun activites, Parties For Children is a wonderfully illustrated time trip back to 1964. The drawings alone are worth the pennies I paid for this, even if the advice seems a little antiquated. (Like, keep decorations simple because ‘Too gaudy an array will only confuse young children.’) Suggested games include ‘Human Tic-Tac-Toe’, ‘Identifying Months’, ‘Hear It!’, ‘Smell It!’, and (of course), ‘Feel It!’. The recipe selection is thematic, from ‘Sputnik Cheeseburgers’ (Spaceman’s Party) to ‘Witches Cauldron Soup’ (Halloween) to ‘Cinderella Supper’, which proves that the princess theme is hardly a new phenomenon ‘Successful parties don’t just happen,’ Dame Crocker explains. ‘They require careful thought and planning in advance.’ Sound advice, however my favorite tip? ‘Avoid Sundays… they attract relative.’ | |
Betty Crocker’s Parties For Children, by Lois. M. Freeman with illustrations by Judy and Barry Martin can be found on Amazon.com