Celebrate a 21st Birthday Party at Home

Hey friends! It’s great to have Holly and Sarah back to share a little bit of our weekend. Sam, our youngest, celebrated his birthday (it was actually two weeks ago) with a party. I’m not going to lie, I’m so glad it’s over because party planning is path out of my comfort zone. But the good news is that Sam and his friends had a great time and my house survived the event! Wow!

A few months ago, Sam asked if he could have his 21st birthday party at our house. It’s a reasonable request, except that our house, while very comfortable and something I really love, is more of a cozy, compact space than an artist’s home. We launched the idea of ​​tasting it in a pub or restaurant. But he wanted to party at home with his friends.

When we made a list of things we needed to do to get everything organized, he said, “Mom, don’t worry, everything will be fine. We’ll just order pizza and put on some music.” Bless his positive and laid back attitude. You and I both know that this will never be all we need to make a successful 21st!

We were all busy with work, studying and everything else, and Sam’s relaxed approach was a little contagious. Until last Monday, when I started to panic! I thought, “Oh my God, we only have a few days until the Friday night event!” We’ve all been kicking things into high gear, ordering things from Amazon, buying snacks and drinks, pre-ordering the pizzas for delivery, and arranging the decorations.

We rented a few bar tables and stools and got an LED party light that vibrates to the music. The boombox we wanted was not available. But fortunately, my boss was able to lend us hers – phew! Then there was just a little furniture reshuffling, and I thought about my post about entertaining in small spaces. I stopped panicking, I persevered and everything fell into place.

I stayed away that night to give them some space to have fun and party. My husband was at work until 3 a.m., but our oldest son came over and helped keep things running smoothly. When I got home, I was very impressed by how all the trash was grouped into trash bags. And sticky floors aside, Sam and his friends had done a great job cleaning it up. It was clear they had a great time and I couldn’t believe how well they took care of everything.

To be honest, I was expecting total chaos at a frat house like the ones I saw in the movies, so this was a very pleasant surprise. I met most of Sam’s friends and always thought they were good eggs, and their cleaning efforts confirmed that in a big way! I was also happy to find that the only thing they ended up using from the “just in case” kit I had left behind was the mosquito repellent.

In addition to the party being a great success, Sam was completely spoiled with gifts that none of us expected. He received money, Chanel cologne and nine of his friends even contributed towards a ticket to Bali. So there you have it, he’s going to Bali with them for a week at the end of January 2026, big time. I’m sure they’ll have a wonderful time, but I’m already looking forward to their safe return.

Happy Monday friends and thank you very much for stopping by!