Hunger Games
Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 5:00AM Faith was very determined to have a slumber party this year for her 12th birthday.
Very.
Determined.
I tried to talk her out of it, but she would not be swayed. Sensing my reluctance (which wasn’t difficult - I was fairly obvious about it.) she and her friend, Em, planned and executed the whole thing themselves using a Hunger Games theme.
It was awesome.
Faith made her own invitations on the computer which I will not reproduce here because I’m pretty sure she used images that she did not have permission to, but here is the text she came up with:
To: The Tribute for the 12th annual
Hunger Games!
From each family, a friend of mine is chosen to compete in a night of fun, games, and eating challenges.
Can you survive the atomic fireball, or the warheads, or a scavenger hunt? Find out at Faith’s Hunger Games Birthday Party!!!
The games will take place at Faith’s house on October 20th at 6:00 to October 21st at 10:00.
It will include Hunger Games movie, music, and games so be there!!!
And may the odds be ever in your favor
How cute is that?
And then they did indeed have challenges, starting with seeing who could put the most hot cinnamon candies in their mouths.
It was disgusting and ended with piles of slobbery candies in piles all over the table which was just fine, because they had so much fun doing it.
That challenge was followed by the War Heads challenge in which they had to eat sour candies without making faces. It made my mouth hurt just to watch them.
Fortunately I had a large supply of actual food for them to eat when they were done. The pretzels, nachos and pizza were NOT spit out.
Why is junk food so good? I really want to know.
While they were eating, I was tasked with setting up the scavenger hunt. Faith and Em had spent hours coming up with clues and insisted that the hunt itself had to take place after dark, because running around in the dark with flashlights and friends is about the most fun you can have apparently.
But if you’re the mom setting up the clues all by yourself in the dark wooded area and then it’s a smidgen less fun.
I had very specific instructions on where to put everything. These jars had to be hung from tree branches.
And the cups with eggs in them had to be put in the “creek” (really a cement liner to prevent flooding that is usually dry) behind our house.
I don’t know why. It’s better not to ask, because the asking can be seen as criticism and I in no way wanted to criticize the creativity and genius that went into the party planning.
When they finished the hunt - which somehow also required that I sit in the dark behind our house and be the Game Master which was creepy - it was back inside for cupcakes and the watching of the actual Hunger Games movie.
I thoroughly dislike that movie. It’s dark and violent and the cinematography give me motion sickness.
This is Reagan’s status update during the movie:
The evening finished up with the final challenge: blind makeovers. 
Then I locked them all in the basement put them all to bed and actually went to sleep myself. Let’s hear it for three story houses which keep moms from hearing giggling 7th graders at 2:00 in the morning!
The whole thing really was a lot of fun and the best part is that Faith and Em did it all themselves. I told them they should be party planners one day.
Reader Comments (15)
Looks like fun!! Sleepovers are exhausting!!
Sounds like fun! Sleepovers are one of those things that fall under the heading 'things I don't miss' : )
That is awesome! So creative. I have not seen the movie or read the book, but it sounds like the party was a blast.
I'm SO glad you explained the party, because when you said what the theme was I was interested to see it play out. She did a great job! You're so a cool Mom :)
This whole thing made me smile. You are one, game, mom. Good for you. I can see how your kids are like you. I wish I had been friends with Faith when I was little.
Woo boo for awesome moms and slumber parties!
That kid is a genius.
Does she do gender reveal parties?
That is so cool - I wish I had the non-laziness to make my parties that awesome!
i am SOOO impressed!!! that makes it even more fun to plan the whole thing with her dear friend. i should loosen my reins and suggest emmie do the same this year. she tried to plan her own surprise party once. ;)
Kudos to Faith and Em for pulling off such a fun, age-appropriate
imaginative event - and Kudos to you for putting up with it.
Minus the Hunger Games theme, I had a similar sleepover in junior high. It was my favorite birthday and we still talk about the "music video" we made that night. Those are great memories!
How creative!! Can't wait to see what she comes up with next :)
It looks like she had a blast! The makeovers! Oh my goodness! They could have been extras in the movie, or another horror film. ha! What a hilarious idea!
This was fantastic! And I am thrilled to hear that perhaps one day Annie will be able to plan and execute her own birthday party. That would be awesome! Faith is a clever, clever girl!
Very creative!! Perhaps she'll have a career in party planning