Planning A Last Minute 100 Day Celebration (BAEK-IL 백일)
The first weekend of this month, we celebrated our son’s 100 day! It was technically his 112th day but you know, that doesn’t roll off the tongue as easily. On his actual 100 day, we did a mini-celebration but we also wanted to celebrate with close friends. Since I am a notorious overachiever and procrastinator at the same time, it’s no easy feat planning these events. I tend to buy everything the day before or day of, even imploring my dear friends to grab something on the way over. This also means I’m getting ready while the party is happening. If someone can send me a “how to do makeup efficiently and well with a baby” post my way, it will save my friends from seeing my bare naked… face!
Since our apartment is on the tiny side, we had limitations on our guest list and space but still wanted to keep traditions alive in our celebration. By traditions, I really mean the aesthetically pleasing dukk (Korean rice cake) to both photograph well and eat! This also meant I need to find decorations that liven up a small space quickly without being too tacky.
As I lean heavily (or almost completely) on the procrastinating side, it’s usually mission impossible to get everything ready in time. I can confidently say that I have failed nearly every time… but hey, it all works out in the end.
Here’s a list of five last minute stops to help you while planning an impromptu baby event:
1. Target
Ah. Every mom’s mothership. I kid. Sort of. But it’s safe to say I won’t have to convince you to head over to Target in order to purchase anything (or the whole store). I like to purchase my table covers and small decorations from the party section. The table covers are thicker and feel a teensy bit fancier than the ones from the dollar store. Also, I love to peruse the dollar section for ideas– I picked up two green garlands for our party and to decorate for Christmas.
2. Whole Foods
This is the place to be for flowers! They have the best selection and generally, the flowers are fresh! I like to pick a color scheme usually on the drive over, and then grab two bunches of color, one bunch of white and another bunch of green for two floral arrangements. My favorite flowers are hydrangeas since they add fullness quickly. But I like to just see what looks the freshest the day of. It’s not the cheapest option but it’s the best option to liven up a focal table organically. Literally.
3. Michael’s
I recently popped in to grab a frame my parents ordered and meandered my way over to the party section. I was blown away by the quality and selection for any event. Hands down, you can buy every stylish color of streamer and decor in one aisle. I love to use paper fans to add color and a whimsical aspect to my events. They are a snap to assemble and easy to hang up. This time, I went with a set of white and gold paper fans that served as a backdrop for our focal table. Plus, they have a teacher discount and double plus they almost always have coupons! This is my newfound favorite spot for decorations, who would have thought?!
4. Dollar Tree
I usually never plan to go here but somehow always need to stop in. I purchase my balloons, plastic cutlery, glass vases, and other serving dishes. Basically, all the things a seasoned Anthropologie mom has in her kitchen already. But the dollar tree mom I am picks it up in plastic and rewashes to use for the next soirée. Here’s hoping for an older, wiser mom who stops using plastic cutlery in the future!
5. Napoli’s Pizza in Cliffside Park
This one is more central for those who are living in Bergen County, NJ. This is the best pizza place ever. We ordered a few pies for our baby shower and Wilder’s 100 day– both times the slices flew off the box. Seriously, I wonder if it’s old news to have the same food twice but it’s so damn delicious. Do yourself a favor, cater this pizza for your next event and watch your guests fall in love. Our personal favorites are the margarita and BBQ pizzas. We usually get three pies for a party of 10-15 but also order another main dish to pair. My husband and I are literally counting down the pies for our punch card till we get one margarita pizza free.
I’m a huge advocate for celebrations and highly encourage everyone to celebrate the minor and major milestones in your own unique way. Our day-of celebration consisted of expensive sushi (for me!), dollar store party hats, and a mini-cake! We didn’t have to do another celebration but hey, any excuse to eat good food and dessert is definite yes from me. It’s never perfect but somehow it works! Thankful for my current go-to five stops and friends who put up with my crazy last minute planning antics (y’all the real MVPS). Cheers to celebrating anything and everything… especially in the upcoming holiday season!