The Axiomatic Musings of a Teen who learned a lot from having a Sweet 16.

So I'm going to a Sweet 16 at a roller rink tonight (SO FLIPPING EXCITED) and I noticed that having hosted my own 50ish person party back in October, I've learned a lot about how to attend a party:

-If it's a small party, and you were invited because you're a close friend of the person, gifts don't really have to be a big deal. Your presence is your present, generally they'll just be glad to have you there and what you bring doesn't really matter. BUT if it's a larger party that everyone was invited to, or more of a mutual friend (like getting invited to one because Ash was invited so they assumed he'd want me there), your presence isn't really as delightful for them xD. So then your options are to either have a fairly generic gift (which is perfectly acceptable), or a surprisingly thoughtful or nice gift so the person will be grateful they invited you, and invite you again sometime because they like you, not just because you're a someone.

-Write the "from" on EVERYTHING. When people arrived at my party, they came in groups where everyone was just handing me bags and boxes and cards from every direction, there was no way to keep track. I just set them on a table, and the next day opened them all. Now if you don't write thank-you notes anymore (and a surprising amount of people do not...I think Devon may be the only person that's written me a thank-you card in the past 2 years), this doesn't matter as much. But I'm very big on appreciation, so I wanted to make a list of which people gave me what, so that I could write out a personal thank you card thanking them for each gift. And let me just say it is just one big game of CSI to figure out who gave me what when the cards get separated from the gifts. I ended up with a pile of cards and a pile of name-less presents. Some I could determine by handwriting, type of gift, or simply texting a suspect and asking, but it took quite a while and i found myself really grateful for the people who wrote the to and from ON the wrapping or giftbag. So I try to do that now to make it a little easier on the birthday girl or boy too :).

-EAT, DAMMIT! I had SO FREAKING MUCH leftover food at my party. And it was really good too, people just weren't hungry, or ate before they came, or whatever, and we ended up having to throw out a lot of yumminess :(. So again, this goes more for big parties and less for backyard get-togethers with chips and salsa, but it's still a nice compliment when people like and finish the food :D.

-What the birthday girl/boy does or says goes. So no, you may not change the music in the middle of a good song 12 different times. And none of that "awwww, comeee onnnnn, pleeeeaseeee!" shenanigans either :P.

So yeah, I actually shouldn't type anymore cuz I gotta go get myself ready and prettified for the party i will so now knowledgeably attend ;). Ooh speaking of pretty, I did my first actual photoshoot today for Pulp Vintage!! It was loads of fun (even if we froze our asses off outside), and I can't wait to see the pictures!!! I met some really cool people and I hope they ask me to do another shoot sometime :).
Have a lovely long weekend <3

♪: "Birthday" by The Beatles
♪♪: "The Fame" by Lady Gaga
♪♪♪: "Keep Holding On" by Avril Lavigne. {Heal up soon, darling <3. That lung of yours is a bitch but never forget I love you.}