Hi everyone!
May is always a beautiful month. For me, it’s my birthday followed quickly the next weekend by cards from our two sons, some kind of special breakfast, a bit of a celebration at home—which I love.
So today, in honour finding fun, I’m sharing my favourite ways to celebrate at home.
It may be an unpopular view, but I love celebrating in my own home. Why? To me, restaurants are impersonal and even a little fussy. I love to be able to start in heels and switch to comfy shoes, climb into bed when the party’s done, or get on my pjs and continue into the night chatting and curled on the sofa with a cup of tea.
Have you ever tried these ideas?
Afternoon tea with girlfriends: iron a tablecloth, set out your prettiest china, clip some greenery from your garden or use grocery store blooms and light some candles. Make scones, add jam and cream and cups of tea. Bake a cake or make finger sandwiches and cut off the crusts. Your girlfriends will love being in your home.
Easy family celebration dinner: you already know what you and yours love best. Just make the same thing every time you celebrate. For our special family dinners, it’s a starter of crab cakes followed by steak on the barbecue (I have a house of BOYS!) plus salmon for me, a delicious green salad with everything in it (think feta, toasted pepitas, tomato etc), and a classic chocolate cake for dessert. My boys also love the blackberry and plum cake pictured above. Recipe here!
The simplest girlfriend lunch: grab a platter and arrange some salad leaves on one end. Add burrata, sliced tomato, maybe some roasted and cooled carrots on a smear of hummus, or roasted asparagus, a few slices of protein—smoked salmon, ham from the deli, salami. Place the platter in the centre of the table with large serving spoons and done. It’s pretty, easy, you can use what you have and (let’s face it-haha!) the two of you are only really there to talk, anyway! You can buy dessert or open a box of chocolates with your coffee, but I always opt for quick and hot apple turnovers—recipe below! You can pop them in the oven while you eat lunch.
I’m a fan of celebrating everything, especially with the people closest to me—family and girlfriends. And why not?
If not now, when?
What exactly are we waiting for?
To be more perfect? To be more ready? To be less busy? (Meanwhile, the days and weeks and years slide by…)
The truth is that none of us expect perfection in anyone else’s home; we just want to be invited, to be welcomed in, and to feel loved.
Happy Sunday, everyone. I hope you’re inspired to try a little celebrating of your own.
Love, Catherine x
PS. The fun stuff!
To all the women who mother (that’s everyone!), I hope you enjoy today.
Easy apple turnovers: buy puff pastry sheets (Aldi brand is best!). I use this recipe!
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Thank you for spreading the word! xo I appreciate YOU.
