Not to toot my own horn, but my favorite birthday party was my own this past year-- I went with a Moroccan theme cooking plenty from Paula Wolfert's The Food of Morocco. My birthday is New Year's Day so it was a birthday/New Year's Eve party. We ate well, watched the ball drop, then slipped into a rousing dance party. Everything was perfect! And the food was devoured and I managed to serve everything HOT with little stress. All in my tiny Manhattan apartment that doesn't even have an actual kitchen- just a stove/sink/fridge amid the living room.

I'm sad we didn't get more photos, but its just an indicator of how much fun we were having!

My post covers the food: http://www.culinary-librarian.com/2012/01/moroccan-new-years-eve.html

I think my favorite was the party I threw for my boyfriend's birthday a couple of years ago. I made pasta, garlic bread, and roasted broccoli, though I don't even remember what I made for dessert. But what made it great was just that everybody was relaxed and in a party mood; they were all good friends and just happy to be together. And I think it had been a long time since anybody had fussed over my boyfriend on his birthday, so he was tickled by that.

Unfortunately, you often can't really control the factors that make a party super fun . . . .

It was Carrie M's 11th birthday and her parents hired a magician. We had so much fun and that magician was good without being corny. It was a simpler time I guess. Not sure how well magicians would go over with 11 yr olds these days...

When I was a kid a friend had a b-day party where we got to make our own ice cream sundaes. They had a few different ice creams, chocolate & other sauces and a bunch of different toppings. I remember it being really fun.

24 was great- vegetarian gourmet restaurant & the original "Texas Cahinsaw Massacre" at a movie house where beer & wine was served. But 30 was the best- long walk on Sanibel with fiancee, dinner in Ft. Lauderdale with great friends & a schwanky hotel (Il Lugano) to celebrate. The worst part was accidentally parking in a handicapped spot while buying wine, getting a $250 ticket and spilling the $10 bottle of red wine all over the all-white hotel room. It was...interesting.

An Alice in Wonderland themed party!!: http://fritesandfries.com/post/549994886/things-i-did-this-weekend-tea-time

My daughter always has great birthday parties... Her 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 7th were truly great. She was born at the end of September, and the weather always seems to be beautiful: clear sunny skies, warm but not hot. The best of all was her 7th -- we had a carnival party for her, and involved her friends' parents (who are also our best friends); it was a perfect day, and loads of fun. Games, pictures, fun backdrops, great foods and great friends of all ages!

We have to try harder to make fun parties for our son -- poor kid was born in November, and so he does not have the benefit of fun outdoor parties.

In my 20s, I threw a themed birthday party with a close girlfriend every year. Now THOSE were some parties. She was a "good girl" (and I was not) so our themes were always opposites. My favorite was Cops & Cons... I made a mugshot background out of a white shower curtain and black electrical tape, then provided cut black cardboard and chalk for people to make up their own "crimes" and we took mugshots. It was awesome. People are very creative. And, after a few cocktails, very very twisted.

BEAUTIFUL pic! Thanks, AT

My mom created a crafty birthday party for me when I was 8. I remember making tissue paper carnations, fusing plastic beads with the iron, and having DQ cake. She's pretty awesome.

where were you last week?! I just had a party this past weekend for my 28th and I must say, it was one of the best birthday's I've had.

I visited a good friend in San Francisco, and she took me to a co-worker's party. The entire ceiling was covered in balloons, their streamers dangling down like a festive ribbon jungle. An entire bookshelf was filled with mini cupcakes, and each had a tiny cupcake candle on top. Everyone got to wear silly temporary tattoos and were not allowed to talk about work. Party favors were Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot rings that actually worked. The mixed drinks were available in giant glass dispensers with an icebox for the beer. I got to meet the founder of Twitter, no big deal. I also slow motion Matrix style battled an attractive drunk Australian man. Someone i didn't know brought me a Slice of "secret pizza" because i saw him eating some and had no idea where it came from. Eating that pizza saved my hangover and i felt fine the next day. Best birthday party ever!