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  • Celebrations
    Party Planning

    How to Throw a “Carnaval” Birthday Party

    We show you how sportscaster and busy mom Patricia Hizon recreates the Brazilian carnaval style experience for her son Vicente’s birthday party.
    by Stephanie F. Esguerra .

  • Think pulsating rhythms. Bright colors. Festive music. That’s just the vibe you’d get if you had the fortune of experiencing a real carnaval. And with animated films like Rio, full of song, dance, and lively movement, your kids will definitely jump in excitement if you give them just this experience for their birthday party.

    The good news, though, is that you don’t need a lot of time or a lot of money to throw a carnaval birthday party. Patricia Hizon, sportscaster, blogger, and busy mom, just threw a birthday bash for her eldest son, Vicente, when he turned seven years old last month. 

    Would you believe that it took her just less than a week to prepare everything, after she got back from covering the SEA Games in Indonesia? Good thing she already had her set of suki suppliers, and with the help of her husband Vince, her household staff, staff from her Everyday Is Your Birthday foundation, she simply made several calls and the party came together.

    We asked Shaan what the most rewarding thing is about personally organizing her child’s birthday party, and her answer warmed our hearts. 

    “He thanked me, kissed me and hugged me and told me that he had the best party in the world. That was enough for me. It was a bonus that each kid left all sweaty, semi dirty, but extremely happy!”

    Would you like your child's birthday party featured on www.smartparenting.com.ph? Then send us your great ideas and best photos (please Zip the photos) at webmaster@smartparenting.com.ph!

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    Photography by Stephanie Esguerra

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    Launch Gallery
      Photo 1 of 50
      To create a fun and kid-friendly play area in the Hizons' backyard, Shaan borrowed props from a TV show set.
      Photo 2 of 50
      The props included a giant mobile phone and giant scrabble letters.
      Photo 3 of 50
      Check out these huge donuts and pencils!
      Photo 4 of 50
      The occasion was partly Vince's birthday party as well. The awarding for the 2nd Vince Hizon Cup was also held during the same day.
      Photo 5 of 50
      We snapped a photo of the dressed up Hizon backyard where the party was held. Check out the Angry Birds balloons and the bright ribbons for the chairs!
      Photo 6 of 50
      Some of the game prizes and loot bag items that Shaan mostly sourced from the market. These cymbals came from a toy store.
      Photo 7 of 50
      To help create the carnaval theme, Shaan bought masks, noisemakers like rattles and whistles. "We went to a mall and a market (palengke) and got everything we needed to give the carnavale atmosphere - masks, whistles, noise makers, we made necklaces, etc."
      Photo 8 of 50
      What carnaval would be complete without the music? Shaan rented a videoke machine and set it to play songs by Latina artists.
      Photo 9 of 50
      Shaan got the loot bags from the market. "I always get that kind of colorful mesh bag for outreach projects since it's sturdy, it's cheap and it's reusable.  I love that the colors match the carnavale theme. We put books in the bag which I got at a bookstore, we put snacks we got from the grocery, and we put noisemakers or other toys we got from a toy store."
      Photo 10 of 50
      Kids start arriving and they have a ball playing with the humongous pencils!
      Photo 11 of 50
      Isn't this cute? Vicente actually wrote his own welcome sigh for the guests arriving for his party!
      Photo 12 of 50
      When Vicente gets ready, Shaan covers his eyes for the grand reveal.
      Photo 13 of 50
      Vicente's just amazed when he sees the backyard transformed!
      Photo 14 of 50
      The boys shoot some hoops before the program starts.
      Photo 15 of 50
      One of the Angry Birds balloons flies away!
      Photo 16 of 50
      The kids from the orphanage, The House of Refuge. "I've been working with the House of Refuge for years already.  I've seen a lot of the kids there get adopted, seen their lives changed, and for the ones that are still there, I've seen them grow.  During Ondoy, House of Refuge stayed with us after they evacuated from their village in Marikina which was one of the hardest hit.  My kids consider them brothers and sisters.  WE love House of Refuge."
      Photo 17 of 50
      Shaan also provided bubble blowers to keep the kids preoccupied.
      Photo 18 of 50
      Shaan gets the party started by handing out the whistles to the kids from the orphanage.
      Photo 19 of 50
      Look at the kids' huge smiles putting the necklaces on!
      Photo 20 of 50
      Now it's time to hand out the masks!
      Photo 21 of 50
      This one's too big for this kiddo.
      Photo 22 of 50
      Vicente dons one on and mom Shaan asks him to welcome everyone to his birthday party.
      Photo 23 of 50
      Love those smiles and that color!
      Photo 24 of 50
      And the games begin! First off, the sack race.
      Photo 25 of 50
      Meanwhile, the rest head for the TV show set and have fun with the props.
      Photo 26 of 50
      The next game, the obstacle course, starts off with the first team under this deflated tent.
      Photo 27 of 50
      The boys have to dash for the donuts and hop through them.
      Photo 28 of 50
      Next, they have to pile them up!
      Photo 29 of 50
      And lastly, put one scrabble tile on top of one another.
      Photo 30 of 50
      Now it's the girls' turn! 
      Photo 31 of 50
      Look at them go!
      Photo 32 of 50
      They won't let the boys beat them!
      Photo 33 of 50
      They were a pretty solid team.
      Photo 34 of 50
      Before the next part of the program starts, the kids settle down on the donut-shaped seats.
      Photo 35 of 50
      And here's the magician for the magic show.
      Photo 36 of 50
      Vicente got lucky enough and had the chance to pet the rabbit.
      Photo 37 of 50
      This girl was pretty terrified and she thought the act could actually chop her arm off!
      Photo 38 of 50
      Next up, one of the titos was called onstage for this funny ventriloquist act.
      Photo 39 of 50
      As night falls, everyone's excited for the next part of the program: dinner!
      Photo 40 of 50
      The buffet was officially opened.
      Photo 41 of 50
      This is just one among the many cakes that Vicente received as gifts. There were dozens more in the fridge.
      Photo 42 of 50
      One of the cakes brought by friends.
      Photo 43 of 50
      Before anything else, it's candle blowing time!
      Photo 44 of 50
      Since the birthday party was held outdoors, we slipped inside the Hizon residence and checked out their Christmas decorations. Isn't this just lovely?
      Photo 45 of 50
      Aren't these Santa baubles adorable?
      Photo 46 of 50
      And these elves!
      Photo 47 of 50
      What Filipino home would be complete without a belen?
      Photo 48 of 50
      And Christmas stockings?
      Photo 49 of 50
      Here's a closeup shot of the ornaments on their coffee table.
      Photo 50 of 50
      Before guests started going home, the whole Hizon family made sure that each one of the kids would ge brag.
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