We've all had a point in our careers where we've wondered "Is it really worth it? Am I actually making a difference? Does anyone care?" It's a sad truth that our society is more likely to criticize than offer positive feedback. Make a little mistake and people complain. Do your job right and no one says anything.

I used to feel that way all the time. You see, up until the fall of 2002, I was a corporate lawyer. I'm sure you can all imagine the kind of work environment that was. High pressure, high stakes and constant deadlines made for a very stressful, often negative work place. At the end of the day, no one ever said thank you for your hard work. They just piled on more and expected it to be done yesterday. I questioned my career choice practically every day back then.

I am very fortunate that for the past 12 years, I haven't had to ask myself these questions a single time. Seeing smiles on the faces of children and parents is a daily reminder that I'm having a positive impact on their lives. I made a choice to become a full time entertainer and have never regretted it. Whether I'm doing magic, balloons, stilt walking or any other fun thing, I'm always surrounded by smiles and laughter. That's thanks enough for me.

In my line of work, people often take the time to say "thank you" out loud. It always makes me feel great inside. Every now and then, some people go that extra mile and offer unsolicited messages such as this one: "Hi, Ian! Our son enjoyed your balloon show so much, he could not stop talking about it until he went to bed tonight. It was our first time hiring an entertainer for a party, and, you made it such a rewarding experience. Thank you so much for the professionalism, care, and all the laughter and fun you brought with you. Please accept our deepest gratitude, and a great Big Thank you."

A message like that is the greatest feeling in the world. It makes me feel like I'm on top of the world and I'm already feeling great to begin with. So next time someone does something for you, whether it's a co-worker doing his job well, or even the barrista at your local coffee house making you your half-sweet, low-fat, vanilla latte, take the time to truly express your gratitude. Not only will it make their day a little brighter, it might do the same for you!

When I was a kid, it was always exciting to attend a friend's birthday party. It was a chance for a whole bunch of us to get together and party! Of course, for a 7 year old, party meant games, entertainment, cake, lots of running around and PRESENTS!!! Whenever gifts were opened, we'd all gather 'round and wait with breathless anticipation, wanting to see what the next cool toy to be unwrapped would be. While the toys belonged to the birthday boy or girl, for a brief moment, at that party, we'd get to play with them too. That sense of wonder and discovery at unwrapping gifts always filled me with giddiness and bubbling excitement.

Imagine then, the feeling I had when not only did the birthday child get gifts, but we, as guests, got something too! Oh, that precious loot bag; it was like I got a little mini birthday for myself as well. Nothing could be greater. I'd reach inside the bag and slowly pulled out each item, one by one, savoring the discovery of each bauble. There would be an assortment of wonderful treasures, from noisemakers to temporary tattoos, from little pocket games to candy treats. The best part...they were all mine! Yes, these were my little toys to take home.

To this day, I still treasure that feeling. Let's face it, most of us do. Even as grown-ups, we still enjoy getting a little something at parties. If you've been to a wedding, you probably received a small party favour from the bride and groom. Sometimes it's candy, sometimes it's a keepsake to commemorate the event. Whatever it is, it's always wonderful to receive.

At BirthdayPartyMagic.ca, we're keeping that feeling alive. Loot Bags are now available with all the terrific treasures that will make your guests jump with glee! Check out the available selections right here.

For your next party, a little Loot Bag goes a long way to making memories that last.

This past weekend was just perfect weather wise. The sun was out. It was warm, but not oppressive or muggy. There was a light cool breeze. It was perfect. It also happened to be an insanely busy time for my Bouncy Castle rental. I don't know why, but it's like everyone wanted it for that weekend. Sure, I drove all over town setting up and tearing down the bouncy over and over again, but isn't that the point? Business was as good as the weather.

During the numerous bouncy gigs, I noticed a phenomenon that kept happening. I'd show up and set up the bouncy. The kids would immediately jump in. I'd come back a few hours later, and the same kids would still be bouncing around like crazy. The parents would look at me and simply say: They haven't stopped! Big smiles were on everyone's faces.

At one party in particular, I witnessed the cutest thing. I had returned to pick up the bouncy after a 2 hour rental. The older kids were still jumping. Next to the bouncy, all splayed out in a lawn chair, was a 3 year old boy. He was completely passed out. His father explained that the child had bounced non-stop for over 90 minutes. He then got out of the bouncy, pulled up a chair right next to it so he could be close, and decided he needed a little rest. Within seconds of sitting down, the child was sleeping soundly, having burned up all his energy. The parents were thrilled that the kids all had so much fun, and that the rest of the brood would be going to bed early after having bounced so hard. Mom and Dad would get a nice quiet evening to themselves!

So parents, take note! Not only will the bouncy castle make the kids happy, not only will they burn up all of their excess energy, but you just might get a nice little night to yourselves afterwards. Rent your bouncy castle today!!!

I'm always amazed when people are surprised at the fees for a professional entertainer for their kid's party. It's a rare occasion; most people accept the price without problems. But every now and then, you get that one caller that is both surprised and outraged that you would dare charge them so much. They act like anything over $50 is highway robbery.

Let's look at the facts here. Professional entertainers are just that: Professionals. They have gone through countless hours (we're talking years) of training and rehearsal, refining their craft. They have invested not only time and effort, but also great deals money in their act acquiring specialized gear, renting rehearsal spaces, marketing and promoting themselves, as well as costs of running a business, all the while raising a family like everyone else. They are a highly specialized, sought after service which cannot be substituted easily. Also, they don't perform 40 hours a week like a regular job. They have to earn most of their income in a brief week-end period. So why are some people so surprised at the costs?

I remember a caller not too long ago who was indeed outraged by my fee (which incidentally is quite within the normal range for the Ottawa market). He went on saying that he could get his neighbour's kid to come and do it for $25. While I mean no disrespect to the neighbour's kid, it's highly unlikely that the performance would be very good. This is your child's birthday here! You want to create something memorable for them, not ruin their appreciation for the performing arts.

Let me paint you a mental portrait. Imagine a fine meal, let's say fillet mignon and giant prawns, served with a twice baked potato, mixed greens and sauteed mushrooms. Along with that meal is a glass of red wine: a Chateauneuf du Pape. For dessert, a chocolate soufflé. Now imagine someone offered you all of this for $1.99. Sure, a few people out there would jump at the chance to get something cheap. Most people, however, would probably question why the price is so clearly off the mark. There has to be something wrong with the food for it to be served so cheaply. We will easily accept a hamburger from a fast food place for $1.99, but a fine meal? I don't think so. We understand that there is an inherent value to what is offered and that such an obvious discrepancy should set off alarm bells.

The same can be said for your entertainment. While you can get the neighbour's kid to do a magic show for $25, you should realize that you get what you pay for. You'll wind up with fast food when you're expecting steak! In other words, a professional entertainer is well worth the price.

With over 21 years experience, I've gotten a LOT of calls from parents wanting to give their child the best birthday ever. Why shouldn't they? After all, children grow up very quickly and there are only a few short years where kids live in that wonderful world where everything is magical and exciting.

Despite the best of intentions, parents may not realize that what they're planning is not necessarily the best thing for their child. What they need to understand is that kids go through certain developmental and social stages where one kind of activity is appropriate and the other is simply beyond or beneath the child's age.

Case in point: Magic! That's my primary expertise, so let's talk about it. Every kid loves magic, right? It's fun, it's mind boggling, and nothing makes people go "Wow!" like a well performed magic routine. Of course, to truly appreciate magic, one has to understand that what they're seeing is actually impossible and defies the laws of science. A 10 year old child can certainly appreciate this, as can an adult. But what about a 3 year old? Can toddlers and young children really appreciate or even understand the performance? Not really. At that age, a child is still learning to process the world around him and accepts much of what he sees on faith. While a toddler may wonder where a coin disappeared to, he won't wonder how it magically disappeared. To him, it will simply be lost. Better to give the younger children something that will stimulate them in other ways, like balloon parties, superhero parties, face painting and such.

On the flip side, some children become too old for certain types of entertainment. My good friend and face painter extraordinaire, Heather, was recently booked for a party for older boys. It was a monster themed party and the birthday boy wanted monster face paint. While we won't deny the birthday boy what he wants, Heather did say it was a challenge getting the other boys at the party to join in the fun. At age 9, most boys don't want their faces painted; it's too much like make-up. This also makes a point about gender specific entertainment. While we don't want to categorize things as being for girls or for boys, there are some gender behaviours that are practically universal. Most 9 year old girls like face paint; most 9 year old boys don't.

The best bet is to simply ask your entertainer what the best options are. Tell them about your group; their age, the numbers, etc... As professional entertainers, we have tons of experience in these matters and can steer you toward the best options for you. That way, your child really will have the best birthday ever!

Yesterday was Earth Day, a day designed to make us stop and think about the environment and what we can do to help. I'm not going to preach about how we should all be green year round, but I am going to give you a few tips on how you can make your parties just a little greener, and maybe even save a few bucks in the process.

Let's start with decorations. Each year, we go out and buy a colourful sign that says Happy Birthday!!!, we buy party hats and streamers and all sorts of things. While not all decorations can be salvaged, most can. Let's face it, there's going to be another birthday party in exactly one year, so try and reuse those decorations instead of buying new ones all the time. Whatever can't be salvaged, recycle. It's better than just throwing it out.

Moving on to lunch time. For some reason, we tend to serve meals on paper or styrofoam plates when serving kids at a party. Why? I'm sure these kids all eat on regular dishes at home. I'm not saying to break out the good china, but you can certainly use everyday dishes. Sure, it may be an extra dish load to wash, but isn't that better than using disposable items that will just wind up in a landfill? If you have to use disposable dishes and cups, at least make sure they're made from recyclable materials. The blue bin is better than the garbage bin. That means no styrofoam, please!

Finally, a tip on gift wrapping. We all want the gift to look pretty before it's opened, but wrapping paper is just such a waste. Instead, use gift bags. They come in all sizes and patterns and can be bought cheaply at any dollar store. They make for pretty wrappings and can be used over and over for all kinds of gift exchanges. My family has been doing gift bags for years and I hardly ever need to buy new ones as we just keep using the ones we received gifts in.

If you've got any other Green party tips, please feel free to comment.

The average child will attend approximately 5 to 10 birthday parties a year. That's a whole lot of partying going on. Sadly, most of those parties will blend into one big montage of party memories in their minds because most of these celebrations don't really stand out. Parties seem to follow a basic formula: Kids arrive, kids play a few party games, kids eat, kids have cake & ice cream, presents are opened, kids go home. The end. This common party practice is fun on the spot, but hardly creates any lasting memories.

So how do you make your party stand out? Two ideas come to mind. The first is to provide some kind of special entertainment (magic shows, balloon animals, face painting, super heroes,...) Yes, I know this seems like a shameless plug for www.birthdaypartymagic.ca, but the fact remains that memorable entertainment makes for memorable parties. However, that's not the focus of this blog. No, today we're focusing on the second idea: the party theme.

Theme parties are an easy way to make the ordinary extra-ordinary! With a simple idea and a few decorations, you can transform your event into an enchanted kingdom with knights and princesses, a jungle paradise, or simply a tribute to a favourite character!

Once you have your party theme, try to incorporate it into all the little things around the party. Having a Pirate party?..have a treasure hunt complete with map and hidden treasure chest. Having a Princess party?...have all the little girls dress up as their favourite princess and include a princess tea party with cupcakes. Having a dinosaur party?...go on an archaeological dig for fossils.

Let's visit a party I did just a few weeks ago. This was the Mickey Mouse* party of a lifetime. The hall was decorated in blacks, reds and yellows. The food, the desserts, even the service-ware was all Mickey themed. This was the ultimate Mickey bash!!!

In all honesty, the Mickey party was probably the biggest themed event I had ever seen. Most households go for something smaller yet still lots of fun. As a magician, I often get parents who go along with the Magic theme, providing kids with top hats and wands. Of course, Harry Potter** themes are still going strong with the older kids.

The point is this, with just a bit of imagination and decorating, you can truly make a party stand out amongst the rest. Whether you spend $20 on decorating, or go all out and hire a professional party planner (I recommend Lil' Expressions Party Planning), you can easily create a lasting impression

* Mickey Mouse is a registered trademark of the Walt Disney Company

** Harry Potter is a registered trademark of Warner Bros.

Every kid loves pizza right? Or how about hot dogs? Every kid loves hot dogs. For the most part, this statement is true. The real question is, how do mom and dad feel about this?

Parents are becoming more and more concerned about what their kids eat, and rightfully so. More parents are making a conscious effort to feed their children with healthy foods over junk foods. Also, many children today have food allergies. It is becoming increasingly difficult to plan a menu that can accommodate a dozen kids each with their own potential dietary requirements.

Junk food's appeal is its convenience. It's cheap and easy to order for a large group. There's no mess in the kitchen and kids love it. Like I said, convenient. But is healthier food any less convenient?

Nowadays, healthy choices are just as readily available in most places. You can easily pick up a veggie platter in the produce section of your grocery store. Or how about wrap sandwiches? Many places can offer you an assortment of delicious wraps, ready-made, and affordable.

Since it's really not that difficult anymore to offer healthy alternatives, what it really comes down to is choices. As a host, do you want to go with the classic junk food, or the healthy alternative? There is no right answer here, it's really up to you. I know that while my brain says I should eat healthy, I certainly love a slice of pizza. I also know that I can find a balance between the two.

Here's what I recommend: First, make a choice for your main course. Junk food or healthy foods, whatever you choose is OK. Next, pick the alternate as snack and sides. In other words, if you're going to be serving hot dogs, also have a veggie platter and some fruit snacks. If you're serving healthy food, also have a few bowls of chips or maybe some candy. This way, everybody wins.

You're not quite done your planning yet. Whatever choice you make, you should always inform the guest's parents. The best option is to include the menu on the birthday invitation. Also include a statement that reads something like this: "If your child has any food allergies or special dietary requirements, please let us know ASAP by calling us at (555) 555-5555. We'll be happy to accommodate you." This will allow parents to feel better about what is offered and give them a chance to address any concerns they may have.

Bon appétit!

Here’s a few tips to help you out:

1. Plan ahead.  You don’t want to wait until the last minute to organize your party. If you wait too long, here’s what could happen: a) Guests can’t make it on too short of a notice, b) The Entertainment you wish to book may not be available, c) The venue you want to hold the party at may not be available. Start planning at least 3 to 4 weeks ahead.
2. Keep it manageable. You’re the host and you call the shots. Don’t let your child invite his/her entire class of 32 kids, plus all of their cousins.  Keep it to a size you feel comfortable with. Also feel free to ask a few parents to help out. A good rule of thumb for your number of children at the party is the age of your child plus 1. (e.g.: 7 kids for a 6 year old’s party). Also, keep it short and sweet. 2-3 hours is plenty of time for your party.
3. Don’t neglect the Entertainment. A room full of excited kids without something to occupy them is a recipe for disaster. Kids will find creative (and potentially messy or destructive) ways to have fun. Plan for games, or better yet, hire a professional children’s entertainer. If you do, don’t settle for your neighbour’s kid offering to do it for $20. You get what you pay for. Professional entertainers are trained and have experience managing parties and keeping the kids amused. They are worth the price. For entertainment ideas, visit www.birthdaypartymagic.ca (shameless plug!). Side note:  Keep the entertainment age appropriate. Toddlers won’t appreciate something more cerebral like magic, and older kids (10+) might not relate to a puppet show!
4. Menu planning is a must. Plan your menu before sending out invitations. You can keep it simple with things like pizza or hot dogs, but also have a healthy alternative available, such as fruits & veggies or even gourmet sandwiches. Once planned, send out the invitations and keep the parents informed of your food plans. Some kids may have allergies or special dietary restrictions. Let the parents know you can provide an alternative if required. They will appreciate it greatly.
5. Keep the cake and presents for last. Serving cake before the entertainment means asking sugar crazed kids to pay attention and follow instructions. Good luck! As for presents, opening them early means everyone tries to play with everything. You can wind up with lost or broken pieces before the birthday child even gets to play with his/her toys.
6. Have fun! Things can get a little crazy sometimes, but that’s OK. Just enjoy it and go with the flow. Kids can sense your mood. A stressed parent makes for a stressful party. A parent enjoying themselves makes for a fun event.