Make dreams come true – Have a Grand National Themed party
Did you dream about having a pony when you were younger? It is one of those classic childhood dreams – along with being a princess and having your own chocolate factory – that the overwhelming majority of us never get to experience and that most of us just learn to forget. Riding lessons and the occasional Ferrero Rocher is probably as good as it ever gets for those of us not in Kate Middleton’s Jimmy Choos. Dreams don’t often come true.
In adult life things are more complicated. Horses are as much about betting on the Grand National once a year as they are enjoying the thrilling gallop of a race across the countryside; chocolate is laden with as much guilt as it is calories, and any princessing that might take place is likely to be more to do with rattling up a kids’ fancy dress outfit at 24 hours’ notice than it is being carried off into the sunset.
In fairness, the Grand National can be a great way to bring family and friends together, fancy dress is a sure fire winner with the little ones, and the occasional fix of a really good chocolate is undeniably worth getting your teeth into once in a while – whatever the state of your conscience. Horse racing fans can even plan their weddings on the theme!
A Grand National Party
On a practical point, a Grand National party can be a fabulous excuse for a Saturday afternoon get together. It’s too early in the year for a barbeque, but even indoors it is one of those rare occasions that offers something for everyone. All it takes is a TV and good company and the rest will take care of itself. Of course, you can glam it up with fancy dress for the little ones, and there is no restrictions on leaving a few Ferrero Rochers lying about the place, but having a central focus that you know is going to be the talk of the nation for the rest of the day is a fabulous way to bring friends and family together. Everyone can find a horse name or a set of colours that they can take a shine to. The rest simply takes care of itself.
If you like to get more creative, order or bake a themed cake or cookies to get things going. You can also make things interesting with a themed table setting or even ask guests to wear creative hats to attend the event!
Whether you run your own sweepstake or decide to do it the easy way and open an app to stake with the professionals, there is a slightly old-fashioned romance about all getting together for one of the nation’s great sporting occasions. Cheering crowds, galloping horses and a splash of afternoon self-indulgence – who could ask for more?
It may not be quite the same thing as owning your own pony, marrying a prince or finding your long lost family link to the Ferrero family tree, but if it’s your horse that crosses the line first in the big race – with the crowd roaring and history being made in your living room – it will be at least a reminder of that happy, innocent time when you believed that dreams really could come true.
