I am so damn busy this week. You know what, tar a…! I am preparing to have an “open” house this weekend. Actually it is a small informal type that receives close friends and families. It will be an all day long event. The food will be served on the table rather than served the buffet type. I am not one who likes to have the big open house where 300 guests are asked to come within an allocated 2 hours and you only meet briefly with each guest or none at all. For me this open house is not mainly for feasting only but time to invite friends/families to our home and be personal with us.
So whenever I have to prepare for a party or event like this, I get very nervous. There’s so much to prepare within such a short time. First and foremost, arranging with a caterer the menu and amount of food. I am always very careful and particular about this because I really hate wastage. I also like to add to the menu by preparing a dish or two myself. Showing off my cooking skills. So doing groceries and buying ingredients will be one of my activities this week as well.
Then comes the preparation of the list of invitees. Who to invite and who may actually be able to make it. Siapakah yang sudi mengunjung teratak ku…
Then the dishes and bowls and cutleries. These will be mixed between my own and disposables. I have to wash the serving dishes, ensure that they are enough and clean. I have been doing that for the past two nights.
Extra help is required and I have arranged for an extra helper for the day.
With Hariraya open house, green packets for the kids is a must, otherwise kesian at those kids, balik tangan kosong. These can take quite some amount off the budget. Yalah kalau sorang bawa 4 anak , berapa dah tu…. But Hariraya without kids will be a bland and dull one. They are the penyeri majlis, the stars of the party. So entertaining them is a must. These kids don’t care how much is inside the packet but to get them they will be willing to salam and will be so happy. Like my kids they will open the packet on the spot, not to count the money since they don’t know how to appreciate money yet, but to see the inside. I hope the guests kids won’t do that, ha ha you know why la… limited budget!
I don’t do house decorations, whatever is already there is good enough for me, I hope for the guests too. Nothing new has been added.
I hope I will have a meaningful Hariraya open house.
