Netty’s 50th birthday party

Jubilee time! Nearing the 25th anniversary of my website, on 13 September 2023 the first big milestone of the year 2023 arrived: my own 50th birthday. The day itself was not very special. I received a few phone calls and tens of congratulations via e-mail, WhatsApp and social media. I treated my fellow folk dancers to birthday cake.

The last time I had a big birthday celebration must have been as a teenager. But as the past years haven’t always been easy, I decided to organize a real birthday party on Friday, 15 September 2023. I just didn’t manage to gather 50 guests, but I came close. Family, friends, folk dancers, royalty watchers. I hired a venue + catering near my home, that curiously and very fittingly was called “Het Paleis” (The Palace) until very recently. I hired a photographer (Lisanne van der Ploeg Fotografie) to take photos and I just need to show some to you.

I bought my dress already in February, just a very lucky find, and much cheaper than I had anticipated. Years ago I already said: if I am not yet married at 50 I am going to celebrate in a bridal dress. Well, it was not a bridal dress as far as I know, but it originally came from a British bridal shop, that went broke some years ago. Don’t ask me how it ended up in the north of the Netherlands. A fellow dancer managed to make it a bit shorter.

My sister baked cupcakes with a cat with a crown on top, and a cupcake wrapper in the shape of a crown and embossed with the word “Princess” (long live AliExpress). My friend and host Rudy helped with the music and took some photos and videos, my folk dance teacher taught the guests a few dances.

Historian Bearn Bilker, whom I have known for more than 20 years, held a birthday speech, referring to a lot of royal occasions in the year 1973. Just for the record: the month of my birth was quite full of big royal occasions, and some less royal ones. I was born right between the deaths of Salvador Allende, the president of Chile, and King Gustav V. Adolf of Sweden, and thus also was born two days before Prince Daniel of Sweden.

Anyway, there were plenty of drinks, enough snacks I hope, lots of music and some dancing. Guests seemed to enjoy themselves, talking and looking at the royal information cards and photos that I had created. AND I got a lot of cards and presents, including a few lovely royal books, plants, chocolate … I had made small bags with Wilhelmina peppermints and a guardian angel, created by my sister, for my guests.

The party was a lovely end to my birthday week. I am pretty exhausted, but very satisfied. And there is still some more to come: at least one more visitor and a birthday trip.