The Best Costume Party Ever

Saturday we went to the best costume party ever for our friend Frédérique’s 40^th birthday. It was truly the most fun I’ve had in France at a social gathering.

He had us all dress up as characters from the Fables of de La Fontaine, probably better known here for his “morals with a story” than even Aesop.

I mean, people went all out!

Bopol showed up shame-faced at not being able to find an ant costume to match his cricket fiancé, when – problem solved!

He borrowed some eye liner. Of course he had to remove it in the restroom before taking the metro home that night.

This is the crow.  (His wife was a cat, but he thought she was a fox because he doesn’t know his fables.  I told her that he just thought she was a fox, but she didn’t get it.)

My kids love the crow.

“Come oooon kids. It’s time to go hooome!” “No no! You can’t make me!”

They were excited to go out for the evening and participate in the dressing up.

I don’t think there was a Batman in the Fables de la Fontaine, however.

And surrounded by his creatures …

was Mr de la Fontaine himself. Fred who is now 40.

There were games. This was a sort of musical chairs, except instead of music you had to find an object in the room (i.e. a belt, but not your own), which meant that the whole gathering needed to participate (while holding up their pants).

The losers had to read, “I promise before Jean Frédérique (and all the other middle names he has a French man) de la Fontaine and before this noble assembly …” and it finished with something like invite Fred out for a drink or tell a funny story about him, etc.  The winner got invited to their house for dinner and his wife is a really good cook.

There was animation – two fables sung by a sheep. Baa.

A father – daughter enactment of the The Fox and the Crow.  Bra-VO!

I even got hoodwinked into singing gospel. I said yes when I thought the party would be in Fred’s living room with about 15 people present.

I’m Folly, by the way, (bound up in the heart of a child) (a child who is wearing a very unflattering shirt) and Sir is Love (ain’t that right!).  The fable goes something like this:  Folly and Love fight.  Folly punches love and blinds him.  Love becomes blind.  Folly is condemned to lead love for all time.  Get it?  Love is crazy and blind.

(I don’t actually sing gospel, by the way. Especially not after hearing a true gospel singer sing Canaan’s Land while we were in NY. Of course the French don’t know what they’re missing.)

There was a slideshow and a quiz. This says, “Which of the following is de la Fontaine?” Of course everyone shouted, “F! F!”

There were all sorts of de la Fontaine decorations, although the party was held at an old stone house/mansion, so that lent an air of authenticity.

And there was the cake.

Happy 40 years, Fred. Great party.

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