All aboard. A brass-studded sign at the top of a ticket-shaped card reads All Aboard for Cake, and below the pines a bunny in a conductor’s cap waves from a green locomotive with red wheels and gold trim, white paper steam curling from the stack, while a teddy bear rides in the car behind with a three-candle cake. The whole scene is layered paper on dark green felt.
Theo is turning 4 in bold forest green, then March 28, 11 AM to 1 PM and Maple Station in spaced capitals with little gold stars for ticket punches. Put your own passenger’s name and age in. Train parents add “Chugga chugga two two” for a second birthday, “Choo choo, I’m four” or “Next stop: five” under the name.
Two to six, and this is the theme that makes the fathers volunteer. Cardboard-box carriages for a parade around the yard, paper tickets at the door, a conductor’s cap for the birthday child and a long cake with a chocolate engine in front. Two to three weeks’ notice so the passengers can book their seats.
