The card is cut like an old admission ticket, cream on dark green, with gold laurels on both sides and a checkered flag rippling right across the bottom. Below the ticket a fox in a leather helmet, goggles pushed up and a green scarf flying, throws one fist in the air from the seat of a red racing car with gold wire wheels. Ready, Set, Celebrate is lettered in bold green at the top.
Max is turning 6 runs across the ticket in a flowing script, and the date, time and club follow in spaced capitals, the way a race program would print them. Change the name and age and you are done. For a line under the name or in the message that goes with the card: “Start your engines”, “Fast and six” (or four, or five) and “Pit stop for cake” all suit the car.
Three to seven, and the fox keeps it friendly for girls who like cars too. A cardboard-box car for every guest, a chalk track in the driveway, a checkered-flag cake and a gold trophy for the birthday child are the whole party. Two to three weeks’ notice; expect a few guests to arrive already wearing goggles.
