Sandton’s social year does not begin in January. It starts in September, when the weather turns, the school calendar tightens, and every weekend between now and Christmas gets claimed by something. Matric farewells, Halloween, year end functions, baby showers, kitchen teas and the birthdays that always seem to cluster in November arrive in a rush, and the party supplies aisles at Party’s at The Square, Sunninghill, feel it first.

The store at Shop 31 is a small business, which shows in its responsiveness to local needs. The shelves carry a bit of everything; “colour, showbiz and pizzazz” as they like to put it, and the masks and dress up accessories certainly come into their own in October. The staff are also tuned into the difference between a work function that needs black and gold, and a five year old’s dinosaur afternoon, and will be happy to direct you to the relevant shelves.

A few practical notes for the season ahead: helium balloons leak over time, and start to look tired, so they’re best collected on the day. Order ahead, but only fetch them on the way to the venue, so they’re firm and freshly pumped. Halloween masks and accessories sell out in the last week of October every year, so the people who leave it late are the ones who end up improvising with a bin bag. Year end office parties are the easiest to decorate, because a single colour, repeated in balloons, streamers and table scatter, looks deliberate.

Weekdays run to 17h30, Saturdays to 17h00 and Sundays to 15h00, which means your venue can be dressed on the morning of the event. There’s free parking outside the door, which makes loading your car a whole lot easier. But finally, be aware that trading hours may change slightly according to the season, so it might be worthwhile phoning ahead of your visit, especially if you’re planning on dropping in at a more unconventional hour.

Party’s is at Shop 31, The Square, Sunninghill. Tel 072 980 9888. Monday to Friday 09h00 to 17h30, Saturday 09h00 to 17h00, Sunday 09h00 to 15h00.