It’s that time of year again (approximately 9 months after that ho ho ho Xmas/New Year holiday period) where there’s a cluster of birthdays. Adults, kids, birthday dinners, weekends spent traipsing around buying a gift at the last moment etc etc.
When we were kids, it was all about pass-the-parcel and a Mintie hunt. Pin the tail on the donkey. And there was ONE prize in the pass-the-parcel. Now, EVERY time the damn music stops and a layer of paper is unwrapped, there has to be a gift. And it’s not Minties anymore, it’s Cadbury Favourites with mini Snickers and Picnics and Flakes and then you need to have seperate food for the parents who WON’T LEAVE and expect to be served proper coffee so it’s like having two parties and then you have to book a fairy or Spiderman and then lolly bags and it’s all just giving me a headache thinking about it and PLEASE MAKE IT STOP.
I found this great clip from the Momversation women talking about how kids birthday parties seem to have gotten totally out of hand and how for some parents, they’ve become like weddings….
Can you relate to this kind of pressure? Have you been invited to over-the-top kids’ parties? Do you have a party policy if you have kids? And if you don’t, what are your best memories of parties you went to? Is it the kids who need to change their expectations or is it all driven by competitive parents?
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i'm a face painter. and a very passionate one. i have been to MANY parties and have seen them all. from the most basic to the most extravagant. i can say without doubt..that the BEST parties i have attended have been the SIMPLEST. and where parents get INVOLVED and organise GAMES. so many just sit around small talking. looking BORED. some parties are so DULL i feel sorry for the kids. they are so quiet. (not even music)! when i hear kids screaming and laughing i know it's a good one. the best one so far. simple back yard. a trampoline. a swing. and the piece de resistance. a small inflatable POOL. the kids went NUTS. it helped also that the visiting parents were all happy. friendly. very sociable. and there was wine!! ;)
My little boy turned 3 mid December so we bought a slip 'n' slide, water bombs, water pistols etc and I made him a birthday cake. Last year my husband bought an Elmo suit (eBay - made in China) for $200 which looks like a professional one so that also made a cameo visit again! The party cost next to nothing as most of the water pistols came from the $2 shop and the slip 'n' slide was $15 from Toys 4 us! We videoed the party and all the kids had a ball..... Fun doesn't have to cost a fortune!