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Party places around here (NJ) are about $15-$20 a kid. Most with a 15 kid min. Add that to party favors, invites, cake, pizza etc and it will be $500 easy. Last year I had a kid's party at the movies late on a Wed afternoon (cheaper than the weekend) and it was about $650 not including favors or cake. Hardly a "flashy" party but still not cheap.
We used to spend money on things, but now we're more likely to spend it on experiences. If the cost of the party is worth it because of how much fun the kids had, then that's that. My SIL loves to throw giant, expensive, over-the-top parties, and we look forward to them. It's her thing. She's not trying to one up anyone. She truly just loves throwing parties.
What the heck are the goodie bags about? What a waste of money, considering all that you already have to pay for.
They are a token of thanks for coming to the party. I like making nice goodie bags instead of a pinata.
I have decent parties for the kids 1st and 5th Birthdays so far. For 1 I didn't rent a bouncy house and cooked on the grill. It wasn't crazy expensive. For another we went to the bowling alley. Again, not very expensive. This last one was a pool party at my inlaws, not expensive at all and I made really nice, themed, goodie bags.
I think with parties you do what you can, what you can afford and what you want.
I think it's terribly rude when people complain because their kids were invited to a party.
We used to spend money on things, but now we're more likely to spend it on experiences. If the cost of the party is worth it because of how much fun the kids had, then that's that. My SIL loves to throw giant, expensive, over-the-top parties, and we look forward to them. It's her thing. She's not trying to one up anyone. She truly just loves throwing parties.
Some parents choose to spend money on material gifts. We don't spend a ton on that, but the party is an experience that will hopefully make a pleasant memory for the kid.
We used to spend money on things, but now we're more likely to spend it on experiences. If the cost of the party is worth it because of how much fun the kids had, then that's that. My SIL loves to throw giant, expensive, over-the-top parties, and we look forward to them. It's her thing. She's not trying to one up anyone. She truly just loves throwing parties.
Very, very well put. I've had people look at us sideways when they see how many roadtrips we take (we take a LOT). But it's what we enjoy doing and we save in other areas of our lives in order to afford them.
We know people who have a combined bday party for their kids in between their bdays... i.e... one bday is in August, one in June, so they had it in July..... but then, they have kiddie parties closer to their actual bdays.
They claim they save $ doing it this way but I am not sure how? they are having 3 parties vs. 2?
They do this big elaborate video show every year with their kids in it and their mom somehow has time to do all this scrapbooking and puts that out for everyone to look through.
It seems like one big "look at me " opportunity for the parents honestly.....
We know people who have a combined bday party for their kids in between their bdays... i.e... one bday is in August, one in June, so they had it in July..... but then, they have kiddie parties closer to their actual bdays.
They claim they save $ doing it this way but I am not sure how? they are having 3 parties vs. 2?
They do this big elaborate video show every year with their kids in it and their mom somehow has time to do all this scrapbooking and puts that out for everyone to look through.
It seems like one big "look at me " opportunity for the parents honestly.....
The family you mentioned probably does save money by having one family party vs. two. But, being obligated to look at a scrapbook and video doesn't sound like fun to me. I'd probably send my regrets.
I'm 25 years old, so most of my friend's birthday parties were in the '90s.
We did some of the out-of-home party stuff although we usually had our parties on our home, which lied far from the city on a five acres, surrounded by yet more land which we were free to explore. For one birthday, I took the class to the roller rink (keep in mind that my class at the time was at a parochial school, and there were only 11 kids in my grade, about 5 of which showed up). My friends' parties were sometimes at a local hotel with a pool (lots of great memories there, but not the time I was "pantsed" in public in 5th grade). Yet some parties parents have today seem to be equally an excuse to show off their wealth as to celebrate their kids' birthday. Thankfully, this phenomenon does not seem to be common in Minnesota, where people tend to be more coy about their wealth, and ostentatious displays are considered bad taste.
On the other hand, I really wonder if it is a completely unmitigated evil. The poorer kids - those who get invited - experience something they rarely else would (of course, when every family is in competition with each other, this benefit ceases). Local businesses - much of which I assume are family-operated - benefit. I think it can be more respectable of an indulgence than, say, a BMW.
What the heck are the goodie bags about? What a waste of money, considering all that you already have to pay for.
Goodie Bags in my opinion are a waste of time.
All it does is teach children to always be thinking about themselves...it's already such a "ME ME ME" world and some are encouraging that.
We should be teaching children that you go to a birthday party to celebrate THAT friend and not to see what YOU can get out of the party. (sigh)
I agree, I did them when they were younger, full out all matching, everyone got a toy things; but now, no way. They will get to either make a craft or something edible, which is super cheap.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momma_bear
By the time you buy party goods, decorations, food, drinks and cake it winds up to be more than the $15-$20 per head we typically spent for parties that we had at outside locations.
What are you feeding those kids?! I haven't spent that much since I did a party at a location, and I don't think I ever spend that much for an at home party, lol.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnonChick
Not including the main course (pizza or hotdogs) you could have a party in the back yard or living room for under $100 all inclusive. The local dollar store has party hats, 12 for $1. The same store has napkins, in all kinds of festive colors and designs, $1.00/20. With matching plates - that's another buck. So we're..under $5 right now, and we've already gotten the hats, the plates, and the napkins.
Here's the fun part - it doesn't matter that they're cheap. Everyone's gonna be throwing them away after the party anyway. The kids won't know they're cheap unless the adults tell them. And even then, chances are, the kids won't know what that -means- unless the adults teach them. Which is a pretty rotten thing to teach a little kid who just wants to have fun on his birthday.
An old sheet and a couple of upturned lawn chairs makes a tunnel, and colored Sharpies can turn the sheet into a tree-shrouded castle, or a secret space ship. Six oversized garbage bags taped together lengthwise over the grass with an adult in charge of the garden hose can become a slip-n-slide. No lawn of your own? Bring the kids to the public park for a big party-hat-wearing playdate. Bring the cupcakes, unadorned, and some frosting in different colors and flavors, and sprinkles and shots and mini M&Ms and whatever else, and have a "design your own cupcake" party. My mom used to give us Make Your Own Sundae parties.
There's no reason at all to have expensive birthday parties for kids, except to try and impress the adults. Children can experience joy in very simple pleasures, unless the adults ruin it for them by teaching them that simple pleasures aren't worth enjoying.
Those, IMO, are the best kind.
The youngest child's 11th b-day was the best one we have done so far. We did a Harry Potter theme, and had all the kids come to the party in their wizard robes (aka bath robes), then they got to get their wand (sicks from the yard that the bark was stripped off of and designs colored onto). Then we went to the sorting hat (the stickers that were the house crests were $1 at the dollar tree) to get sorted, then we went to potions lab (mixed our own drinks), then to herbology where we planted our own plant (tiny pots really cheap that they decorated with markers and planted marigold seeds), then we played quidditch, then had a meal, then cake, presents, then they kids went home. Super fun, super cheap and super easy.
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Originally Posted by Kibbiekat
I want to add that I'm jealous of you that have the creativity to plan your own parties! I wish I could do that!
There are a TON of party theme web sites, that REALLY help out!
Quote:
Originally Posted by stan4
Do you think the parties are being diluted with this stupid 'you have to invite the whole class' garbage? Making them less personal and intimate? Do you think people have to go to these extremes in order to cope with the demands of how many kids they have to have over?
In short, YES! There are kids in her classes (the youngest) that she can not stand, not to mention I don't want them in my home or anywhere near it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kibbiekat
yes, but I do also see the point of inviting the whole class. It is the polite thing to do. You know kids will talk about it, and someone will get their feelings hurt. But, it does make it less special to invite everyone. I think that's why people start to ignore invites and not even RSVP.
Better to learn it young, IMO. This generation isn't learning that not everyone is special, they are learning they are ALL special. Well, if they are all special, doesn't that make them NORMAL?!
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Some parents choose to spend money on material gifts. We don't spend a ton on that, but the party is an experience that will hopefully make a pleasant memory for the kid.
