sure, I want my daughter to have a nice party, but...

[miclason]

THIS is ridiculous! (imo)

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...nsePrices.aspx

...this year was our most extravagant party ever...we held it at the Children's museum...and we were aiming at $5 per child, including entrances to the Museum...

Mom used to bake the cakes when she was alive and, even this year, WE made the sandwiches...I generally spend more on the party favors, as I do NOT like to include candy (they get more than enough from the pinata!)...

Next year, the party gets to be a LOT smaller (only 8 children in her class, including her!..maybe 5 friends more...end of story!)...

I don't know, I guess if she loved horses, I would have treated HER to a pony ride...

[Thrifty Ray]

and then the children grow up with outlandish expectations, are miserable when they arent met and live unhappily ever after... are these families really doing these children a favor?? I think not..

And is spending this kind of money on parties the only way these women know how to host a memorable event???

I am thankful for my frugal friends and family who consider a nice evening together in the backyard bbqing and playing games or at the pizza house memorable.

Egads

[Kirbycruiser]

I agree that is insane.

[kealina]

crazy, crazy, crazy... my parents wouldn't have spent that even if they had it... which we didn't... funny enough, my most memorable birthday as a teen was the one where three of my best friends came over and we hung out and danced like fools... now that was fun...

I think this relates to the Keeping Up with the Jones' thread. The kids wouldn't know they were missing anything if they didn't have ponies and a merry-go-round. The kids aren't who the parents want to impress.

[jodi]

I just had my son's birthday at a local playground (free). We ordered a sheet pizza and I brought cupcakes for the kids to decorate themselves. We invited one cousin, one friend, and three kids from his preschool. One of the moms went out of her way to tell me how nice it was and how much she enjoyed it, as well as her child.
I want my kids to think THIS is normal, not magic shows and circuses. I agree that the raised expectations will only lead to disappointment later on.

[Snoopy2645]

Oh yes I guarantee these kids grow up with outlandish expectations a family member raised his dd like that she is almost done with school & nothing is good enough to please her.


I agree its crazy we have spent a few times around $75 on parties that is tops. When I was a kid my mom made a cake by scratch & we had friends over that was a great treat now its motels for my daugthers friends every year but I have yet to do that one!! She did have a motel party though but I told her to ask her dad his new MIL get a free room where she works so they got it for free!!

[cschin4]

I enjoy having parties for my kids. So what if it costs a few bucks. We all have a good time and they remember it. I usually have small parties. We have rented a the pool and a room at the local YMCA. It is $40 or so for a 2-3 hour party room including 1 hour in the pool with a lifeguard. The kids have a great time, the pool tires them out and then we have the party to follow in the room. I usually just get a couple big pizzas and pop. And, I either buy a cake or make one. I don't do the party favors anymore. Most of the kids really are not that interested in them and alot of it is just cheap, plastic junk they will never play with.
We have also had a party at the movies. They have a party room as well. This was a bit more expensive as I had to pay the admission fees and popcorn for the kids. But, it was a good time.
When my son was smaller, we did have a party at Burger King, but I really didn't care for that and there is no place for them to run around.
Other folks have had parties at the local jungle gym/pizza parlor. The kids enjoy that.
I prefer to have parties outside of my home. Frankly, some of their friends are not that well behaved and when they are all in a group they get harder to keep under control. Not interested in having them run through my house.
The other thing that I do on birthdays is to set our table at home with a pretty tablecoth, party stuff, etc and then the birthday child gets to pick the dinner menu for that night. This is just for family. We light candles, sing happy birthday, and I cook their special dinner. They seem to really like this.
I have 2 boys so I did start combining their birthday parties into one. They are only 2 years apart and have alot of the same friends so I have one party and invite both sets of their friends.

[lrjohnson]

I had a co-worker when i was a "welfare case worker" who would explain to clients that a wonderful children's party or a child's christmas could be done with $10 at the Dollar store. For Christmas just go with $6-7 in gifts, $1 set of gift bags, and $1-2 in Christmas decorations. For a kid's birthday party, $1 soda, $1 cake mix, $1 frosting, $2 decorations, $3 gifts, $2 party favors.

Of course you could get cake mix or cake from scratch stuff cheaper from the grocery store but you get the idea. A festive can do attitude will go a long way to making a party.

[Bluezy]

Uh.....$4,500 for the balloons? How foolish those parents are. I shall continue to go to the IParty and Dollar stores for my CJ's party supplies. If I indulge in anything it shall be for one of the Baskin Robins Ice Cream cakes.

[cschin4]

The main thing is to just make the day special for the child, however you chose to do that. Love, time and attention are what matters. Baking a special cake, decorating, singing, etc are all in expensive ways to make the child enjoy the day. It can cost alot or it can cost very little.

[lynclarke]

You know I can't remember one birthday party except for the year in NH when we wore parkas and barbequed in the backyard. I think the only reason that I remember that "party"(family only) is that there were pictures in the photo album. What I do remember is ritual. Ritual like the family eating Sunday dinner together, my father making his special pancakes (I have no idea why the pancakes were considered special), or having dinner with my godmother every Friday - my parents and godmother would raze each other and tell funny stories about all of them growing up.

Put your money where the memories are- time with your kids and the family members. I have no memory of which kids were/are popular in any place I have ever lived. Unless you live in a small town your entire life and your kids will live in the town the rest of their life, concentrate on family memories.