How Do You Celebrate Your Child's Birthday?

cschin4 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-07-2006, 12:59 PM

My son turned 9 today. I have set the table with a colored table cloth, birthday plates and cups, balloons and confetti. I also baked my son a cake this afternoon (double layer) and decorated with sprinkles and put a few little football helmets on it (he is into football). And, we bought him an UnderArmour shirt which he wanted. And, we will be getting "Taco Bell" tonight as that is his choice. How do you celebrate?

PRICEPLUS · #2 (**permalink**) 10-07-2006, 01:39 PM

Some years it was a small party sometimes a large one. We tried to keep it within reason. Nothing too overboard.

jodi · #3 (**permalink**) 10-07-2006, 07:33 PM

I do family parties for my boys (1 and 3). Usually consists of my parents, DH's parents, and whatever of our siblings can make it. This year I did a playground party for my older son with a few kids from his preschool - kept it very low key. I made cupcakes, which they decorated themselves, and we got a sheet pizza. Pretty simple.

Kris10Leigh · #4 (**permalink**) 10-08-2006, 06:53 AM

We usually do a big family party. We usually have a meal and I make the cake. We've had a couple pool parties at Grandma's neighborhood pool. We also like to go to a local farm where they have a "play barn" and horses to ride. To do this as a package deal costs $160.

You get a cake and party hats and someone else cleans up your mess and you get to eat indoors. I don't do it that way. I bring my own cake and we eat in a shelter outside. I pay $2.00 per child to ride the horses and play in the barn. We generally have 7 children so that works out to $14.00. Not bad!

Those parties are generally weekend events. We like to go out to eat for their actual birthdays. This generally means Burger King's play area or Chuck E. Cheese.

Fun for all!

PrincessPerky · #5 (**permalink**) 10-09-2006, 08:03 AM

On the day we do a family cake and child picked dinner (I cook) and near the day we do a family party, we usually order pizza for that, I make a second cake (little for us, big for company) cake is decorated their way. first birthday is balloons..after that they tend to have an opinion.

budgetmom · #6 (**permalink**) 10-09-2006, 09:34 AM

Well, I just wrote a post about this and my son came up and hit the Esc button on my computer when he came to give me a hug. Gotta love 'em, right?

Basicly we ended up spending $70 for the whole thing; presents for the birthday boy, home made cupcakes and juice boxes, activity (dino egg hunt), prize for the winner of the activity, color pages and crayons, favor bags, and every child got their own straw safari hat to take home after the party. I thought I did pretty good considering their were 10 kids, not including my children at the party.

puppypal · #7 (**permalink**) 10-09-2006, 11:20 AM

I havew teen boys and I really am at a werid point in the Christmas Birthday thing. In previous years 10 - 13 we gave the boys a choice. $100.00 cash or just one gift and stay over nite at the motel with an indoor swimming pool...Family thing. Last year both were hunting off and on with my hubby so they each got taken to Walmart and got to pick out whatever they wanted up to 100.00
This year is evern werider....I have no clue as to what to do. Step-son lives with mom and his Birthday is in February...Bio-Son will be 16 on November 16th which again this year he will be hunting......
Driving stage is coming up fast and we haven't been there yet! So I thought Money toward a car buy will do?! What do you all think?
Glenda

tgavin71 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-09-2006, 08:16 PM

party party party. No really we give our kids a choice. Present up to $200 or a party and a small present $10-$20. My son always picks the present while my daughter has a party. Works out well for us and the kids

disneysteve · #9 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 05:52 AM

Every year until this year, we had a party out somewhere: paint your own pottery place, indoor amusement center, etc. This year, DD turned 11. For some reason, we just never planned a party and she was fine with that. We took her out for dinner on her birthday. She wanted to go somewhere that had good grilled salmon. There was something she wanted from the craft shop, so we stopped there before dinner. Then on the weekend, DW took her over to Target to spend the gift cards and cash she had gotten as gifts from family.

PrincessPerky · #10 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 08:28 AM

I love how many people give their kids choices. I think giving kids a chance to make decisions and the tools to weigh options is soooo important.

PauletteGoddard · #11 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 12:26 PM

Quote:

and decorated with sprinkles and put a few little football helmets on it (he is into football). And, we bought him an UnderArmour shirt which he wanted. And, we will be getting "Taco Bell" tonight as that is his choice. How do you celebrate?

I bought a large rich chocolate cake, put some fighter jets on it (boy, that sure was an interesting juxtaposition with the natural fall foliage on the cake). I held his party at the upstairs floor of a cafe where booze could be served to the adults, and italian sodas and hot dogs for the teetotallers. They watched DVDs on the big screen, got loaded up on sugar, and ran around in a nearby park. Good stuff.

Also bought him a share of stock in Burlington Northern. He'll be thinking differently now about Thomas the Tank Engine and his sentient locomotive pals' hijinks: "How much is this neighbourhood and equipment damage costing me?"

rduell · #12 (**permalink**) 10-16-2006, 06:30 AM

We take the one that is having the birthday out to dinner with just the 2 of us (there are 5 kids, so time alone with Dad and Mom is rare) and then they go shopping and spend their birthday money however they wish.

nanamom · #13 (**permalink**) 10-16-2006, 02:23 PM

Our rule is one friend for every year old you are when they are small enough that we are doing the majority of the planning. When they turn six or seven that changes. We talk about choices for the party and offer two of three based on their interests (this year, age 3, was Veggie Tales) and let them pick but they have to stay with that choice. We found the danger in a blanket what do you want is that they may pick as my grandson did an "orange" party. It was interesting to plan. We do the party as inexpensviely as possible. I made a pinata, the kids made a craft from free stuff for the favor and I bought treats at the dollar store. We play age appropriate games and sometimes (ok usually) get messy. We don't allow people to bring birthday gifts to our son at his party. We let him pick out a small gift for each guest (dollar store) and make sure there is one for him. That way no guest is in tears as they watch a child open stuff and our son doesn't expect everyone to bring him something. It also insures that toys we don't approve up do not show up in our home. I've been told I am cruel because of that but I think it helps a child see what is important (friends) and what isn't (stuff). This year his party cost us about 20 to 25 dollars.