Birthday's are getting more and more expensive for parents !!

I would have to agree with this. It seems like birthday parties get more extravagant as time passes by. I remember birthday parties only meant cake and ice cream but now there are magicians and caterers and clowns. geez.

Your right... I have done a couple of parties for Jason, where I did hire a hall one was when he first started school, and the other was just before Justin was born, but I did that at my parents house, and invited a few friends of his for tea etc. They do cost a lot of money, especially if you want to book an entertainer. I don't bother with all that, because it is so expensive. Jason really wants a party this year for his 10th birthday.. I am pretty lucky in a way, because I don't have to pay for hiring the hall since my parents help run it, and the disco my uncle does it at a reduced price. But I still have chosen just a tea party, above anything else it is also simpler. I love the cake... Unfortunately I am not artist in that way or great at making cakes other than basic ones so therefore I end up buying a shop bought one.. which are really dull to be honest, they do not taste anything like cakes as I know them! Anyway happy birthday to Hannah, I bet she is having a lovely day!

We just have family get to gethers for their birthdays and they may invite a few friends. My kids are all growed up so I try to do something special for their birthdays. They all take care of the grandkids. But we don't do much elebrate stuff.

Hi Oldchem, That is an amazing cake! I agree these parties are getting really out of control, recently my son went to one where they had a two hour disco in a hall and the party bag he came home with was filled with so much too. I do not agree with any ofit and so far my son has had two friends over for a sleepover one year, a trip to the zoo with a friend another year and this year friends round to the house, I think about 10 that he DOES play with at school every day, not the class lol and what I done was old fashioned pass the parcel and sleeping lions and then my daughter asked which happy meal they would like went to McDonalds and collected after ordering in advance for a set time and collected, this way they had their toy to take home, got to eat and the only extra Iprovided was more soft drinks and my sons birthday, they all had a lot of fun and it didn't cost me much at all, I think about £25 in total. I would rather spend the £100 + on the hall on my son, a pressie and some into his savings account. I have ever been one to keep up with the joneses and never will and have instilled this attitude into all my children, you can havelots of fun without it costing a fortune. The world is already too materialistic. Well done to your daughter. Huggles. Ellie :D

hehe....not only is it getting more expensive, some of my friends kids around here are even getting more and more demanding with what they want for their birthdays. nowadays with the economy all topsy-turvy and slowly recovering, it's quite taxing to have those lavish parties for kids... with the increasing rate of inflation and cost of living, i myself am so worried as to what i'll do when i eventually have my own kids in the future

Just family/relatives/close friends remember her birthday every year and celebrate it in any way is okey, I guess. my daughter is 6 yr old, but since her birthday is in mid June, that is in the middle of the Summer break here in US, she can not throw a big party with many friends invited. it'll be the same situation until she gets adult, or as long as lives in US. (she may never experience a big Birthday party). I think that some parents think their chileren's B-day are very very special and they think they must throw a big party for it every year is a problem, 'cause other children who were invited to such a party, may start getting the idea that having a big party for b-day is normal and may start asking their parents do the same to them..so I think it's important that teach children that each family has different tradition/rules that may be not the same as other family's. your grand daughter was very sweet that she did not ask for it and was happy with the cakes. my daughter does not complain the way we've celebreated her B-days so far also. Same as your daughter, I try do things handmade as much as possible, I made a cake for my daughter's B-day too, also cooked special B-day dinner. without spending much money, we can still celebrate kids' B-day, I believe, and as you concern, due to economy reason, many people will think like us about kid's B-day too, I think.

you dont have to spend a lot of money to have fun for a child's birthday. invite only a few friends and have a water party (think of water games you can play). all you have to do is use your imagination. i also make my own cupcakes which the kids can decorate. my daughter hannah (who is 13) went to a birthday party at a hair salon last saturday. it set the mom back $400. that is just nuts.

her mom is very talented to make such a cute cake!

I'm glad your daughter has opted out of this madness. Friends with kids tell me it is more and more common for those kinds of parties with huge numbers of kids, hired entertainment and venues - even for the under fives!

yes I 100% agree to this discussion...even I spend most for birthdays rather than other family function....its too expensive..even the birthday candles are costly nowadays.

hi there. I know what you feel. I just organized my son's first birthday last june and i really spend a lot of money as well as my mother in law we prepared the party for almost 3 months. we wanted it to be special and memorable one that it why it was so expensive. But after the party we dont have any regrets because it was really indeed a memorable and special one...

I agree with you. My only daughter will celebrate her first birthday this coming august 16 and i started preparing for her birthday last may, but until now i havent completed all that I need for the party. I have spent a lot of money and yet its still incomplete. But its okay coz she's my only daughter the money that i will spent for her is so worth it

is true what you say. nowadays parents spend a lot of money with children birthday parties but not just children also teenagers birthday parties^^ me i never had big parties with my friend when wa smy birthday bcs i never been used to it but a lot of teenagers invite many many friends and also people they dont know well just to have a ig party and interact. well if you have money for it why not? i think is a good thing to interact but those that have to sacrifice themselves to provide their children a good birthday party is sweet but i dont know i think as long as we pass it with closest friends is good anyway^^

although i have no kids, and i haven't yet organized any kind of party ever, i still believe you. You are right. Kids of the new generation are just spending too much, necessary or unnecessary. Think about my childhood, all i got when i celebrated my birthday was just something nice to eat, like long noodles served with eggs, cakes very rare. However, just look at now, how the kids spend their birthday party... so expensive, so cost. Yeah, how to say, just be thrifty. One day, when i have a kid, maybe i will give him or her a birthday party, but i will still tell stories of mine.