Time to Party

 

It would appear that the price, both financial and human, of creating a very special day for the birthday child is on the rise. Ask your fellow parents and you’ll most likely find that they’re spending somewhere between £200 and £800 on their child’s birthday party.

These days it’s easy to get locked into a world of compare and contrast. Pinterest Party Paranoia is only a step away when searching for the latest trends in party themes. Posts of flamboyant parties on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can create a sense of one-up-manship and jealousy, as well as pressure to keep up with current standards. Remember, you’re putting on the party for your child to enjoy with their friends and family, not for social media or the parents of the guests!

You might consider holding the party at home, if you have the space and can handle the thought of hosting. There are of course plenty of excellent venues out there who can host your party for you, and party entertainers who can help create a great party.

Socially, deciding who to invite can be a minefield. Invite the entire class and not only will it cost more but it’s possible you’ll end up with children at the party that your child doesn’t even get on with. Don’t invite the entire class and your child might not be invited to some parties as a result. Being left out when the rest of the class is invited can be hard to explain. A good rule of thumb is to take the age of the birthday girl or boy, add one, and then invite that many.

Think back to your childhood parties and what was the one thing you remember? It’s not the fancy plates, crepe paper hanging from the ceiling or a massive banner with a name on it. The chances are you remember spending most of the afternoon messing about with balloons and playing party games. If you do need some inspiration though, Pinterest has some really good ideas of cheap but effective DIY projects for party themes and decorations, and Youtube is full of tutorials for fun party activities.

Providing food can be tricky particularly if your guests have specific requirements and you want to stay away from anything too sugary. A buffet is a good option, and you can mix the old favourites like sausage rolls with more healthy choices. There’s always a danger that you waste your time and bread cutting sandwiches into beautiful princess shapes only to find that not one child touched them because they only wanted to lick the icing off cakes and eat crisps. That’s children for you!

Party bags are a contentious issue and the subject of much discussion, comparison and debate but there really is no need to go overboard. These days there are many shops and online sites where you’ll be able to pick up suitable, inexpensive little gifts such as pencils, hero gliders, bouncy balls and wooden puzzles. However you fill them, a really nice idea is to buy some sturdy paper bags with handles and decorate them with your child for that personal touch.


Whatever you decide, a measure of a good birthday party is one which gives your child special memories to cherish!

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