How do people celebrate kids' birthdays these days?

[Buenchico]

Knowing that Sherrardk's family has an 11th birthday around now, I was wondering how people celebrate youngsters' birthdays these days. (The last time I was asked to help with an 11-year-old's birthday was 15 years ago. Young James opted to celebrate by taking a day boat out on the river, from Ely, so that he could show off to his Mum what a good 'captain' he was!).

When I was young (yes, when I had a pet dinosaur!), I had traditional birthday parties (with games, jelly, etc) up until around the age of 9 or 10 and then, as I recall, nothing (other than a birthday cake and candles) up until the age of 14 (when it was a few friends round to our house for a limited amount of booze!).

More recently, there seemed to be a time when younger kids had a party at McDonalds (or similar), while those who were slightly older went ten pin bowling or go-karting.

These days, I'm totally out of touch!

So, does anyone know how families currently celebrate their children's birthdays? Or does anyone have any interesting memories of their own childhood birthdays (or of their children's birthdays)?

[marval]

I wouldn't know, I have no children. Used to have traditional games when I was little. Pass the parcel and musical chairs to name a few.

[sherrardk]

Hi Buenchico - the boy is 11 tomorrow. His dad will be working until late so the boy decided he wanted to go to Pizza Hut (went last night as boy #2 had a party today). He also went shopping with his Dad yesterday for his presents (a which he chose himself and some X Box games). Tomorrow we will have party food and a cake (with candles) for his siblings and myself as his dad is probably going to be home late. One of his friends might come for their tea too. The younger ones have a party (bouncy castle, too many e numbers etc). The littlest ones get a party tea - you don't get your first proper party in this house until you are 5.

[sherrardk]

^ a watch even.

[Caran]

My younger grandchildren 5 and 9 still had a party at the local community centre with a magician. 12 year old will have a go-carting party.14 year old had a cinema party then a sleepover for 6 friends.

[ChuckFickens]

Generally these days it seems that there is no money left to actually celebrate the birthday with a party of any sort after the £3k worth of gadgets the kid expects have been bought!

[Buenchico]

I don't think that we had enough chairs in our house for musical chairs, Marval. (But I certainly remember playing it at the annual Christmas party for the children of employees of Fison's Fertilizers, where my dad worked. I think that I might still have some of the bruises!).

Pass the parcel was played at my birthday parties (and at those Christmas parties I've mentioned). Having had to organise a few kids parties over the years, I now know that it only works well if:
(a) there's a small present, such as a little chocolate bar, inside EVERY layer of the parcel ; and
(b) the person controlling the music has some way of knowing where the parcel has got to (so that every child gets something) - a mirror or even a radio earpiece can help ; and
(c) whoever is watching the kids can be VERY firm when deciding just how far the parcel had gone when the music stopped.
I've organised major conferences for adults far more easily than I've ever managed to organise 'pass the parcel' ;-)

[Buenchico]

Thanks for your post, Sherrardk.

I hope that 'Sherrardt' has a lovely birthday!

[Buenchico]

Carandrog:
It's nice to read that, even in these days of TV and computers, children still enjoy magic shows. Thanks also for letting me know that go-karting is still popular. (I'm guessing that your grandchild is a boy?). Cinema and a sleepover for a 14 year old? I'm guessing that's for a girl? Please tell me if I'm wrong!

Chuck:
£3k on gadgets might not be much to some kids (who've got either very rich, or very stupid, parents). I was talking to a guy in a pub recently who was wondering whether he really should have spent £2000 on fireworks to celebrate his daughter's 6th birthday! (I didn't get the impression that he was a mate of Paul McCartney Bill Gates either!)

[pussnboots]

When my two were little we just had friends round for party food, jelly, cake and a lucky bag. My grand daughters now celebrate their birthdays in all sorts of ways. Meals out, bowling, roller skating, sleep overs, it all depends on what is in fashion at the time. Actually in my oinion it's getting a bit out of hand, it's a 'keeping up with the Joneses' sort of thing, 'my party will be better than yours' I am just thankfull that it's no longer my problem.

[alexanderd]

Hi chris, my daughter took my grand-daughter and some of her friends to the cinema and then Pizza Hut for her 11th birthday
Alex

[Buenchico]

Thanks for your post, Puss. It actually reflects what I was suspecting. i.e. that it's becoming a competition to see who has the 'best' party (where 'best' is, regrettably, defined by expense, rather than by the quality of the experience).

[Caran]

You sussed it correctly, boy did carting girl did cinema. It will be interesting when the 5 year old twin girls get older in what they choose as one of them insists she is a boy, will only wear trousers or shorts for school and at home. Has cars and forts etc for pressies and insists her willie is waiting to pop out!
Needless to say the other one is very girly. She has probably gone this waay to create a different identity as they are identical and apart from what they wear I am ashamed to say I can't tell them apart and I see them often as only live 1 mile away.

[sherrardk]

That's a thought Carandog - wonder if my b/g twins will want different sorts of parties when they are old enough?

[Buenchico]

Thanks, Alexander.

Pizza Hut seems to be accepted as being more 'grown up' than McDonald's.

I can understand why cinema visits are popular but, personally, if I was to take a group of kids somewhere for a celebration I'd rather take them somewhere where they could interact together (such as to a water park), rather to a place where they might as well be on their own!

[Buenchico]

An interesting post, Carandrog.

Of course your twins will want different types of birthday celebrations when they're older, Sherrardk! Nothing is ever easy for parents ;-)

[Answerprancer]

In my experience: lots of friends over (plus parents) the kids eat lots of stodge and run around, parents get p!ssed, prezzies are given, the cake gets brought out, maybe a pinyata, something gets ignited, an accident happens but is sorted out, some spoilt kid has hysterics because they didn't get their own way. The lightweight parents/kids bugger off, the hardcore parents/kids stay on, more alcohol/pot gets consumed by the parents and whoever is left either stops over or gets lifted home by the 'designated driver'.

[pussnboots]

The birthday presents are also getting ridiculous. as in giving and receiving. Gone are the days when kids could expects a jigsaw or a colouring book, it's £30 pc games, baubles from Top Shop, girlie accessories from Miss Selfridge etc etc. (I don't have boys, so don't know what they get).

[Buenchico]

AP:
The households at the end of the cul-de-sac where I live seem to have street parties every time any of their children clock up another year. (Bouncy castles all over the place, with barbecues and even professional discos). Your description of events seems very close to what happens at the end of our road ;-)

Puss:
From what people have told me, it's not only birthday presents which are getting expensive. It seems that some parents are entering into a competition with the parents of their children's friends to provide the best 'party bags' for the guests to take home. It seems that (in some communities) it's no longer acceptable to send 5-year-old party-goers home with a few sweets; they now have to be provided with electronic games and similar 'designer toys'!

[redcrx]

little CRX turned 6 on saturday. He has been told that he will have a big party every other year and his sister will have her parties the year he doesnt.
Last year we hired a hall, had traditional party food and a magician, party bags etc.
This year he had a friend over (and all his siblings and family) to the house, little CRX chose KFC for his tea and they ran around the house, garden, playing field from 12pm-8pm having great fun. Yesterday was a small family gathering at his Nana and Grandads with aunties present. We had a nice picnic and then went to the local forest for a nice walk and then icelollies and a play on the swings etc.
He was shattered but very happy :)