Birthday Parties
OK. I have only one kid and love to make it fun -- but can't see how some people spend hundreds of dollars for a 2-3 hour party! Honestly, it blows my mind!
As I look around, birthday parties must be big business! Bowling alleys charge $11.95 a kid to bowl, have soda and cake. The local bounce house has parties that are $220 to $360 for 1-2 hours and a cake. You can have a crafty party at Michael's Craft store or even a Party at McDonald's...
I look at that average $15 per kid and think of 15 years of parties, with at least 10 kids in attendance and am floored at a price tag of over $2,000. For a party!
I remember the fun birthday parties of my childhood: balloons, cake, pin the tail on the donkey and a gift for all of the kids. One year it was a sleepover! I don't really think my folks spent tons of money on a party, yet I fondly look back on them.
=)
I hope I am creating those memories for my daughter.
Each year we have a "theme" and build the party around it. One year it was a "fishy party" and we made soaps that looked like a carnival goldfish in a plastic bag of water for everyone to take home...the cake looked like an aquarium.
Last year was the "puppy party" where all the gifts her friends brought were for the local animal shelter - and we had pupcakes!
This party, will be a "princess party". I think I will have spent $7 on the entire thing by the time it is over. I found "fake" Barbies in a Michael's clearance bin for $.25 each and got 12 of them. Add the invite package from a card shop clearance bin that was $.10 and the white paper "burger king" type crowns that the young ladies will decorate that came in a pack of 12 for just $1 and the FREE princess blinggy rings I scored off the table at a Tupperware leaders meeting or two and we have a serious function rolling! The cake will be a skirt cake that one of those dolls is stuck into and I will frost the royal dress on it.
Easy Peasy.
The family knows we are taking our little princess to Disney in August and, in lieu of gifts will be asked for assistance in park hopper passes and a character breakfast.
(SOOOOO much better than a bazillion little toys to step on or pick up, LOL!)
Yes, I plan ahead...2012 will be a Polka Dot Party! I have the polka dot purses that will be stuffed with dot candy and already have water color paints (back to school clearance). It will be a polka dot cookie decoration and we will play a polka dot game! (Yes, that stuff is all in a box, next to the princess party stuff...)
I am not sure about 2013 yet - but will find something cute, clever and sell her on the idea of it then engage her in the planning.
Life as a Mom has a cool planning sheet that you can download here
It keeps it simple and easy...it's nice to see it on a piece of paper instead of just running though my head.
What are your favorite childhood memories? What fun things have you done for your kids? Do you plan ahead like me or fly by the seat of your pants?
As I look around, birthday parties must be big business! Bowling alleys charge $11.95 a kid to bowl, have soda and cake. The local bounce house has parties that are $220 to $360 for 1-2 hours and a cake. You can have a crafty party at Michael's Craft store or even a Party at McDonald's...
I look at that average $15 per kid and think of 15 years of parties, with at least 10 kids in attendance and am floored at a price tag of over $2,000. For a party!
I remember the fun birthday parties of my childhood: balloons, cake, pin the tail on the donkey and a gift for all of the kids. One year it was a sleepover! I don't really think my folks spent tons of money on a party, yet I fondly look back on them.
=)
I hope I am creating those memories for my daughter.
Each year we have a "theme" and build the party around it. One year it was a "fishy party" and we made soaps that looked like a carnival goldfish in a plastic bag of water for everyone to take home...the cake looked like an aquarium.
Last year was the "puppy party" where all the gifts her friends brought were for the local animal shelter - and we had pupcakes!
This party, will be a "princess party". I think I will have spent $7 on the entire thing by the time it is over. I found "fake" Barbies in a Michael's clearance bin for $.25 each and got 12 of them. Add the invite package from a card shop clearance bin that was $.10 and the white paper "burger king" type crowns that the young ladies will decorate that came in a pack of 12 for just $1 and the FREE princess blinggy rings I scored off the table at a Tupperware leaders meeting or two and we have a serious function rolling! The cake will be a skirt cake that one of those dolls is stuck into and I will frost the royal dress on it.
Easy Peasy.
The family knows we are taking our little princess to Disney in August and, in lieu of gifts will be asked for assistance in park hopper passes and a character breakfast.
(SOOOOO much better than a bazillion little toys to step on or pick up, LOL!)
Yes, I plan ahead...2012 will be a Polka Dot Party! I have the polka dot purses that will be stuffed with dot candy and already have water color paints (back to school clearance). It will be a polka dot cookie decoration and we will play a polka dot game! (Yes, that stuff is all in a box, next to the princess party stuff...)
I am not sure about 2013 yet - but will find something cute, clever and sell her on the idea of it then engage her in the planning.
Life as a Mom has a cool planning sheet that you can download here
It keeps it simple and easy...it's nice to see it on a piece of paper instead of just running though my head.
What are your favorite childhood memories? What fun things have you done for your kids? Do you plan ahead like me or fly by the seat of your pants?
Comments
Post a Comment