Party time treadmill

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Posted at 4:29PM, 04 February 2009 by Carol Wilson - Food writer

It's been a while since I gave a children's party, so when I helped out recently at a friend's birthday party for her seven year old, I was amazed how much children's parties have changed.

Kid's love simple, colourful foods, so I had in mind a few sandwiches, sausages on sticks, sausage rolls, iced fairy cakes, jelly and fruit squash perhaps and of course a brightly decorated birthday cake. for the birthday boy or girl. But that won't do at all! The food now has to be gourmet standard and take hours to prepare or is ordered from an upmarket (and pricey) professional caterer. Some parents even call in a professional party planner to organise the whole event.

Before you even think about the food there's the list of food allergies to contend with, provided by anxious parents. No 'e' numbers for little Milo; no dairy foods for Lola; Hugo only eats organic food; Aurelia is allergic to eggs; Oscar can't tolerate cow's milk... and every parent knows the cardinal rule that no nuts must ever be included in any party foods.

When did this start and who started it? I can remember when all we got to take home was a slice of birthday cake wrapped in a paper serviette

Then there's the handmade invitations, an entertainer, a professional photographer to record the lavish event for posterity -and the expensive take home party bags. Why a goodie bag for party guests to take home? When did this start and who started it? I can remember when all we got to take home was a slice of birthday cake wrapped in a paper serviette - which was invariably a sodden lump leaking lurid icing by the time we arrived home.

It is possible to throw a memorable party without breaking the bank! I can recall a time when children made their own fun playing party games such as musical chairs which cost nothing. The most successful birthday party I gave for my son was home made hamburgers and chips served in greaseproof cones with lots of relishes and sauces on the side. After he'd blown out the candles on his birthday cake, I took them all to the local park to let off steam and enjoy a treasure hunt. The kids had lots of fun and it wasn't expensive.

Isn't it time to stop all the extravagant expense and over indulging children, especially in these belt tightening times - or have children come to expect over the top expenditure? Today's children are certainly more sophisticated and seem to expect a lot more, but I wonde, are the parties really for the children - or are they just another chance for competitive parents to show off?

Comments

smitty

5 February 2009, 10:07AM
smitty

I think its more a case of not wanting your child to be left out or feel different from the others. My child's friends have parties with stretch limos to ferry the children to ice skating, paint balling, etc. and the food is mostly prepared by outside caterers or the party is held in a restaurant. It is expensive but how can we stop it? Who would be the first brave parent to give an inexpensive party?

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cheryl

5 February 2009, 3:38PM
cheryl

Ok i dont have kids but i would be 'the first'. What a lot of tosh! Kids dont care what company caters or about getting their photo taken professionally! It's the mothers that think that's what they should have because maybe Mrs Jones down the road did?! I had birthday parties with my cousins and maybe a handful of close friends, we ate sanwiches, sausages on sticks, ice cream and jelly and a big chocolate cake (the most memorable had teenage mutant ninja turtles on it) and we played musical chairs, musical statues and my mum did the best treasure hunt(all the kids said so!;) Kids were send home with a party bag with a bit of cake and a toy and a balloon. Happy as pigs in ... we were! Limos, paint balling.. maybe when you're 18 or something but for kids no need!

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Frantic Flapjack

5 February 2009, 4:45PM
Frantic Flapjack

I agree with Cheryl wholeheartedly. My kids had "normal" parties with pass the parcel, jelly and homemade birthday cake and they loved it. Someone has to be brave and stop all this nonsense.

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Girl Flower

6 February 2009, 5:00PM
Girl Flower

I couldnt agree more. I do not have kids, although I have always helped when it comes to planning and running a birthday party for my neice. We have never hired caterers or cars or bought expensive food. Last year we did a treasure hunt, it was cheap and something we planned ourselves, the empahasis was on fun doing the hunt and solving the clues not the prize at the end (the prize incidentally was a few sweetes for everyone). The food was great, but was sandwiches, cake, crisps, sausage rolls, that kind of thing! When I have kids I refuse to get roped into spending money I don't have on these parties. It's ridiculous!

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Carol

7 February 2009, 11:18PM
Carol

I agree with Cheryl its just one upmanship between the mums. If mums made all the stuff they would know whats gone into making the food. All kids like is just getting together and playing games. It doesnt have to be fancy get back to old fashioned basics and stop pandering to these children as its the parent that are making them fussy.

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robert

8 February 2009, 4:34PM
robert

As a kid the best parties were the ones with lots of familiar food - nothing too fancy- and having lots of noisy fun!

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Lollipop

8 February 2009, 5:46PM
Lollipop

I love doing my children's birthday parties myself! All my friends hire some kind of entertainer or throw them in a play centre but I just can't do it. My boys are 3 and nearly 5 and i do a themed party for them of their choosing with traditional games. For my eldest's 4th birthday he wanted a space party, we hired the church hall and made a spaceship out of a small climbing frame and a tunnel, covered the tables in silver foil, made moon rocks for each child and party bags out of tin foil with a few small toys and a bit of cake. Everyone loved it and the parents said it was the best party they'd been to. And all for Â£80! My 3 year old had a batman party even though the girls didn't get it and now I'm planning the next party for the end of the month! Bring on the sharks!

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CloClo

11 February 2009, 6:30PM
CloClo

I'm starting to think about my sixteenth (at the end of this year). My mates are thinking about hiring limos and DJ, but I'm still thinking about something small either at home or in a decorated church hall. Then again, the fact that mum and dad did say I would have to pay might have something to do with it . . . .

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tracy

11 February 2009, 9:15PM
tracy

i used to love playing keepie uppie with baloons,a treasure hunt for penny sweets,blind mans buff or musical statues at my birthday parties followed by cheese or egg sandwiches,fairy cakes,jelly and icecream and homemade birthday cake.

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Shevy

13 February 2009, 6:14PM
Shevy

I'm on what feels like the millionth "Spiderman" party. Two boys ten and seven usualy ask for the same thing. The cake is a challenge since I make a different one each time (mom playing not childrens demands). What I have found is space and children who like each other is the key to success. Kids run riot and entertain them selves and arn't to bothered about food untill cake time, mom's on the otherhand are very concerned that their little darlings may starve to death if they are not fed enough for an army.

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