When I think back on my childhood birthday parties, I recall fond memories of playing "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" in the family room and blowing out candles atop a homemade birthday cake. But today's childhood birthday parties are a far cry from those of my day.
A spiraling level of competitiveness to keep up with the "baby Joneses" is driving parents across the nation to pull out all the stops and their checkbooks to make sure that Junior's birthday party becomes the talk of the town.How does your family celebrate birthdays and what's the most you ever spent on such a celebration?
"Extravagant parties are happening in cities and in rural areas, not just New York and Los Angeles," Cookie magazine's Rebecca Ffrench said. "People everywhere are really pushing the limits. They are spending a lot more than they would have five or 10 years ago."
1 comment:
Guilty, but no regrets! I'm not trying to keep up with the Joneses, just loving the party options available, e.g., skating, bouncin buddies, pizza and video games. We haven't done anything that I haven't personally enjoyed as well. Great memories! Lots of fun! I also don't have to clean my house before hand or bake a cake or clean up afterwards. It's a big time saver and tons of fun. I see it as a time issue, not a money issue. When we attend homemade parties, I always envy the mom for having that kind of time. I don't pity her for not spending money for the other kind. I say, if you have the time, go homemade, if you have the money, go party packages, if you are short on both, go semi-homemade (buy the cake, borrow a friends clean house or have it at the park).
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