Are children’s birthday parties the new weddings?
It used to be said that if you added the word ‘wedding’ to any item for sale the cost of said item would triple. But following a spate of news stories about parents behaving badly over kids’ parties, perhaps the mantra should be extended to the word ‘birthday’ too.
Just last month there was debate over the rights and wrongs of a mum who invoiced another parent over their son’s no-show at a skiing party. And more recently DJ and presenter Myleene Klass waded into the furore by tweeting extracts from an email sent on behalf of her daughter’s schoolmates’ parents requesting a £10 donation from each class member to fund a Kindle iReader for one birthday girl and a desk for the other.
Long-gone it seems are the days when the party was simply about children running round a big hall, gorging on crisps and pop, playing musical and bringing token gifts to celebrate their friend’s birthday. Nowadays instead it seems to be about the most expensive venue, cake, entertainment, party bags and presents that money can buy.
It just all seems so mercenary. What next? Birthday lists similar to wedding lists? Guests being required to arrive by vintage car, stretch limo or helicopter only? Liability insurance in case one disgruntled parent sues another over the disappointing quality of games on offer?
However, it seems Myleene Klass is also mourning the days of simple and birthday events. She replied with a message reading:
“For Ava’s [Myleene’s daughter] birthday, she has requested a real, live unicorn. I will be collecting Unicorn money via her book bag …
“…(Additionally I’d like a Ferrari and Leonardo Di Caprio, so by all means, do feel obligated to contribute to this too).”
Hmm, wonder if she’ll be on their Christmas, and birthday, card lists this year?