We Support
"Operation Authentic Birthday Party".
"Operation Authentic Birthday Party".
I put that on the bottom of TK's birthday invites.
Once again, this isn't really a MEME. But I hope it catches on anyway. I'm tired of the crazy over the top celebrate your kid's birthday as if it's a one time life event. What happened to backyard parties? Oh, it's winter? Then what happened to basement parties? Too many kids for your house?...Dare I suggest it? Invite LESS kids! Too much work to pull it off at home, you say? then, uh, SCALE back. Little kids love simple things, and big kids really just want time to talk and laugh (and if they are girls to scream).
And let's talk about gifts. You've just paid hundreds of dollars to host 15 wild kids at the local climb and play. And your fancy store bought cake is half eaten and mostly on the floor. Now you get to lug home 15 different variations of plastic ten dollar Barbie/Alien/Polly mishmash. I read a magazine article where a family did not accept birthday gifts. They even suggested that any gifts given would be donated to charity. (What a concept? Nearly blew me away.) A year ago we took on the challenge. NO gifts from friends. (We had to alter it a bit--we now accept homemade gifts.) In another post I'll tell you what we do for friends on their birthdays...
I am not prepared to fully list my rants about party bags, goody bags or variations therein. I will start with this: More sugar for my frosting over-dosed 5 year old? No thanks. More tiny plastic crap for the landfills? No thanks. I hate those itty-bitty tops. NO-ONE likes those tops! Attention tiny plastic crap makers...STOP making them. (I read a blog post--can't remember where though, sorry I'm getting old--about using wooden toys for goody bags/Easter baskets). But why even that I say? Isn't "thanks for coming, here, have another cupcake" enough?
So sit there and think about your birthday traditions, and while you do here are some 4yrold party pics. I think that's MEME enough for a good long while. I won't say this is the last one I'll do, cuz hey, I might feel the need to MEME all over myself again sometime.
Go MEME yourself.
Our backyard birthday party. Water balloon toss. We found out that if you use large balloons and not a lot of water...they.take.a.long.time.to.pop. Also that it will entertain six 4 year olds for 45 minutes, and that is some kind of record, I'm sure of it.
I kept meaning to blog about this lady's cakes. She CARVES them! How totally cool is that? I love making my kids' cakes, and have them help me decorate them...but a Scooby Doo cake? In 3-D! (And yes that is a ghost chasing down the Mystery Machine.) Please stop buying Albertson's generic cakes right now. Find someone who can do THIS. I hope that doesn't sound hypocritical, I don't mean to say I'm against spending money on your kid, (and believe me, TK got plenty of Ben 10 items, no need to feel sorry for him) it's just that I'm for AUTHENTICITY.
9 comments:
You know I feel the same way - I do big parties but in our backyard. I have a pet hate about the prepacked birthday parties. As for cakes - will send you pic's of my creations!
Are they posted on your blog? Send the links, yay!
The other thing I didn't mention is that we only have friend parties every other year. We call it 'the family party' on off years.
Claire isn't even 1 yet, and I totally agree! I can't tell you how many 1-yr old birthday parties we've already been to, and how much stupid money we've spent on them! We've already said no birthday parties (outside the family) for Claire until she's at least 2 or 3. It's just silly. And boy did you hit the nail on the head about all the unnecessarily produced small plastic crap in the world! Lanfill fodder.... I am on board for "project authentic birthday party"!
Little T's party looked like fun! Love the pics :) It's my birthday today, actually - so I'm off to make myself an authentic birthday cake!
(Oh - and Utne is classic leftie reading - kind of like All Things Considered in print... I definitely recommend it!)
My oldest is 7 and he had his very first "friend" party this year. My other kids haven't had any yet. We always have a party with my family, though. Backyard parties are the best! I wish I knew how to make a cute cake. I attempted this year and it did not go well. I guess I better stick to the basics...
If you get any good ideas that don't sound too hard, send them my way! I have another birthday in ten days!
But your own kids' birthday parties are one thing -- what do you do when your kids get invited to a gazillion parties, and they drag home all that plasticrap? That's what I hate -- the running around, trying to make all the birthday parties. There has to be a guilt-free way to say no. I think even one birthday party per month is too many, especially if you have two or three or more kids.
Wow, the "authentic" birthday party you put on looks like so much fun. I'm all for authentic, too. I don't do over the top....my sister does and it exhausts me just hearing about the plans......as far as cakes go, I always/usually make them myself, even if they look pathetic. My favorites were a barn cake and a mermaid cake.
I love that cake! I tried making a castle cake the other day, didn't turn out like I thought it would. I guess practice makes perfect!
Way cute cake. You have quite a talent.
I totally agree...what happened to just family parties? I miss that! So much stress is involved when so many more kids are involved.
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