Old

[ithildin]

After our 100 mile blow out the catalytic converter drive yesterday, we had dinner at Black Bear Diner, and were seated next to their banquet room. There was a six year old's birthday party in progress there with about 40 kids, gift bags, balloons, sundae bar, cake, and god knows what else. I had just finished telling Nin that when I was that age, I considered myself lucky to have a birthday cake and was floored at the productions children's parties have become. I have coworkers who rent out entire parks for their two year old's birthday party! Anyway, had just finished telling this to ninjababe when our waiter comes over and says, "and what was your 6th birthday party like?". We all laughed. Well, none of my birthdays, even as an adult, were ever catered at a restaurant! Seems like parents are competing with other parents to have a better birthday party than Jose's or Susie's. At least that's the vibe when you hear them talking about it. Beats me. I will be forever baffled.

You know you're getting old when when you are even comparing birthday parties to 'in my day' [g]

Oh, and I've decided I want to have a birthday party at Disneyland complete with Princesses, since I was obviously deprived of a proper birthday party as a child. Maybe it will heal the deep seated trauma that was caused by not having a catered party with forty of my closest friends. (though I'd prefer a Princes version! [ahem])

Comments

[carenejeans.livejournal.com]

A birthday party with Princes! Sounds good to me.

I remember my 6th birthday! And that's pretty good, because it was in 1960! *coff*

Not at a restaurant. Not catered. The big excitement was the cake, made by my grandmother, a towering pink thing with a ballerina on top. Hee.

[1-mad-squirrel.livejournal.com]

And these people are raising spoiled brat kids, who expect to be catered to, with everything they want handed to them on a silver platter.

[jinxed-wood.livejournal.com]

I think the highlight of my childhood birthdays were the chocolate rice krispie buns! Birthdays involved a ridiculpously rich sponge cake and a couple of dozen cousins.

I spent my childhood on a farm in the west of Ireland, and the nearest McDonalds was two hundred miles away - catered birthdays were something that only happened in Hollywood!

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Most of my birthdays were the same -- we'd be visiting my father's parents in Victoria, and half the time, my grandmother and aunts would snipe about it being a waste to have two birthday cakes witihn a few days of each other. My mum's BD was five days later.

I'm not positive, but I think I had a doll cake on #6. One of those cake with a plastic doll and the cake was the skirt.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you grew up on a farm! And I do love a good sponge cake [sigh] As for McDonalds, even though we lived in the city, that was considered a treat. Something we only got to eat a few times a year. And all these years later, I still order the same thing: a cheeseburger, fries, and a coke :)

If you ever come to CA, I'll take you to In n Out for a burger!

[jinxed-wood.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you grew up on a farm!

Yup! From the age of two 'til twelve. It was a mixed farm, dairy and barley, and it was in North Kerry.

If you ever come to CA, I'll take you to In n Out for a burger!

LOL! Do they serve veggie burgers?

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

HAH - it's not just you, I'm just AMAZED at the super-hyper-faboo parties some kids have! In my day... eh, I don't really remember my day, but I bet we didn't have catered restaurant parties.

My birthday's two days before Christmas, so it was definitely not the big event of the season!

[dswdiane.livejournal.com]

Not neccisarily. They might just be raising kids who feel loved. Which is nothing I felt much when I was raised, not at least after my father died.

I had great b'day parties until he died. Why the hell shouldn't children believe that his or her day of birth matters? A lot to their parents and their friends. Though I must admit I have never coped with more than 20 or so for my son.

[dswdiane.livejournal.com]

As a mother, I have to say that part of the reason for b'day parties outside the house is so we don't have to prepare or clean up.

My son has had b'day parties at MacDonalds, at Sci-Trek, at the Zoo, at Fernbank, the museum of Natural History, and at (several times) a lazer tag place. I have partipated in all.

He has also had several parties at my home and I never want to prepare and clean up again.

He has also been invited to many b'day parties. What on earth is wrong with letting your child know that you celebrate and are delighted with the day of his birth? No, we have never invited 40 kids. We have only invited his special friends.

[adabsolutely.livejournal.com]

I was raised on a farm in Oregon, no parties for me, but we always had fun small parties for our daughters, no more than a dozen kids. Usually I'd make a pizza and ice cream and cake. Fun. They grew up to be sweet girls. I wanted them to know I would go to the work for them, that they counted.