Birthdays

So far, we celebrate birthdays with a special meal & cake & ice cream with the extended family. End of story.  

But both children have been to friends' birthday parties at a destination (bowling alley, ninja park, zoo, gymnastics place, etc.). And so they are asking ... 

My mom gave us a friend party for our 10th & 16th birthdays.  The other years, we had a formal dinner with family friends & 80-90 year old relatives.  A friend with three girls let one of them have a friend party each year.  

What do you do? What did your parents do? 

Both of our children have winter birthdays, and since we can't order snow storms, it would have to be an indoor party ... or a half-birthday party in the summer.  I'm not a fan of a destination party, but I am a fan of saving my energy!  

How to limit the number? LG has been to parties where all the boys in his class were invited.  LM went to a party where both kindergarten classes were invited + a few other friends. It was massive! "All the boys in his class" is a lot more manageable, and easier than saying, "Pick 3 friends." 

And gifts.  Wow!  Do we really need more gifts? I keep trying to plant seeds of gifts for donating (e.g., everyone brings warm socks to donate to the city mission or one of the party activities is making "blessing bags" to give to homeless people).  We went to one party where the child was inundated with 20-30 gifts (each $20 or so).  One of our children was invited to a party that said "no gifts please," which we obeyed, but apparently others brought gifts such as candy.  

I remember the year that I received a box of kleenex and a tube of lip gloss for my birthday.  (There may have been other gifts, but those are the ones I remember.)

Which destination? Small-town bowling alley with pizza brought in? Ninja park in big city? Swim party (assumes they all can swim)? Gymnastics place? We saw a birthday party at the pumpkin patch!  That would be perfect for an autumn birthday. :)  Neither of our children are into crafts yet, but apparently Michael's does parties.  

I'm really more of a home birthday party, but there would have to be a really clear plan, and winter makes it harder.  

And then there is the cake. Sigh! I have made a Lego cake, Olaf pull-apart cupcake cake, unicorn cake, digger cake, a Buzz Lightyear cake, & our nieces made an elaborate combine cake.  I've also made a 9x13 cake with sprinkles and a number candle.  Woo-hoo!  2022's birthday cake decorating caused a pretty big flare of my autoimmune disease, so I'm looking for simple ... or purchased!  Or ... LG & LM might learn to decorate their own cakes. :) 

Stay tuned to find out how we answer the birthday party question! :)