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Original poster

Why do people get rid of birthday balloons

48 replies

MucozadeOnLucozade · 31/05/2023 20:51

I see this so much on Facebook and never understood it. Parents who buy huge birthday balloons for their child's birthday and as soon as evening comes they're literally on FB trying to get rid of them. Why can't the child enjoy their beautiful balloons a bit longer??

OP posts:

Fam23 · 31/05/2023 21:56

Fam23 · 31/05/2023 21:54

Definitely all about the photo opportunity! Poor kids! We kept our sons’ balloons until they’d fallen to the ground 😆. Even then he was devastated that they’d gone!

P.S I don’t have the patience to make any balloon arches etc, we get a number balloon and a small character one.

Abouttimemum · 31/05/2023 21:59

We leave ours until they have naturally deflated (and then I fold them up and put them in the memory box in the loft but we’ll not talk about that as it’s PFB behaviour 😬)

GeoffGiraffe · 31/05/2023 22:12

Because they're in the way in our small house, so if I give them away, someone else might aswell enjoy them and get some use out of them.

Admittedly not a childs, but I'm about to try and get shut of two big number balloons (if the dog doesn't achieve a massacre first!)

I once told DS he could keep his balloons until they touched the floor, fuck knows what super strength helium was in them but they floated about the gaff for SIX WHOLE MONTHS doing my head in and making me jump when they moved and I'd forgotten they were there.

lollipoprainbow · 31/05/2023 22:18

Our birthday balloons stay up for weeks !

WonderingWanda · 31/05/2023 22:19

They are probably the same people who take their Christmas tree down on boxing day!

drpet49 · 31/05/2023 22:21

MucozadeOnLucozade · 31/05/2023 20:51

I agree with you OP. My kids always loved their balloons hanging around the house for a week or two.

chelseabunny · 31/05/2023 22:28

MucozadeOnLucozade · 31/05/2023 20:56

They're all given away for free. Huge ones which must have cost a fortune. Maybe it's just for the social media picture and parents are done with them. My child wouldn't be happy if I tried to get shot of them but I wouldn't spend that much for the display in the first place.

This. Same reason as people get their trees down by Boxing Day.

I have stopped buying them since I read here that helium is a finite resource. My kids still have a great day, without a balloon.

Original poster

MucozadeOnLucozade · 31/05/2023 22:31

Exactly to keeping them, they learn science with the slow deflation and falling to the ground too! Sometimes we make bets how long until they touch the floor.

OP posts:

QueenOfHiraeth · 31/05/2023 22:33

We had one famous birthday balloon that lasted so long it was passed around the family and did about 4 birthdays over a period of weeks. It has become a family legend!

DiscoBeat · 31/05/2023 22:33

We usually keep them for a few days then cut the strings and let them go up into the eaves of our barn. It's usually weeks before they float back down which causes a bit of amusement.

pompypomppomp · 31/05/2023 22:34

What an absolute non issue

DiscoBeat · 31/05/2023 22:34

When they were little they went in their bedrooms though.

pompypomppomp · 31/05/2023 22:35

MucozadeOnLucozade · 31/05/2023 22:31

Exactly to keeping them, they learn science with the slow deflation and falling to the ground too! Sometimes we make bets how long until they touch the floor.

they learn science 😂😂 you can't be serious

WhiteFire · 31/05/2023 23:04

They end up being clutter a lot of the time. I got dd's 16th balloons through the free pages, hopefully the same girl will have some for her 18th too 😜

I do think the whole balloon thing has taken over though, but it is better overall for them to be passed on for another birthday / occasion.

WordtoYoMumma · 31/05/2023 23:08

Helium balloons are AWFUL for the environment and the helium shortage etc so no one should buy them ever, but at least if people are trying to reuse / recycle them its better than nothing. Much much better for one evil balloon to serve three or four people before sitting in landfill forever, plus cuts down on the helium used so hospitals won't run out as quick.
But helium balloons should all be banned forever.

LemonadeSunshine · 31/05/2023 23:22

We trip over them for a few weeks until they're well and truly deflated, no chance of them making it out of the house any sooner!

WibblyWobblyLane · 31/05/2023 23:44

How can you gey enjoyment out of a balloon? Especially on the day you've just got a stack of brand new toys? Anytime we brought balloons home they got ignored, so we let party guests take any they want, the others meet a pair of scissors when DD is in bed.

weareallout · 31/05/2023 23:51

So has anyone on here taken ballons?
I often wonder if anyone actually wants them

UncleBryn · 01/06/2023 09:08

A lot of the foil balloons in displays aren't helium. I got a 16 for my daughter recently, I wanted things to look nice at home for her on her special day as it was mid exams. We kept the balloons for about a week and then gave them away on the local FB page to other mums with younger children. They were as good as the day I got them so plenty of life left in them. A waste to just throw them away if someone else can enjoy them.

Sartre · 01/06/2023 09:44

Guessing they know how expensive they are and think it would be kind to save someone else the expense rather than binning them?

Peonyfun · 01/06/2023 09:53

MucozadeOnLucozade · 31/05/2023 21:19

I just feel sad for the child that their birthday balloons are gotten shot of as soon as their special day is declared over.

Which is a bit odd, do you not feel sadder your kid doesn’t get any?

TooBusyGazingAtStarss · 01/06/2023 10:03

I suck the helium out muahahaha

Original poster

MucozadeOnLucozade · 01/06/2023 12:30

Peonyfun · 01/06/2023 09:53

Which is a bit odd, do you not feel sadder your kid doesn’t get any?

Show quote history

Where have I written that my child doesn't get any? My child absolutely does get ones and we keep them until they deflate to nothing. That's the whole point of my thread.

OP posts:

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