Extravagant parties for 1 year old. Is this a thing now?

[Makemineacosmo]

I've seen two of these events over the last week on SM. Both for 1 year olds. Both in 'wedding' type venues, decorated with the obligatory balloon arch and giant illuminated number. Tables decked out with decorations and chairs dressed with bows on the backs and a 'top' table where parents sit with the birthday baby and the two tier cake. Granted, one event looked to be more extreme than the other but were both in the same vein. Surely this is not a thing now? Talk about upping the ante. 😂 I won't start on the 0.6 month 'cake day' that I was recently invited to.

Disclaimer: no it doesn't affect me personally, no it's none of my business, yes, people can spend their money how they like. I still think it's pretentious shite.

Yanbu it's all for instagram and Facebook. And yes it is pretentious.

Not always for insta.

Did you even read pp posts?

How lovely to live in a certain world where you can be so dismissive.

In most cultures there is some kind of ceremony to welcome the baby to the family, a christening used to do that. Now many people don't attend church a big family party performs the same function.
It's a nice excuse for everyone to get together and celebrate.

I think for some the 1st birthday stands in for the major event that a christening used to be. Society as a whole is getting less religious and so (I'm assuming) people are less likely to get children christened, but still want to have the bigger get together to welcome the child into the family.

We have come less religious so people are looking for new ways of celebrating rights of passage. I wonder if big first parties are replacing christenings.

For clarity. I'm not saying people shouldn't have birthday parties for their children 😂 - I have for mine. I just find the 'wedding style' events I described in my OP very odd. 'Top table' etc. Each to their own I guess.

Chav behaviour.

No, never encountered this.

First b’days tend to be tea and cake for a few family, 2nd a few friends from toddler groups.. 3rd is when the party starts proper. I do know a few who did full 2nd b’day parties with ‘games’ but it’s madness IMO.

We made a big fuss but it was mostly for us. I had very bad ppd, ended up suicidal and never thought I'd get to see her grow up. Reaching one was a huge deal for us as a family and we made a big deal out of it. There can be multiple reasons (although there really doesn't have to be). Celebrating parents beating the odds in terms of infertility, or having a rainbow baby, or a premature baby who made it. It might be that parents know it's their last or their one and only kid and want to make every moment count. I can think of so many reasons to make a big fuss.

The fact you have seen it on SM says it all. They only do it all for the show off factor. My child is 3 and for his first birthday we had a small family party in our back garden with a home made cake. He loved it and didn't know it wasn't held in a wedding venue 🤣

Bet they don't bother with the second dc!