Cultural differences in children's birthday parties.

[TheNameIsDickDarlington]

I was recently at a child's birthday party where one of the mums questioned the classic cheese and pineapple on a stick birthday snack. Apparently, she had never seen this before.

This led me to think about children's birthday parties and how much of what I would consider a traditional child's party is specifically cultural to England (which is where I have always lived). Do most countries have the typical Bouncy castle in a hall and buffet food type kids parties or does each country have its own version of that?

It's not that unusual did you never see this in the 90s?

Was just going to say here in France it's just sweets and pop. Presents are ritually opened in a big group and everyone sings joyeuse anniversaire inserting the birthday child's name at the end of each line.

When the kids were small all class parties were very much the thing - in the country though - our baptism of fire was 30 three and four year olds all afternoon, no entertainment except what we provided and absolutely no other parents.

Was really quite pleased when they left, some as late as 7 despite it being 2-5!

Depends where you are in the UK. I've only ever lived in Zone 1-3 of London and I've never seen (unsurprisingly) a village hall or cheese and pineapple on a stick.

Have seen a few kids parties in Brazil and they were very extravagant by comparison. These were quite well off people but still it was a real event in comparison to the UK.

What a thread. As far as I'm aware cheese and pineapples is a very British thing for a kids party. Sandwiches and sausage rolls. Hot cooked food like rice dishes isn't the norm usually.

Those who are saying they have never seen a bouncy castle in a hall I'm stunned also! What sort of parties have you been attending 20/30 years ago?

Nope - as mentioned I was a child of the 80s in a different hemisphere where we served the birthday cake at the party!

Really? That was standard for us in the 90s and I have also been to some with my toddler. Terrifying. (Getting squished by older kids on the bouncy castle, not the buffet).

I'm from the USA but live in the UK. American birthday parties tend to be at home (bigger houses so more space to entertain) or at a park. You eat the cake at the party, you don't take it home. I find this very strange!

In the UK, most people I know opt for package parties at a soft play or trampoline park etc. Village Hall and hired entertainment tend to be just as expensive once you factor in all the catering!

In Iceland the strangest thing (to me) about kid's birthdays is that the unspoken dress code is smart casual.

Obviously not if it's a sporty party like at a trampoline park, but for a typical home party everyone will dress up in shirts and nice dresses, children and adults.

GnomeDePlume
Denmark is the same re presents. We held a party at home for a 5 year old, child and parents came in offering a gift and my child said thank you and put it on the gift table ( to be opened after the party, and thank you notes sent out next day or two) . After this had happened a few times one of the parents still lingering told me all the parents thought it was incredibly rude not to open the present as soon as it was given. I was happy to be told and we opened the presents when given in future!

South London. Every party is soft play or bouncy castle in a hall. We did a forest school party at the weekend as something a bit different and it went down well (phew!).

I'm with him- so I always cut it and pass it round right after we've sung happy birthday!

I haven't seen cheese and pineapple on a stick in decades and honestly, it's a travesty! They are SO GOOD!

As for parties, when the kids were very young (reception - year 2) we did have a smattering of village hall/bouncy castle birthdays. Our village hall has a good kitchen though, so often food was Pizza or Hot Dogs etc.

As they got older it became more and more about activities and meals out, eg Lazer Tag/Karting/Go Ape etc with McD's/Burger King/Pizza Hut afterwards.

A few pinatas over the years but never pass the parcel etc.

I've seen tiktoks about this, American ones, but saying if you show up on time to an African American or Hispanic party you are part of the 'set up crew'

I'm in Ireland. Kids parties I went to in the 90s are similar to what is done now. At home, lots of sweets, although more and more people are offering healthier alternatives (chopped carrot sticks that sort of thing). Chicken nuggets, sausages, little sandwiches.

Cake is cut after the candles are blow out and eaten there, if there is a big cake adults might be given some going home - I was at my nieces birthday recently.

Only family or friends (of the parents) adults stay around once the kids are school age 5+. The child's friends parents drop and come back.

Bouncy castle outside if it's a summer birthday.

I've never been to one in a community hall. But I have been to ones in soft plays. And from SM groups I am in having them in parks especially in Dublin where people live in apartments/ smaller houses is getting popular.

There's an episode of Bluey all about the generational shift in pass-the-parcel habits. A small prize in every layer, or nothing in each layer but a really good prize in the middle. Lucky's Dad's rules!

Rented hall with a bouncy castle and buffet, soft play with buffet, as kids get older into trampoline park/Ninja Warrior style. All experienced here.

I'd have said its the opposite tbh. The one near us that literally every child used for their party in Reception, was pretty cheap to hire - I seem to recall it being something like £60. We had to provide all the food - they just gave you a hall with a bouncy castle, and tables and chairs for the food. So it was a pretty cheap party - far cheaper than doing soft play parties or anything.

I’m in the U.K - lived here all my life- and so have my children. I have never seen a bouncy castle in a hall, with a buffet. I don’t think that a typical thing at all for a children’s party.

Whaaaaat?! These were a staple growing up, I haven't seen them as much with my children, probably due to the variety now available now with trampolining places etc, but they've both still done the standard bouncy castle party!!

Italy ( somewhat rural)

Kids parties till around 9/10

•Go to a place where kids have space to run around outside/ large grounds, often part of a pizzeria. You won't pay for the venue, just the food, like you would any other day.
•No paid entertainment of any kind. Kids arrive, join the crowd, run off, don't come back till someone calls them in to eat.
• Whole class invited. Siblings always tag along, no need to specify they are coming.
• Presents can be bought as a group with parents splitting cost.
• Anyone can arrive at any time, even hours after party starts.
• At a certain point someone shouts "pizza" and then pizza is brought for kids, adults who stayed and the kids will eat for about 20 minutes then run off again.
• Adults can stay or leave at any point.
• Cake is always hand made , sometimes ordered from local bakery, sometimes made by relatives.
• No party bags. Every goes home when they feel like it, sometimes families stay on after host leaves.

AGE 10/11 kids go to restaurants by themselves for a meal. No adults accompany them by end of primary school.

Maybe it was Abigail’s party…

Cheese and pineapple.. silvikrin onions...ham sandwiches...potted meat...

Mmmmm

Just wondering though, with all the business about grapes etc, aren't cocktail sticks a choking hazard too?

I have two kids and been to umpteen parties and have never seen cheese and pineapple on a stick. I know if it of course as I grew up in the 70s.
I've never been to a party, no matter what the cultural background of the child that was different. Maybe if they were in another country, but most seem keen to do what's normal for here.
Socioeconomic background- now that's where you see some difference!

Pre-school age we did all my children’s parties at home - pass the parcel, musical bumps, pin the tail on the donkey, party tea etc. First couple of years at school they were whole class parties in the village hall - everyone had them there so people would ring the changes and alternate between bouncy castle, disco, magician, entertainer etc. Then after about 7/8 it would switch to small groups either at home for an activity (pizza making; science experiments etc) or out for cinema/swimming/bowling/climbing wall/laser tag. Now beginning of secondary it seems to have reverted to going to each others houses for a film and a takeaway.
Food for the primary years hasn’t changed much since I was small in the 80s - sausages, sausage rolls, sandwiches, crisps, fairy cakes, slice of birthday cake to take home - though I agree with a pp that the obligatory carrots and cucumber were unheard of at parties when I was little! Also we always had fizzy drinks (at parties, never otherwise); whereas now it feels you’re slightly pushing the boundaries even to offer squash!

I haven't seen C&P on a stick since the 80's. Is it not a bit retro? I don't know any kids who would eat it.

Bouncy castles in halls are very common here until around age 8, then it's smaller parties at structured activities like trampoline parks, cinema, escape rooms, bowling etc.

I read about fairy bread here on mumsnet a few years ago and now my daughter asks for it every birthday. It gets tried but not devoured as such. With it being on bread it seems to be seen as a bit suspicious possibly healthy.

My in laws live in Southern Europe and we're amazed to see how structured kids parties were here. In their country, they basically hire a venue and the kids run and around and the parents chat. They were surprised that here we organise so many games like pass the parcel and musical statues - or we have activity parties like painting pottery etc. They were also very surprised that we have some healthy food at parties. My MIL could understand why I was preparing carrot and cucumber sticks. In their country they have cake and sweets at kids parties. Nothing more.