Took DS to a joint 4th birthday party - two boys were turning 4 and sharing the cost of a party. Most of the nursery class seemed to be invited.
It was a bouncy castle in a sports hall affair. We arrived, and outside was a table full of presents so no opportunity to meet anyone there, we just put present down and went inside. Inside was just full of parents and children milling around, so 3yo DS went off to play, and I stool around awkwardly for a bit before managing to a snatch a few bits of conversation with a couple of parents I vaguely knew. No one has made themselves known as parents of birthday children yet. DS hopeless at identifying two birthday children.
After an hour we troup out to a small room where party food boxes are set out for the kids. Crisps in bowls for adults. Singing of happily birthday happens at the same time, and lots of children are clustering around cakes trying to blow out candles, so still no idea who birthdays children are. While my back is turned a party bag gets thrust into DS's hand, and then as we are leaving a large number of adults are frantically trying to tidy up before the next party booking arrives in the room so no one says goodbye to us, and we can't say goodbye as no Idea who to say it to!
So we leave with me still having no idea who the birthday children are or their parents!
I'm quite new to kids parties, is this a normal experience?