why isn't the cake eaten at the party?

[franca70]

why do you have to bring it home instead of eating it all together? please, help...

....because i spend a lot of time making Dcs cakes and don't want to give it to all the little plebs. they get bought cake

Not sure really. Only been to one party I think when cake was eaten there. Think it is so less time is spent on the food bit of the party maybe? Also fills the party bag out

but why - at the party I went to - isn't the cake eaten during the actual party?

I think because they have already stuffed themselves silly

and it probably started as a bribe to get the children to go (now of course you have to have a party bag with about 10 things in it as well )

Cake always eaten at parties I go to! One Mum was new in town and wasn't sure of "etiquette" so did cake to take home - kids loved it!

really, I'm sorry, I don't want to sound daft, but the party things is among the biggest cultural differences I noticed by moving to the uk {smile]

It usually is if you come to one of DD's parties. With ice-cream, squirty cream, sprinkles.

I'd love to go to your dd's party, suew...

etiquette here is

sing HP
blow candles
cake cut and into bags
while host does above all everyone prepares to exit.

all the 3/4yr old parties have been like this - seems to signal party end

To make sure the parents turn up to collect

Then cultural norm is to peer into party bag and say, "ohhh, this cake has got jam in, and you don't like jam, I'll throw it away, yes? Do you want a balloon?"

then you shove it in your mouth quick.

It is the parents' reward for coming back.

1. There are other tasty sweet treats for the party tea, like top hats or biscuits or fairy cakes

1. Bulks up the party bag (YES, PARTY BAG)

1. It just makes kids excited. Just does.

1. Parents can give it the eyeball and subconsciously think 'home made ponces' or 'costco synthetic'

hope you;'re not looking for a sensible answer, franca

oh no, I've given up looking for sensible answers in general... blimey, it is a completely different world... I'm so scared of throwing a party for ds...

It is at ds's party. he prefers it that way.

mine is

we eat cake

none goes home

I think it's just traditional to send them home with cake. Plus they edat so much other stuff at the party tea. I find it's hard enough keeping them interested in food.

We used to eat the cake at the party sometimes. You can do what you like really.

yes surely it doesnt matter

if they didnt want to eat the cake (which they always seem to do here) then I would send it home with them

Where we live you only get cake at the party- didn't realise that until I'd made what amounted to a whole tea the first time my kids had a birthday here! The parents were well narked when nobody ate their tea at home. Now I've read this thread I can't get this song out of my head- anyone else read "Teddy Robinson"? It goes
Ding dong
This is the song
I'll sing at my birthday tea
I'm glad you came
But all the same
The party's really for me!

My dc's love it!

in our house you get to choose to go either American style (eat cake with ice cream at party as dessert of the tea) or British (goes home in party bag) still awaiting DDs choice for her party in 2 wks.

Personally I still can't see why, as you often get given fairy cakes, biscuits and other sweets at the party. So why not the cake!

I guess I'm just stuck in a time warp...

Last party I was at mums got cake at the party and some was sent home in party bag as well. FAb!

All Parties I've been at over the last few years, the cake has been eaten at the Party...The people who put in in Party bags are just not wanting the mess on their floor!