The whole class thing is the norm here in DS's school. Thankfully he is an August b'day so school is still on hols for his! This year will be the first year I do the whole class and I will do it the first Sat after school goes back. He wants a football party which is easy as he does football every Sat and they also do parties in the afternoon. Of course the girl's don't like the football so I will have to provide some crafty stuff to keep them occupied. Then it will just be pizza, drinks, crisps and cake. Party bags will be a book and a Milky Way.
One child a few years ahead of DS in school here is usually the talk of the school for his birthday. For starters his parents run a transvestite club here in Budapest. This year they booked the ground floor of a hotel in town, b'day boy arrived in a limo with girls and his dog. There were arcade games, hot dog stands, pop corn stands etc. A few years ago the party was held in the parents' club and the dad went off during the party and reappeared in full trasvestite get-up! Lots of complaints to the school afterwards apparently!
(We also have one child whose parents are porn stars!)