Competitive birthday parties: tell us your worst!

[HelenMumsnet]

Hello. Justine's going to be on the BBC World Service tomorrow talking about children's birthday parties - and how some parents do seem to like to outdo each other on the all-singing, all-entertainer-ing, all-super-luxury-party-bagging front.

So, we were wondering... Have you ever felt other parents were judging your efforts on the birthday-party front?

And what's the worst example of party oneupmumship you've seen?

i thought scrawny too

Wtf with those teddybears? So they've got a ribbon with the brandname on, therefore some idiot will spend forty-odd quid on them? < sigh >

lynette -are you sure your mum made the bags? they sounds like the ones from the party pieces catalogue? have i outed her

to help justine - erm - ive taken my daughter to a few where there are entertainers for the kids and waiters for the parents with drinks etc. perhaps that can be an angle. always enjoyed them very much!

Oh I have some really good ones. But computer is running v slow and friend just arrived at the door. Will try to remember to post later.

LynetteScarvo if your serious about getting the batmobile heres the link - fab party organisers, only wish I had the money to use them now!!!!

www.twizzle.co.uk/index.php/parties/boys4to6/batman

Have fun!

Girl at DD's school (7yr old party)has an ice rink being delivered for a skating party.Now it is a plastic one as it is in July but what on earth will they do next year (or the year after?).
It apparently "only takes up half of the tennis court)

The worst party bag oneupmumship I ever saw was a party ds went to last month. The party bags were actually proper adult bags (the cotton body shop type ones) which were for the mums, and then inside there was personalised items for each child (i.e., pencils with their names on etc). Not a bit of cake in sight!

I've been to a 7yo's party with a stretch limo and bowling alley. The kids loved it, but you do wonder what they'll do for next year. I confess (shamefully) that I felt rather smug that dd didn't ask for one for her birthday...some parents weren't so lucky.

The first party my son was invited to aged 3 by a school chum from Nursery class...

Hired staff welcome at the door, uniformed caterers flitting about, avoiding professional camera crew recording the whole thing for posterity, 2 entertainers, sit down tea, party bags worth more than the presents we brought

No-one else could compete - we were vanquished at the first outing!!

We obviously no longer move in the right circles as dcs get invited to bog standard ones.

I went to a prep school which had some very competitive north London parents. Was invited to a horse-riding party where on the RSVP you indicated whether you were bringing your own pony (glad to say the only ones with own pony/kitted out in the right clobber were birthday girl, her sister and her best friend; the rest us non-gymkhana types were in jeans & wellies, accompanied by lots of grinning parents who I think just couldn't resist!) and I went to an 8th birthday party where a string quartet played the music for pass the parcel and musical statues.

I love this thread

Thankfully I don't mix in these circles at all

My sil would probably be a contender though, I remember going to her house for an evening and having to spend a good two hours making the bags for the party bags - printed out camoflage paper stuck together with green ribbon handles full of hand made goodies for the little darlings after they had been entertained by Action Man Andy. We didn't stay for the party so can't comment on the specially brought in 'army landrover'

My own little darlings don't even get a party bag at our house

eek - think i may be a bot of a one upping mum! DD1's last party was a science party, which i researched 10 exciting experiments for the children to do, mini lab coats and goggles and did plastic beakers filled with body parts for the party bags and a periodic table style cake. DD2's party on sunday is a Dora adventure party, the children will take party in a Dora adventure which i have had produced as a book for them to follow, have all the music for the various parts of the adventure and a number of dora related games including catching the stars (helium balloons).

Its not about 1 up man ship for me its about making memories for my girls, i don;t have any memeories of my birthdays except the one where my party was cancelled due to chicken pox, talking to my mum about it she's say the reason i have no memories is because my iorthday was always just family because it was boxing day. i have memories of my siblings party's though. So i guess it just living through my children.

katz- your children's birthday parties sound fab.

Although I'm enjoying this thread, I feel a little sorry for the parents organising these parties that are being ridiculed. Surely it is up to the parents to provide the party of their choosing for their child?

Perhaps I am biased because dd1 has never been invited to a friend's party However, when I held her party last year, I really enjoyed planning it and I'm sure the children had fun. Surely that is the most important thing?

Katz, if you're not an events/party organiser, you ought to be. That sounds fab & a real money spinner!

The two examples I gave, the parents either throw money at an event or are just very, very pretentious about it - not the same thing at all as being imaginative and creative.

thanks - sadly i doubt there is any money in party planning in Sheffield,

I wouldn't be so sure Katz. Parents are always looking to give their children different experiences/be a bit different from the rest (hence this thread, I suppose), or are just stuck for an alternative to soft play. This is an individually run company that do similar themed paries, doing them either in homes or a locally hired hall, except your ideas are miles, miles better. Anyway, not forcing you into a career chage here, just wanted to show you how fab I thought your ideas were.

I've noticed differences in parties depending on the area. Last year took DD to a second birthday party in Islington one weekend - lots of humous, carrot sticks, Yeo Valley cheese, grapes and a homemade birthday cake. The following weekend we went to another party for the same age in Merther Tydfil - onion rings, cheesy puffs, Monster Munch, ham sarnies, jelly and a birthday cake from ASDA.

Guess which one had the most food leftovers at the end of the party!?

Oh yes katz, we've had a round of 5th bday parties. All the indoor playroom places, princess makeovers, baking parties. I copped out and we just took one friend to the zoo. It was a lovely day. And dd got a bigger present .

BA, I'VE heard of Pre Catalan! That must have cost a bomb! I wish dd got invited to parties like that....

katz- brilliant parties!
cupoftea - agree with the comments about being rediculed, i didn't realise giving adults attending parties something other than children's party food was such a faux pas

heated - it would be a huge career change, currently work in research support/business development for a uni! although would be fun.

I'm loving the string quartet for the pass the parcel .

I made the party bags for DD1 out of newspaper from the day she was born , they were very cute, with little pegs closing them. I worked very hard on the grown ups' food too but that is because I am frustrated hostess thwarted by DH's anti social tendancies!

Am going to throw a circuit crafts style party for DD1's 4th this year I think.

Did he actually GET to eat the choc himself though apostrophe?