I always hear parents complain about having to take their kids to a ton of birthday parties. Since this is really the first year the girls are both in school I kind of expected we'd be going to a lot. So far we've been lucky and have only attending one.
One of the boys in Annika's class invited the entire class, plus siblings, to a party at a trampoline jumping place. It was fun, his parents rented the entire place! There were at least 50 kids there and the girls had a ball. Annika thought it was great that she was getting to see all her friends from school on a Sunday, outside of school!
Annika was invited to two other parties, one the same day as her birthday, so we declined. The other one was last Sunday and the mom gave us the invitation on Saturday! So we already had plans and couldn't attend.
Now for the next two weekend we have two parties! Saturday Annabel's friend is having a party at a bowling alley, this is the first party that Annabel has been invited to on her own. She was so excited to go without Annika and then the little girl's mom texted me and asked if Annika wanted to come too.
Annabel got to pick out the gift for the little girl on her own. They're in ballet together so they really don't talk a lot in class, but Annabel insists that she loves Sofia the First just like her so we got her the doll.
The next weekend Annika is invited to a party at a bounce house place, it's a big store front in a plaza with 10 really large bounce houses inside. The party is for a little girl in Annika's class at school and Annabel, so far, is not invited to that one.
I always find it funny when I ask the girls what to get their friends and they pick out something they like themselves. I told Annika to talk to her friend and ask her what she likes so we have some ideas! I can't imagine that all 6 year old girls like exactly the same thing.
The only complaint I have is these presents! I tried to put a $10 limit on each gift but Annabel spent about $18 when we were done with the Sofia doll, bag and tissue paper. But I guess in the end it is worth it since the girls are getting to go do fun things with their friends!
How do you all handle buying gifts for birthday gifts? Do you have a spending limit? What is the best party your child has been invited to so far?
So I have a kind of weird rule. If I like the parent and we are friends, I will make sure we buy better presents thy cost more. Still the most I have ever spent would be like $25, either on one thing or a couple things. A friend of mine had a bounce house party and invited all my kids when only one of them was really the same age as her kid, so I was more generous in the gift giving cause those places are expensive and she didn't have to invite everyone. If they are just a school friend, then my cap is $15 but I definitely try to spend less. The last party my son went to he picked out a huge $5 generic nerf gun, so Yay! I never buy gift bags or cards. They make their own cards and we wrap or reuse whatever bags we have. I always keep a roll of birthday paper and save all gift bags that are in good shape for reuse, and I buy tissue paper on clearance after Christmas. The only other time I will spend more money on a gift is if I know the other person has given nice, generous gifts. Legos are a big item all the kids like right now, but the sets cost way too much to be given to just anybody haha
ReplyDeleteSo we have been to all kinds of parties at bounce places, gymnastics centers, indoor golf, stuff like that. I don't really care because I think so many are WAY over the top it's annoying to me. My favorite, and the ones my kids like best, are at someone's house and they eat lots of yummy food and watch a movie, have a sleepover, stuff like that. When they were younger it was old school stuff like piñatas and pin the tail on the donkey and other organized games that they really enjoyed. One thing I HATE: the dreaded goody bag. Hate that they even exist at all and I won't do them.