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Are you feeling the pressure?

Since my kids have been born, I have not thrown them a big birthday party, yet.  Granted my oldest is not 3 years old yet.  So far their birthdays have been nothing more than immediate family, 1 cake, and a few presents.  The total cost was well below $50.  But, in time I have a feeling the cost could go up greatly once I start inviting classmates.  It does not help the matter when mothers are spending up near 10 grand on a birthday party.  Check out this article on CNN.com ($10,000 for a childs birthday party?)  $10,000!! That is more than my wedding cost.  This is all in the name of buying more stuff and thinking money buys memories.  There are businesses out there making a serious profit from moms who feel the need to spend a lot to make a day special.  There is a small group in Minnesota that is questioning the need to spend so much on birthdays and they have a website at Birthdays Without Pressure.  Check out the Birthday Pressure Quiz. 

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Posted in Children, Family, WTF? by Sarah on April 18, 2008
Comments (3)


  1. Izzy said:

    Why yes! I am feeling the pressure. But there’s no way on earth I’d pay ten grand for a birthday party.

    I try so hard to sidestep this kind of nonsense but even my daughter is getting sucked into it because of all the outrageous parties she’s been to at almost 8 yrs old.

    I just don’t get it. What’s so unacceptable about cake, ice cream and some good old “pin the tail on the donkey”?

  2. Kris said:

    I saw that article. I couldn’t believe it! Why would you spend $10,000 on a birthday party? HOW could you? I think, you know, food and clothes and housing take precedence over spending that amount of money on a birthday party.

    I don’t get it either.

  3. Julie Pippert said:

    Good article. I do and don’t feel the pressure. Since my daughter entered elementary school I noticed parents tend to have parties Out. Chuck E Cheese, Fun Land, Bounce Land, that sort of thing. Those are pricey.

    I opted for our usual fun in the backyard.

    NONE of her classmates came save her best friend and the new kid.

    Luckily we had also invited our good friends and had a wonderful party. My kids (who shared the party b/c their birthdays are practically the same day) had a ball.

    My oldest doesn’t care about big bashes and so forth and hasn’t asked for one. Her guest list was only her closest little girlfriends to come over and to have a bouncy house, which we did.

    I was just amazed at how (unintentionally?) snobby it came across that people will go to Putt Putt Land for a party but not even RSVP to a backyard bash.

    People are really going over the top. In part, it’s being busy.

    It did take effort for me—a lot of effort. And many people say they just don’t have the time. I understand.

    But it was so nice to spend time with the kids making and decorating a cake, and then just hanging out with friends and neighbors while kids ran and played and jumped.



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