Traditional Parties Making a Comeback

After years of laser-blasting and bowling, the traditional children's party is making a comeback.

It could be happening as the purse-strings tighten but, in my mind, it will be parents seeing sense at last and not trying to outdo each other!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...-comeback.html

Do you think that the high-cost, new experiences party will be missed by today's hi-tech children? Or do you think they could learn to appreciate that simple things can also be fun?

Do you have any fond memories of either parties you went to as a child or any that you held, or helped to organise, for children?

Re: Traditional Parties Making a Comeback

No parties for me Kal - but I hope traditional parties do come back ....
It did seem parents outdoing each other ....
Kids today, would still love playing with cardboard boxes, given the chance, its been proven by a study, couple of year back - its the 'parents' with the problem ....

Re: Traditional Parties Making a Comeback

I'm inclined to agree with you Pats. My children's birthday parties were always traditional ones, no pomp and no ceremony (as such) and they played traditional games. Goody bags had a piece of cake, a balloon and a small gift. I think in all the years I organised my children's parties, hardly any of their friends declined to turn up! They may not have gone to expensive venues but they had good, old fashioned fun: maybe that was the novelty!

Re: Traditional Parties Making a Comeback

Its true !
Kids love escapism, a cardboard box becomes a mixture of things - they use their imagination, which can only be good. Everything handed on a plate - not good !

Re: Traditional Parties Making a Comeback

I can remember some great birthday parties with my sisters when I was little playing traditional games.

One thing I did hate at parties in those days was being made to eat slice of bread and butter with my jelly and tinned carnation milk . I usually refused the jelly to avoid it.

I hate the whole concept of 'goody bags' that they have these days. I am told some people spend £10 a child on them, what's that all about? The child with the birthday should be the only one getting presents except for the piece of cake to take home.

Re: Traditional Parties Making a Comeback

That does amaze me - my daughter spent close to £300 on goody bags whose birthday was it! I agree with you, it should only be the child whose birthday it is that gets presents, it's their special day after all.

Re: Traditional Parties Making a Comeback

We have never gone in for the more modern show off what we have approach to parties, kids have always had the traditional type and no goodie bags either. All children left with a slice of cake for themselves and any siblings at home. Nothing more.

Have to say many have said how much better the parties have been here, mainly because they have games they can all play and quiet times to chat and enjoy their food. No pressure to compete. Even had some Dads come and join in !

Re: Traditional Parties Making a Comeback

Oh Meg I sympathise with you on the bread and butter thing. I think it must have been something which came about during the war, a way of stretching stuff. I know my mother always sliced mars bars and made a sandwich from the slices, and my step fathers mother always served bread and butter with 'everything', I can still recall the revulsion at watching her eating tinned fruit with condensed milk, and dipping her bread and butter into the mixed syrup/milk.

Some things it made sense, with fish and chips, with stew/soups, with salads, but with a roast dinner?

Re: Traditional Parties Making a Comeback

Des as it was in the 50's so not long after the war ended I think it was all about 'filling you up and making things go further ' but surely at parties after rationing ended we could have been spared that.

In the Derbyshire of my childhood 'brembutter' went with everything including jelly *shudders *

Re: Traditional Parties Making a Comeback

We always had brown bread and butter with fruit and evap milk and my son's MIL always had bread and butter on the table and that was in the mid - late 60s and yes with a roast, her daughter pulled her face at the memory of it and now she can't fill her beggers up. Their parties were always traditional though or BBQ