I grew up in a home where my mother lovingly invited all friends and family for food, which she made with a great amount of effort and even more love. We had good food, great presents and a fun party. Of course, I’m sure even then, people with more money did a lot more than ‘just’ this much.
All the four birthday parties that my husband and I have organized for my nearly five year old have been along the same lines. I have cooked every single thing that was served, whether it was mini pizzas, mini quiches, fruit tarts, dips, Indian dishes, all except the cakes. We have sat down and planned each and every detail, okay I will admit, the detail freak that I am, I have planned it to the last minutae and my dear husband has gone along with all of it. So, we’ve made funky invites, have had very well thought out activities for the guests (of course, now it’s such a huge business to organize kiddie parties that I am toying with the idea of making some moolah on the side), booze for the parents (though not of the champagne variety- lots of good old fashioned beer), and return gifts to take back home.
I was and still am dead against doing what everyone does- going to Allied stores in Khan market, give them a budget, get their tattoo maker, their magician and their standard return gifts. I want to be more involved in any party I throw, may it be for four year olds, and therefore I think we do come out tops even when compared to the two most recent parties I went to.
One was at this gigantic farmhouse straight out of the magazines- the winning houses I mean. It was an amazingly done up house, a bit cold from all that designer vibe, but better looking than most 5 star hotels, better equipped, better staffed as well. Hell, the kid had his own set of ginormous swing set in one of their lawns. The food was great, the champagne flowed like rivers after rains and the live band was more than decent. But the company could have done with loads of improvement.
We had gone thinking we’d be meeting other parents, but it turned out to be a maids only party. Why would the parents not want to meet other parents? I still don’t know the answer to this question. But K and A had a good time…
The second was organized at hired premises in one of the malls. Okay- not bad as an idea. But bad idea to have a pirate party for a 3 year old little girl who showed no interest in being a pirate or anything else. I am sure she would’ve been happier playing in a giant dollhouse with a quieter set of kids. The parents had called all their friends with or without children. Overheard one mother cribbing to her husband about the weekly holiday of their poor maid- I am sure it is absolutely the pits to actually spend quality time with your little one when you can sit and down some champagne and bitch about who’s wearing what!
A and I also had a decent time, mostly because K and A did as well in the play area. They could’ve easily thrown a party for their friends and a much smaller one for their precious one.
The common thing between the two parties- the money being thrown around, the bling brigade (I-have-a-birkin-while-you-don’t), the classless (yeah I am a snob) ensembles, the hideous boots which of course all have to wear(ugg!!!) and the complete non involvement of the parents in the details.
But I guess most don’t notice- you have either to be there to notice or you are too drunk to!
The point of this really long post? Well, just the scale at which things are happening now and the bigger question as to how to keep your child grounded- he does go to school with these kids who so clearly inhabit another planet!
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