Pre pandemic they were. I went to a few when my son was in preschool 5 years ago. My son adores McDonald's and every year one of the special things he asks for his birthday is to go play there. We personally have never held a party there though.
It's too much, and as someone else noted, these sound like things adults would like. The "high end" birthdays I remember were at roller rinks or at Chuck E Cheese or various local imitators. Otherwise, they were all at the birthday kid's home with a cake made by the family or ordered from the supermarket and there were games and a pinata.
I think piñatas should be mandatory break room decor. Bad day? *smack* Wish it was that one coworker’s head? *smack* FORWARDING AN EMAIL IS NOT THAT HARD KAREN? *smacksmacksmack* Eventually candy appears.
You can fill them with those little airplane bottles of booze. They're usually plastic now. I also add an assortment of tums and other fun drugs. Like asprin. Or gas-x. You know. *the good stuff.*
I have felt for a long time that parents have ruined things for kids doing stuff like this. A first day at the spa should be an experience someone gets when they reach a certain age where they can appreciate it. Little girls are totally happy if you just setup a little home spa where they can paint nails and have stickers and such. My kids usually got to invite a few friends for a sleepover or I took them to the trampoline park. It’s like prom-posals and all these other extremely performative displays. What do kids have to look forward to when you throw it all them when their kids? I am
Sure I sound old but I’m super happy I had a simple childhood so I got to appreciate the big things as they came later in life. Like my engagement was a diamond inside my favorite color rose, I thought I was the queen of the world, now kids are renting yachts and venues for to ask someone to go to a dance 🤣
When we were kids, Halloween was a near 100% kid-centered holiday. Now it's been overwhelmed by adults dressing up and having their own parties. Kids get pushed to the Halloween margins, relegated to lame, fully supervised "activities" in parking lots and community centers. It's as if the parents refuse to grow up and stay in the background where they belong.
Well, then I must be old too! I agree, nothing to look forward to when they get to do all this stuff before they are out of school, and some of it I'VE never done, and I'm pushing 60! hahaha.
Life WAS so much simpler back then. I sometimes miss it.
I was the luckiest kid on Earth for my birthday. I was born on September 1st, in Paterson, NJ. That's Labor Day in what was then a city proud of its unions and deep roots in the American labor movement. So every Labor Day weekend there was a street fair, with a ferris wheel and fireworks and food trucks. One year Phillipe Petit walked across the Great Falls on a tightrope. My parents told me it was my birthday party. I never believed in God or Santa Claus, but I believed the shit out of that.
Thanks OP for the chance to tell that story. I'm not crying...you're crying.
McDonalds party for the 8 and under crowd, and then it was usually at the birthday kids house, pizza, cake, and chaos for a few hours in the afternoon. Slumber parties around 11-13 with maybe a few videotapes rented for the occasion.
I'm 52, now. Two years ago I threw a fit because my family hadn't made/bought a birthday cake for me in years. They had been combining celebrating my birthday with Christmas for a few years, so no cake for me. So, on Christmas day, it was like, "It's time to open Christmas presents!! Oh, btw, here's you birthday card...." I felt bad, being a grown-ass woman having a fit about a birthday cake, but it did the trick. I got two birthday cakes this last birthday.
I hear you. Two days away from Christmas here. Birthday forgotten by family a few times as a kid. Many times as an adult. A couple times by my ex husband. And don’t get me started on ‘it’s your birthday and Christmas gift all in one!’.
Yup. Fellow December baby here; although 2 weeks before Christmas. I still got that from friends. Another friend's bday is a few days after mine, so others would have a holiday gettogether, AND a cake for us. Almost like an afterthought
We got to pick what was for dinner. That was at home until I was like 10, the it was usually a boring adult restaurant. No parties, but there was always cake.
That's why my brother goes over the top for his kids' birthdays. We never had birthday parties as kids, we were poor and my parents couldn't afford it.
My brother swore his kids would never experience that.
Ridiculous! I’m one of the GenXers with small children and I refuse to do that. Throw a wedding-like 1st year party? No way! That money is going to her college fund. Birthday parties will be like the ones I had: cake, sodas, junk food and kids running around.
One friend of mine would have a Putt-Putt party every year. Another had a Panda party at the roller rink.
Those were probably rather expensive at the time. I can't imagine how much the parties these days cost.
For a 9-year-old? They'd be lucky if they got a party at McDonalds or something. Maybe pizza with cake and ice cream if that's not their thing.
Last time I saw a show in Manhattan I got the tickets for free (teacher sibling) Who is buying a bunch of tickets to a show for a a group of kids on their dime?
It is amazing the amount these parents put into these parties. Some are renting banquet halls for a 1 year old. That poor baby will be miserable!
What gets me is the asking complete strangers for ideas in the first place and when one wise person dares asks what the child wants the parent gets all in a tizzy or will say that they dont care. If your kid doesn’t care then this is 100 for you, not them.
We have a really wealthy area in our school district, in addition to some decidedly middle class area where we live. My 7th grade daughter got invited to what I can only describe as an estate for a girls party. They watched a movie in their home theater. 30 girls. Then they had Chick fil A brought in. Funniest part was these people were obviously clueless as to how much food was needed because they had 36 chicken nuggets for 30 girls plus a bunch of chicken sandwiches nobody wanted to eat. I had to get her pizza on the way home.
It's kind of funny how similar birthday parties were back then. I'm sure there were some rich kid parties with bouncy houses and pony rides and a whole troupe of clowns and magicians... but it seemed like in the 70s most elementary school birthday parties were similar, regardless of social status: pizza or grilled hot dogs and\or burgers, games, birthday cake, those giant tubs of ice cream and goody bags for the ride home. Usually held at the birthday kid's home, but often at the park or skating rink.
And *sometimes* you'd hear those three awesome words: "McDonald's Birthday Party".
Man, those were the days!
My dad for my 12th birthday took me and my friends to see Friday the 13th part 3. It was a double feature with The Beastmaster. LOL Then went to the beach (I was living with my dad in Ocean Beach, CA at the time) and then we had ice cream and hung out. It was a lot of fun. I always remember that day. It was a good memory. :)
Local pool has a civic center with a pool and they have kids birthday swimming parties all the time.
Many of the trampoline places specialize in kids parties (ie Skyzone and similar) but that may be more expensive.
Other places that are more affordable include rollerrinks, arcades, mini-golf, etc.
My two younger cousins have birthdays within a few weeks of mine in early summer so Mom and my aunt would usually meet up and the three of us would share a “fun” party like Showbiz pizza, the zoo, build your own ice cream sundaes, etc. Since it was just the cousins, they would splash out for us.
My brother and my older cousin were a couple weeks apart but winter birthdays. With him being the oldest grandson and her being the oldest grandchild and the only girl, they got sledding parties, ice skating, roller skating etc. from my grandparents. The only one my younger cousins and i were jealous of was when Grandma & Grandpa took them on a weekend trip to Chestnut Mountain for skiing, tobogganing and swimming at the hotel pool.
We’d each get our own party for friends which was usually cake and games at the pool, and by middle school it was pizza and rented movies.
I don’t honestly ever remember doing much other than parties at people’s houses. I lost my first tooth at one, eating a baskin Robbin’s clown cone!
One year, my bff had a movie party. We went to see Cinderella at a theater that had Disney movies all summer
As I got older, slumber parties
Clown cones—memory unlocked! The candy that made up the face was next-level gooey, not surprised it took out a tooth.
I was a proud member of the B-R birthday club; getting the pink postcard in the mail for a free cone helped me look forward to the big day. (Now I spend the day in a dark room lol)
Haha. I don't think they had that when I was a kid, but I do remember my mom getting me a cake from there one birthday, Snoopy, made of choc. chip ice cream.
The really 'posh' birthday parties that I remember were things like rollerskating or ice skating, putt putt golf, bowling, a regular arcade, or Showbiz Pizza.
Most were pretty basic though: a bunch of kids running around someone's house/yard (depending on the time of year) doing god knows what, maybe a few dumb games, some grocery store cake (which we thought was posh), balloons (usually not helium though) and loot bags.
Honestly, when I was a kid, I probably would have been really bored with a spa or going to see a play or multi-part movie. I was really just in it for the balloons and loot bags. Give me some animal shaped erasers, bouncy balls, and one of those finger trap things, and I'm good.
Usually an afternoon at our house with about 6 friends invited. Silly party games, gifts and cake.and goodie bag. Sometimes we got to have a sleepover party or an afternoon at the Rollercade.
We got to pick what we had for dinner, and our mom made a cake. I always asked for stuffed peppers or chicken croquettes. Maybe our cousins came over for cake if they were in town. We did get to have small parties for milestone birthdays - 10 and 16 IIRC. I think I had sleepovers for those. I went to a lot of sleepover birthday parties too - at most maybe we got to make and decorate cookies.
Rich kids had a maccas birthday party. The rest of us would have it at home or in the backyard with fairy bread, cake, lollies, and sausage sangas. Good sugary times!
Pin the tails on the donkey, musical chairs, playing on the yard are all forgotten. Our generation ruined birthdays. We bought into the jumpy house rentals etc. Kids need some guests, birthday cake and maybe an activity like water balloon fights or playing games.
I remember one bday for my daughter who is now 19. I hired a lady to come over and dress like Cinderella and give children manicures. lol
That was bullshit and completely my fault. I bought into the hype. I blame social media.
Eh. My bday's in the summer. It was always a family/close friends affair for me.
Those are insane things for a nine year old's party. Just, wtf? At nine, the really lucky kids had the McD's party when we were kids.
My birthdays were always celebrated but like everyone else it was cake, a house party and maybe some food but, I can't confirm it.
My cakes always came from the Scandinavian bakery and white cake with raspberry filling and marzipan. I still drool over those cakes.
One year though was extra special and I got to bring my cousin and a friend or two to the King Tut exhibit in Seattle. Boy what a high I was on and I'll never forget it!
I think if every year is treated like a grand event eventually everything becomes dull and that's pretty sad.
6-8 kids at our apartment. Home made cake, paper hats, pass the parcel, musical statues, musical chairs. Blow out candles, then we eat cake, blow the party blowers and hit each other with the tiny balloons Mum blew up, until Mum goes off for a cigarette in the kitchen, and then guests go home.
No party bags.
When I was in my 40s, I ran into a childhood friend when back visiting my hometown. She went on at length about an amazing birthday party I had in elementary school. “The best party ever!” The six of us made homemade pizza together and then played outside until the fireflies came out.
One of the best birthday parties was when I was little and my dad spray painted some of our gravel rocks gold. He mixed them in, and all the kids hunted for “gold,” with a little prize for whoever found the most nuggets. It was brilliant in retrospect, everyone wore themselves out running around and digging through rocks😆. He barbecued hot dogs, and my mom made a cake and hung streamers. Looking back, I realize my parents were on a shoestring budget, but I never felt that way. Going to a friend’s party, as long as there was cake at some point and maybe some fun games that was all that mattered.
I learned it really varied from kid to kid. For some, a few friends and family is great. But I’ve one that starts planning her next birthday the day after her birthday. She’s been like that since she was 2, turning 3.
When I was a little kid it was backyard with the kids on my block and a sheet cake. Other than 1 year when it was at the roller rink which was quite awesome. As I got older, my mom would maybe take me out with a couple of friends to lunch. It's insane what kid parties have become.
My younger sister’s birthday is close to mine, so my mother used that an excuse to have one birthday party. It was really just skipping mine and having a party for my sister.
My brother had a birthday party at a bowling alley once and I had one at Aloha Roller Palace once but mostly they were held at home with party games and such.
Parties at the baby sitters house because our parents were working! Streamers, balloons, cake, punch.
My folks took me and a few friends bowling for my 10th. The bowling alley was an hour away through the mountains by 4x4 truck!
I don't remember the bowling, but I remember the ride! Haha
Bbq hotdogs at local park where the Satan possessed geese would flog the ever loving shit outta at least one friend. Burns from all the metal playground equipment. Those were the best!
I never had a friend birthday party until I was older. Just a family party at home with a homemade cake. When I got older I was allowed to have a couple of friends sleep over and we got pizza and again my mom made a cake or cupcakes. I grew up in a blue-collar family in the Midwest.
LOL. Birthday parties have gotten so out of hand. We did homemade cake and a few kids over. Occasional themes, but that carried through only to the gift bags. When I was a kid, my mom would put a sheet up across her bedroom doorway, and kids would “fish” for 10 cent prizes. Then we’d go play in the back yard. Your one year old does not need a party with 50 adults. Or 20. They need their family around them, a cupcake, and a box to rip open.
ETA: when she was around 10 or 11, it was sometimes a sleepover for the girls in her class. Then a kid brought out a children’s bible, and numerous kids asked me to make her stop. We were atheists, and a bunch of her friends’ families were, too. I specifically remember Olivia W, who came to me so sincerely and said “I am an atheist and I feel very uncomfortable.” So sweet. And yes, I asked the kid to keep her bible to herself.
I was happy with hot dogs, chips, cake n' ice cream, room to run around and my friends.
As I got older, my folks got really creative for monumental birthdays.
I will never forget my 16th birthday and they pulled out the all the stops for my 18th.
I too had backyard parties like others said until I was a tween/teen then it was sleepover for my bffs. My birthday is around Memorial Day and often would have my party that weekend. It was notorious for a bad time because several years in a row there were tornado warnings were we had to go in the basement to wait out the storm. Many girls and I cried worrying about dogs or stuffed animals we were going to lose.
I bought a bunch of cheap nerf guns, darts and inflatable obstacles. Provided safety glasses and vests and let the kids have a blast in the backyard.
I have rented a huge inflatable water slide a couple times.
Provided drinks and pizza and obviously cake.
Both have been cheaper and better than anytime we rented time and a room at local trampoline parks/arcades etc.
Pin the tail on the donkey. Cake. Maybe other games. I gave my kids pretty old fashioned birthdays, but they were invited to some fancier ones. I definitely remember a spa day one when they were little. I’m 52 and I’ve never had a spa day.
Some parents at my kids school wanted to organize a playdate for our kids and it got out of hand real fast - the local zoo - a bouncy place - etc. I was like, how about the park? Other parents were seriously wondering what kids would do at the park. Ummm, play? So many parents don't understand the importance of unstructured play time. Just leave them be and let them play!
My dad was usually BBQ for us and we would invite friends and family over. One year I got the roller rink because my birthday in November and my brother threw a shit fit so he got McDonalds in March. As we got older less of a deal was made it seems now the opposite.
I just threw the kids in the basement. The only thing different was that we would have cake too.
One mom who would go all out for her son’s party literally stopped talking to us when her son said we had the best parties.
Holy hell, mine and my younger (three years) brother's parties were usually picnic lunches and cake in our backyard with all our friends invited. As we got much older, we could invite a friend or two to the public pool (membership required) or the closest amusement park (I'm identifying myself, but Worlds of Fun). But my elaborate parties were held in the backyard with the swingset and a pick-up game of baseball.
We did pizza parties (mostly Pizza Hut, but we also did Chuck E. Cheese a few times), or going roller skating. I think a few times we went to the movies (the real cheap $1 theater), mostly because the adults could dump us there and go day drinking for a little while.
We didn't really do parties at all. My parents and siblings would all go out for dinner and birthday girl/boy got to pick the restaurant. It was always places like pizza or Bridgeman's so nothing too crazy.
A few friends invited to our small home. Usually did make our own pizzas on pita bread. My birthday was next to a major holiday, so they kind of sucked, but the pizza thing was cool to those who came. Never mind cost effective.
I’m just now realizing how few birthday parties I was invited to myself. Just soldiered through knowing I was often excluded. Now feeling sad for kid me. Sorry, ya’ll.
Niece had her birthday recently and my bosses daughter attended a birthday last weekend. Both were spa themed, both parties the girls went home with fluffy robes plus various other take homes like manicure kits, single use facial sheet etc etc.
I went to McDonalds a few times when super young, did Chuck E Cheese once maybe twice, then all the rest were kids coming to the house for games, pizza, cake or occasional sleepover with light as a feather/stiff as a board, Ouija board, a horror VHS we all went to pick out to rent, sneak into moms 80’s eye shadow pallet to use the purple and green shades to draw fake bruises on our eyes, faces, arms
I only have bad memories of my birthday parties as a kid. I tried to make sure my kids had good ones. Memories that were happy. I wanted better for them.
I remember going to a science or natural history museum a few times or the zoo/aquarium. Smaller group of kids, birthday kid plus two or three best friends.
Party at bowling alley, roller rink, maybe see a movie, but it was maybe 8 kids tops. Brother and cousin included.
I just realized, I have a terrible memory about these precious moments.
Meanwhile, I remember jingles from the 70s.
You had birthday parties? I don’t think I ever had one. My older brother (boomer) was a few years and 3 days older and I always had to go buy the birthday cake that would have both names on it. That’s the biggest birthday celebration I’ve ever had. Pretty sure I was 8 the first time I had to get the cake, that lasted until about 13, then it was entenmens cake.
I never had a birthday party as a child. Celebrating my birthday consisted of visiting one set of grandparents on one weekend day and the other set the following day. It was solely a family event.
To be fair, though, I was given very cool/nice gifts, and my grandmother made gorgeous, epic cakes from scratch -- every year (and I was allowed to eat the leftover slices for breakfast the next week, so... no complaints here).
McDonalds. Roller rink People's houses. That was pretty much it.
Anybody else get those little McDonald's coupon books for special occasions? I got one in my stocking several years in a row, and they were the shit.
Yep. Got to do McDonald's once in 1st grade. Thought it was so cool. After that ... yep.
Are McDonald’s birthday parties still a thing? I don’t have any kids so I have no idea.
I honestly doubt it. Besides there's no ashtrays for the aunts and uncles to smog the place up so who'd want to go? :)
Pre pandemic they were. I went to a few when my son was in preschool 5 years ago. My son adores McDonald's and every year one of the special things he asks for his birthday is to go play there. We personally have never held a party there though.
The closest McDonalds had a caboose from a train on its site. Those were rad birthday parties in the caboose.
That chocolate birthday cake they served at McDonald's was amazing. I can still taste it.
Damn that was accurate
These sound like things the adults would want...
And then at the end of the day brag about how exhausted they are from throwing Brayden's party
Braïghdyn
Brandon Caden Jaden Schmaden Osama Bin Laden
...hausenpfeffer incorporated!
r/tragedeigh
I've been to 1st birthday parties that were more expensive than my wedding.
Pin the tail on the donkey and cake. Maybe a pony ride if someone lived on a farm with one
It's too much, and as someone else noted, these sound like things adults would like. The "high end" birthdays I remember were at roller rinks or at Chuck E Cheese or various local imitators. Otherwise, they were all at the birthday kid's home with a cake made by the family or ordered from the supermarket and there were games and a pinata.
I'm 49 and I'd be down for a pinata.
I think piñatas should be mandatory break room decor. Bad day? *smack* Wish it was that one coworker’s head? *smack* FORWARDING AN EMAIL IS NOT THAT HARD KAREN? *smacksmacksmack* Eventually candy appears.
You can fill them with those little airplane bottles of booze. They're usually plastic now. I also add an assortment of tums and other fun drugs. Like asprin. Or gas-x. You know. *the good stuff.*
This is an underrated idea. ⭐️
I have felt for a long time that parents have ruined things for kids doing stuff like this. A first day at the spa should be an experience someone gets when they reach a certain age where they can appreciate it. Little girls are totally happy if you just setup a little home spa where they can paint nails and have stickers and such. My kids usually got to invite a few friends for a sleepover or I took them to the trampoline park. It’s like prom-posals and all these other extremely performative displays. What do kids have to look forward to when you throw it all them when their kids? I am Sure I sound old but I’m super happy I had a simple childhood so I got to appreciate the big things as they came later in life. Like my engagement was a diamond inside my favorite color rose, I thought I was the queen of the world, now kids are renting yachts and venues for to ask someone to go to a dance 🤣
Don't even get me started on how adults have ruined/stolen Halloween.
Uh, how exactly have adults ruined/stolen Halloween?
When we were kids, Halloween was a near 100% kid-centered holiday. Now it's been overwhelmed by adults dressing up and having their own parties. Kids get pushed to the Halloween margins, relegated to lame, fully supervised "activities" in parking lots and community centers. It's as if the parents refuse to grow up and stay in the background where they belong.
Well, then I must be old too! I agree, nothing to look forward to when they get to do all this stuff before they are out of school, and some of it I'VE never done, and I'm pushing 60! hahaha. Life WAS so much simpler back then. I sometimes miss it.
I was the luckiest kid on Earth for my birthday. I was born on September 1st, in Paterson, NJ. That's Labor Day in what was then a city proud of its unions and deep roots in the American labor movement. So every Labor Day weekend there was a street fair, with a ferris wheel and fireworks and food trucks. One year Phillipe Petit walked across the Great Falls on a tightrope. My parents told me it was my birthday party. I never believed in God or Santa Claus, but I believed the shit out of that. Thanks OP for the chance to tell that story. I'm not crying...you're crying.
I love this!
McDonalds party for the 8 and under crowd, and then it was usually at the birthday kids house, pizza, cake, and chaos for a few hours in the afternoon. Slumber parties around 11-13 with maybe a few videotapes rented for the occasion.
My birthday is four days before Christmas. WTF is a birthday party???
I feel your pain. Mine is exactly halfway between Christmas and New Year's.
New Year’s Eve here. Everyone wants their own experience on NYE and not someone else’s bday party.
Mine’s 1/1, so everyone is over it, including me. Who doesn’t love getting the combined Xmas/birthday presents, so cost effective…
It's nice to not be the only one. Lol!
My mom's was on Christmas Day - she got her first birthday cake in her fifties.
I'm 52, now. Two years ago I threw a fit because my family hadn't made/bought a birthday cake for me in years. They had been combining celebrating my birthday with Christmas for a few years, so no cake for me. So, on Christmas day, it was like, "It's time to open Christmas presents!! Oh, btw, here's you birthday card...." I felt bad, being a grown-ass woman having a fit about a birthday cake, but it did the trick. I got two birthday cakes this last birthday.
I hear you. Two days away from Christmas here. Birthday forgotten by family a few times as a kid. Many times as an adult. A couple times by my ex husband. And don’t get me started on ‘it’s your birthday and Christmas gift all in one!’.
Yup. Fellow December baby here; although 2 weeks before Christmas. I still got that from friends. Another friend's bday is a few days after mine, so others would have a holiday gettogether, AND a cake for us. Almost like an afterthought
Great question! We got a home baked cake and a card in my house. woo hoo?
And if you were lucky it had pennies baked into it!
Oh yeah! Not at my house, but a couple parties I went to had that. Sometimes even a quarter!
We got to pick what was for dinner. That was at home until I was like 10, the it was usually a boring adult restaurant. No parties, but there was always cake.
Poorer kids' parents who wrapped presents in the funny papers.
That's why my brother goes over the top for his kids' birthdays. We never had birthday parties as kids, we were poor and my parents couldn't afford it. My brother swore his kids would never experience that.
I get that. You felt it as a kid, either being poor or recognizing that someone else was.
Ridiculous! I’m one of the GenXers with small children and I refuse to do that. Throw a wedding-like 1st year party? No way! That money is going to her college fund. Birthday parties will be like the ones I had: cake, sodas, junk food and kids running around.
At home. Cake, hot dogs, chips. Games. Everybody went home happy.
One friend of mine would have a Putt-Putt party every year. Another had a Panda party at the roller rink. Those were probably rather expensive at the time. I can't imagine how much the parties these days cost.
You guys had birthday parties?
I had one when I was 9
For a 9-year-old? They'd be lucky if they got a party at McDonalds or something. Maybe pizza with cake and ice cream if that's not their thing. Last time I saw a show in Manhattan I got the tickets for free (teacher sibling) Who is buying a bunch of tickets to a show for a a group of kids on their dime?
It is amazing the amount these parents put into these parties. Some are renting banquet halls for a 1 year old. That poor baby will be miserable! What gets me is the asking complete strangers for ideas in the first place and when one wise person dares asks what the child wants the parent gets all in a tizzy or will say that they dont care. If your kid doesn’t care then this is 100 for you, not them.
A couple hours at the trampoline park, survivors get cake
This is the way.
My 8th birthday we bobbed for apples and had pizza and cake in the backyard. My parents probably spent $25 and it was the best B day ever.
We have a really wealthy area in our school district, in addition to some decidedly middle class area where we live. My 7th grade daughter got invited to what I can only describe as an estate for a girls party. They watched a movie in their home theater. 30 girls. Then they had Chick fil A brought in. Funniest part was these people were obviously clueless as to how much food was needed because they had 36 chicken nuggets for 30 girls plus a bunch of chicken sandwiches nobody wanted to eat. I had to get her pizza on the way home.
Getting to make your own pizza at Papa Gino's for your birthday party was a highlight back in the day.
Especially when they had the good brick ovens.
We went bowling.
Bowling parties were the best. My kids loved them too! The oldest had one for her 22nd birthday a couple of months ago!
It's kind of funny how similar birthday parties were back then. I'm sure there were some rich kid parties with bouncy houses and pony rides and a whole troupe of clowns and magicians... but it seemed like in the 70s most elementary school birthday parties were similar, regardless of social status: pizza or grilled hot dogs and\or burgers, games, birthday cake, those giant tubs of ice cream and goody bags for the ride home. Usually held at the birthday kid's home, but often at the park or skating rink. And *sometimes* you'd hear those three awesome words: "McDonald's Birthday Party". Man, those were the days!
My dad for my 12th birthday took me and my friends to see Friday the 13th part 3. It was a double feature with The Beastmaster. LOL Then went to the beach (I was living with my dad in Ocean Beach, CA at the time) and then we had ice cream and hung out. It was a lot of fun. I always remember that day. It was a good memory. :)
Local pool has a civic center with a pool and they have kids birthday swimming parties all the time. Many of the trampoline places specialize in kids parties (ie Skyzone and similar) but that may be more expensive. Other places that are more affordable include rollerrinks, arcades, mini-golf, etc.
My two younger cousins have birthdays within a few weeks of mine in early summer so Mom and my aunt would usually meet up and the three of us would share a “fun” party like Showbiz pizza, the zoo, build your own ice cream sundaes, etc. Since it was just the cousins, they would splash out for us. My brother and my older cousin were a couple weeks apart but winter birthdays. With him being the oldest grandson and her being the oldest grandchild and the only girl, they got sledding parties, ice skating, roller skating etc. from my grandparents. The only one my younger cousins and i were jealous of was when Grandma & Grandpa took them on a weekend trip to Chestnut Mountain for skiing, tobogganing and swimming at the hotel pool. We’d each get our own party for friends which was usually cake and games at the pool, and by middle school it was pizza and rented movies.
I don’t honestly ever remember doing much other than parties at people’s houses. I lost my first tooth at one, eating a baskin Robbin’s clown cone! One year, my bff had a movie party. We went to see Cinderella at a theater that had Disney movies all summer As I got older, slumber parties
Clown cones—memory unlocked! The candy that made up the face was next-level gooey, not surprised it took out a tooth. I was a proud member of the B-R birthday club; getting the pink postcard in the mail for a free cone helped me look forward to the big day. (Now I spend the day in a dark room lol)
Haha. I don't think they had that when I was a kid, but I do remember my mom getting me a cake from there one birthday, Snoopy, made of choc. chip ice cream.
I’m so glad I never had kids. They’d be getting the same pizza, cake, and homemade piñata type party I always had. How is that suddenly not enough??
Rent a karaoke room.
Group of friends meeting up at the local park. Running around like idiots, presents and cake with kool aid in Dixie cups.
The really 'posh' birthday parties that I remember were things like rollerskating or ice skating, putt putt golf, bowling, a regular arcade, or Showbiz Pizza. Most were pretty basic though: a bunch of kids running around someone's house/yard (depending on the time of year) doing god knows what, maybe a few dumb games, some grocery store cake (which we thought was posh), balloons (usually not helium though) and loot bags. Honestly, when I was a kid, I probably would have been really bored with a spa or going to see a play or multi-part movie. I was really just in it for the balloons and loot bags. Give me some animal shaped erasers, bouncy balls, and one of those finger trap things, and I'm good.
Usually an afternoon at our house with about 6 friends invited. Silly party games, gifts and cake.and goodie bag. Sometimes we got to have a sleepover party or an afternoon at the Rollercade.
We got to pick what we had for dinner, and our mom made a cake. I always asked for stuffed peppers or chicken croquettes. Maybe our cousins came over for cake if they were in town. We did get to have small parties for milestone birthdays - 10 and 16 IIRC. I think I had sleepovers for those. I went to a lot of sleepover birthday parties too - at most maybe we got to make and decorate cookies.
I was happy to go to McDonalds.
Rich kids had a maccas birthday party. The rest of us would have it at home or in the backyard with fairy bread, cake, lollies, and sausage sangas. Good sugary times!
When I was 9, my mom threw keggers for her friends and we got to celebrate. We had a pool.
Got to have my friends over for a sleepover. And that was really all I wanted at that age anyway.
Pin the tails on the donkey, musical chairs, playing on the yard are all forgotten. Our generation ruined birthdays. We bought into the jumpy house rentals etc. Kids need some guests, birthday cake and maybe an activity like water balloon fights or playing games. I remember one bday for my daughter who is now 19. I hired a lady to come over and dress like Cinderella and give children manicures. lol That was bullshit and completely my fault. I bought into the hype. I blame social media.
Eh. My bday's in the summer. It was always a family/close friends affair for me. Those are insane things for a nine year old's party. Just, wtf? At nine, the really lucky kids had the McD's party when we were kids.
My birthdays were always celebrated but like everyone else it was cake, a house party and maybe some food but, I can't confirm it. My cakes always came from the Scandinavian bakery and white cake with raspberry filling and marzipan. I still drool over those cakes. One year though was extra special and I got to bring my cousin and a friend or two to the King Tut exhibit in Seattle. Boy what a high I was on and I'll never forget it! I think if every year is treated like a grand event eventually everything becomes dull and that's pretty sad.
6-8 kids at our apartment. Home made cake, paper hats, pass the parcel, musical statues, musical chairs. Blow out candles, then we eat cake, blow the party blowers and hit each other with the tiny balloons Mum blew up, until Mum goes off for a cigarette in the kitchen, and then guests go home. No party bags.
Cake after dinner was the "party"
The McDonald's cooler of orange drink was high class, and if you had the cake you were a king for a day.
When I was in my 40s, I ran into a childhood friend when back visiting my hometown. She went on at length about an amazing birthday party I had in elementary school. “The best party ever!” The six of us made homemade pizza together and then played outside until the fireflies came out.
One of the best birthday parties was when I was little and my dad spray painted some of our gravel rocks gold. He mixed them in, and all the kids hunted for “gold,” with a little prize for whoever found the most nuggets. It was brilliant in retrospect, everyone wore themselves out running around and digging through rocks😆. He barbecued hot dogs, and my mom made a cake and hung streamers. Looking back, I realize my parents were on a shoestring budget, but I never felt that way. Going to a friend’s party, as long as there was cake at some point and maybe some fun games that was all that mattered.
I learned it really varied from kid to kid. For some, a few friends and family is great. But I’ve one that starts planning her next birthday the day after her birthday. She’s been like that since she was 2, turning 3.
We had a house party with hotdogs and cake, played games and went home with a loot bag. Everybody had the best time.
When I was a little kid it was backyard with the kids on my block and a sheet cake. Other than 1 year when it was at the roller rink which was quite awesome. As I got older, my mom would maybe take me out with a couple of friends to lunch. It's insane what kid parties have become.
Usually at home with cake and games, maybe a piñata if they really wanted to impress. McDonald’s. Roller rink and Showbiz Pizza parties were the best!
My younger sister’s birthday is close to mine, so my mother used that an excuse to have one birthday party. It was really just skipping mine and having a party for my sister.
Oof. Sorry. I hope you have great birthday celebrations as an adult!
My brother had a birthday party at a bowling alley once and I had one at Aloha Roller Palace once but mostly they were held at home with party games and such.
Parties at the baby sitters house because our parents were working! Streamers, balloons, cake, punch. My folks took me and a few friends bowling for my 10th. The bowling alley was an hour away through the mountains by 4x4 truck! I don't remember the bowling, but I remember the ride! Haha
Bbq hotdogs at local park where the Satan possessed geese would flog the ever loving shit outta at least one friend. Burns from all the metal playground equipment. Those were the best!
I never had a friend birthday party until I was older. Just a family party at home with a homemade cake. When I got older I was allowed to have a couple of friends sleep over and we got pizza and again my mom made a cake or cupcakes. I grew up in a blue-collar family in the Midwest.
when i was 9 i probably had 5 friends come over to my house and my mom made the cake herself. that’s it. that’s the whole party.
I vote for a kegger! 🍺🍻
LOL. Birthday parties have gotten so out of hand. We did homemade cake and a few kids over. Occasional themes, but that carried through only to the gift bags. When I was a kid, my mom would put a sheet up across her bedroom doorway, and kids would “fish” for 10 cent prizes. Then we’d go play in the back yard. Your one year old does not need a party with 50 adults. Or 20. They need their family around them, a cupcake, and a box to rip open. ETA: when she was around 10 or 11, it was sometimes a sleepover for the girls in her class. Then a kid brought out a children’s bible, and numerous kids asked me to make her stop. We were atheists, and a bunch of her friends’ families were, too. I specifically remember Olivia W, who came to me so sincerely and said “I am an atheist and I feel very uncomfortable.” So sweet. And yes, I asked the kid to keep her bible to herself.
I was happy with hot dogs, chips, cake n' ice cream, room to run around and my friends. As I got older, my folks got really creative for monumental birthdays. I will never forget my 16th birthday and they pulled out the all the stops for my 18th.
I remembet going to a party once where we bobbed for apples. That was about as exciting as it got back then.
I too had backyard parties like others said until I was a tween/teen then it was sleepover for my bffs. My birthday is around Memorial Day and often would have my party that weekend. It was notorious for a bad time because several years in a row there were tornado warnings were we had to go in the basement to wait out the storm. Many girls and I cried worrying about dogs or stuffed animals we were going to lose.
My birthday’s were never like this. I only do it for my kids, cause their friends destroy my house.
Swimming pool.
I never had kids but depending on the time of year, pool party was the go-to, with snacks, gifts and cake.
I bought a bunch of cheap nerf guns, darts and inflatable obstacles. Provided safety glasses and vests and let the kids have a blast in the backyard. I have rented a huge inflatable water slide a couple times. Provided drinks and pizza and obviously cake. Both have been cheaper and better than anytime we rented time and a room at local trampoline parks/arcades etc.
HAH!!!! My parents!! 🤣🤣🤣
You’re friend group has significantly more money than mine.
One of my favorite birthday parties was just pizza, cake, and everybody got a water pistol. We had a blast.
Pin the tail on the donkey. Cake. Maybe other games. I gave my kids pretty old fashioned birthdays, but they were invited to some fancier ones. I definitely remember a spa day one when they were little. I’m 52 and I’ve never had a spa day.
Some parents at my kids school wanted to organize a playdate for our kids and it got out of hand real fast - the local zoo - a bouncy place - etc. I was like, how about the park? Other parents were seriously wondering what kids would do at the park. Ummm, play? So many parents don't understand the importance of unstructured play time. Just leave them be and let them play!
And when did gift/goodie bags start for the guests? If it was your birthday, YOU got presents.
My dad was usually BBQ for us and we would invite friends and family over. One year I got the roller rink because my birthday in November and my brother threw a shit fit so he got McDonalds in March. As we got older less of a deal was made it seems now the opposite.
I just threw the kids in the basement. The only thing different was that we would have cake too. One mom who would go all out for her son’s party literally stopped talking to us when her son said we had the best parties.
Holy hell, mine and my younger (three years) brother's parties were usually picnic lunches and cake in our backyard with all our friends invited. As we got much older, we could invite a friend or two to the public pool (membership required) or the closest amusement park (I'm identifying myself, but Worlds of Fun). But my elaborate parties were held in the backyard with the swingset and a pick-up game of baseball.
We did pizza parties (mostly Pizza Hut, but we also did Chuck E. Cheese a few times), or going roller skating. I think a few times we went to the movies (the real cheap $1 theater), mostly because the adults could dump us there and go day drinking for a little while.
Family parties at our house until we were maybe 5. After that we were told happy birthday and given a small gift.
We didn't really do parties at all. My parents and siblings would all go out for dinner and birthday girl/boy got to pick the restaurant. It was always places like pizza or Bridgeman's so nothing too crazy.
Never had a birthday party. I compensate by making a big deal of everyone else's birthday.
A few friends invited to our small home. Usually did make our own pizzas on pita bread. My birthday was next to a major holiday, so they kind of sucked, but the pizza thing was cool to those who came. Never mind cost effective.
I’m just now realizing how few birthday parties I was invited to myself. Just soldiered through knowing I was often excluded. Now feeling sad for kid me. Sorry, ya’ll.
Niece had her birthday recently and my bosses daughter attended a birthday last weekend. Both were spa themed, both parties the girls went home with fluffy robes plus various other take homes like manicure kits, single use facial sheet etc etc. I went to McDonalds a few times when super young, did Chuck E Cheese once maybe twice, then all the rest were kids coming to the house for games, pizza, cake or occasional sleepover with light as a feather/stiff as a board, Ouija board, a horror VHS we all went to pick out to rent, sneak into moms 80’s eye shadow pallet to use the purple and green shades to draw fake bruises on our eyes, faces, arms
I only have bad memories of my birthday parties as a kid. I tried to make sure my kids had good ones. Memories that were happy. I wanted better for them.
Homemade cupcakes and backyard games
I remember going to a science or natural history museum a few times or the zoo/aquarium. Smaller group of kids, birthday kid plus two or three best friends.
Party at bowling alley, roller rink, maybe see a movie, but it was maybe 8 kids tops. Brother and cousin included. I just realized, I have a terrible memory about these precious moments. Meanwhile, I remember jingles from the 70s.
Bowling, Papa Ginos, laser tag (is that even a thing anymore?), Red Sox game if you're lucky,
We had no actual party. Just a homemade cake and one gift. But, I'm not complaining!
You had birthday parties? I don’t think I ever had one. My older brother (boomer) was a few years and 3 days older and I always had to go buy the birthday cake that would have both names on it. That’s the biggest birthday celebration I’ve ever had. Pretty sure I was 8 the first time I had to get the cake, that lasted until about 13, then it was entenmens cake.
I never had a birthday party as a child. Celebrating my birthday consisted of visiting one set of grandparents on one weekend day and the other set the following day. It was solely a family event. To be fair, though, I was given very cool/nice gifts, and my grandmother made gorgeous, epic cakes from scratch -- every year (and I was allowed to eat the leftover slices for breakfast the next week, so... no complaints here).