Question of the Day: Sunday 2/2/14

laralove

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Yesterday (Saturday) was my daughter's 12th birthday.


Since I moved to a rural home over the summer and my kids don't know very many kids here, throwing a big party would be a waste. (She's getting that at her dad's next weekend.) So our deal this year (for both my kids) was instead of a big party, which usually costs as much or more than the presents, they get really nice presents. They agreed to this. So she got a (used, but don't tell her) Kindle Paperwhite with a Carolina blue case and some e-books, because she LOVES to read. She also got to go shopping for a couple outfits with money from my mom. Then we cooked her requested meal: a steak dinner and lemon meringue pie instead of a cake.

She was very pleased with her birthday! 


I always had at-home parties when I was a kid. Mostly pool parties because I'm an August child and lived in an apartment complex with a pool. How were your birthdays celebrated when you were a child? And would you have been okay with no party and all that money instead put toward presents?
 
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jcat

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We had birthday parties when I was a kid, but only to about age 10. After that we got presents. My sister also stopped her kids' parties at about 10, but would take the child plus a friend out for the day, e.g., to an amusement park, the zoo, or museum, and to lunch or dinner.
Your daughter is going to love the Paperwhite since she likes to read.
 

catsallaround

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I never liked the parties and at Moms always had a low key cake and presents on bday and usually sleep over that night or few nights later(summer baby).  My dad....He rented out a pony one year bounce house others always over the top and it was fun but very stressful weeks leading up to it.

I will carry on with how my Mom did it.  Dinner and cake(or pie-how cute!) of choice and gifts at home. Friend over and out to a movie or something similar. 
 

Winchester

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When we were growing up, we had a birthday cake for dessert that day. My parents gave me a very nice party for my 16th birthday. But that was it.

We had a great birthday party for our son's 8th birthday. We had just moved and, while he was still in the same school district, he had to attend a different elementary school. His birthday is in October, so we did an early Halloween/birthday party and we invited every child in his class. We had a great time. We decorated the basement in orange, black, and purple, did a twinkling light thing to look like fire in a black cauldron, had the requisite scary music. I was a witch, Rick was a pirate, and my brother was a mummy....we even made a coffin for him to "sleep" in...we used the sofa for the coffin. We had bats, spiders, cobwebs, everything for a haunted house. Even the food was Halloween-themed. When the parents started dropping their kids off, they came into the basement and some parents never left....they stayed at the party with us. What a great way for our son to really get to know his classmates.

Other than that, though, we had family-type parties for his birthday. We had a few of his friends come in for his birthday, but not a lot of guys.

The big thing with our grandchildren seems to be bowling parties, where the parents drop their children off at the bowling alley and they bowl a few games, then have some party food. They did that for our grandson last year. For our granddaughter, they did a movie afternoon. Parents dropped their kids off at the movie complex, they all went to the movies, complete with snacks, then we all drove them home for cake and ice cream. And the parents picked them up at the house.

I think the Paperwhite is a great idea, especially since you even put some books on it. I know I'd be thrilled.
 

mservant

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I had one or two 'parties' when I was early school age but much preferred ones where it was  a friend getting to stay over and maybe a movie or doing something we liked for the day, that's what made it special.  And mum would always bake a cake!   If it was your birthday you got to choose the kind of cake. 
 

Today, 2nd February, is Mouse's 3rd birthday but I am mean and haven't made him a cake OR organised a party. I might give him an extra fish snack later. 
 
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catsallaround

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Bowling party-I wanna go!  All the bowling alleys I went to as a kid got knocked down.  One turned into a parking lot:(  We use to make a day out of it.  Roller skating too.  Every so often we would show up and the rink would be closed for few hours for a party. 

That Halloween themed party sounds amazing!

I always asked for the same cake-chocolate and homemade whipped cream in middle. Brother always did Ice cream cake sister an Stepdad a regular chocolate or yellow cake.
 
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laralove

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My son has had Chuck E. Cheese parties the past few years (and really loved them), but he's too old now. About to be 8. My daughter had a ice skating party last year, a Michaels Crafting Party the year before that, and her own Chuck E. Cheese party before that. These big parties started after her dad and I split. Before that, we always had parties at our house, usually with family and just a few friends. 

Next weekend, she's having a sleepover at her dad's with five of her friends. I'm sure her brother will love that! 
 
 
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margecat

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My parents never gave me a birthday party, even though I always had wanted one. I was always told that it wasn't a "special day".

And DH wonders why I hate my birthday!
 
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laralove

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Both my XH and my BF are ones to not celebrate holidays because they weren't really celebrated when they were young. BF is especially negative about his birthday. But then, he really hates all holidays, so... meh.
 
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tammat

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I had one birthday party when I was in primary school. It was fun but I remember crying. I didn't get a better present for not having a party. I don't feel like I missed out. That's Just the way it was. As an adult I get anxious if I'm invited to a party anyway. I get nervous around lots of people. My kids have a party with friends about every four years but they have a party every year with grandparents and great auntys.
 

silvercat

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Today, 2nd February, is Mouse's 3rd birthday but I am mean and haven't made him a cake OR organised a party. I might give him an extra fish snack later. 
 Mouse! ​I hope you had a wonderful day full of cuddles, treats, and love. May your 3rd year be healthy, happy, and full of naps! 
 

mservant

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 Mouse! ​I hope you had a wonderful day full of cuddles, treats, and love. May your 3rd year be healthy, happy, and full of naps! 
Mouse had a very cuddly day @SilverCat, thank you.  His treat was me wearing 4 layers of toweling sock on one hand for a good teeth n claws session. 
   Before anyone comments: he is very well versed on only attacking when it is a sock - hand, and it is a very rare treat for him!  
 
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