Sunday, April 7

I must confess that birthday parties wear me out


I must confess with My Home TruthsLast year as birthday season approached I boldly declared that this would be the year of no parties. For anyone at all. We would still have a birthday celebration complete with cake and lots of fun. It would just be restricted to family and the super of closest friends. 

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For some reason the thought of arranging birthday parties for three children sent my brain into shutdown and it refused to process the possibility. After eleven years of parties, plus the extras once I had more than one child I just could not face it again. I refused to. The money, the effort, the completely worn out and exhausted feeling at the end of it. I just wanted nothing to do with any of it.

Since my brilliant idea stretched across the board and since I offered such fantastic alternatives everyone agreed with my plan. I let out a sigh of relief and once again began to look forward to the celebration of the birth of my children.

Thinking I had found an easy way around birthdays I was rather impressed with the prospect of no parties. I was however slightly mistaken with the whole easy aspect though. As lovely as the birthdays all were, each one still equated to a fair bit of work for me and left me thinking that maybe a party would have been the way to go after all.

This year, Miss Turning Twelve had made it quite clear she was not having a bar of the whole there is no party thing this year. Which was fine because with Miss Two Turning Three I had decided that she was in need of a party. Miss In The Middle, who celebrates her birth in June rather than April with the other two, is still not overly fussed about the party as long as she gets to go camping again. Odds are certainly in her favour.

After my birthday the other week it was rather evident that the little one was well and truly switched onto the whole birthday caper and as such deserved a bit of a party. This also tied in well with the fact that our pool has recently had a shade cloth erected over it making it perfect for all day swimming.

Still not overly comfortable with an all out blow your mind party I decided for a very low key affair. While it sounds like a lot when I say I made twelve party bags, one for each child, they were all of such a range of complementing ages that it actually didn't seem like many at all.

There were a few big ones, that helped look after the littlest ones. Though they also did a great job of playing with the middle ones as well. In fact all in all everyone just got along beautifully and it was the most relaxing enjoyable  party I have thrown for a very long time.

Adhering strongly to the  keep it simple principle that applies so often life we had plenty of lovely food that was not hard to prepare and didn't break the bank. Though if you want all the gory details on that you will have to check back tomorrow.

For now I just wanted to join in with Kirsty and confess how after being worn out by the mere thought of a party last year, this year I am glad we partied partied.

Do birthday celebrations exhaust you?

In the space of one month we have a total of six birthdays in the extended family. 
Two of which belong my children and one of course being mine. 

Is it no wonder I find it a bit much at times?

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9 comments:

  1. I am so with you on this. I find it all so exhausting and because I basically could not organise a meat raffle in a butcher's, or a piss-up in a brewery, or..(you get the idea. Ahem) ..I usually go for Play Centre, Maccas, Bowling type parties. The lazy bogan way. Works every time.

    Yeah 6 parties in a month would be challenging to the biggest social butterfly.

    Anyway, a belated happy birthday to your gorgeous Miss 3!

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  2. I'm with you, birthday parties are exhausting. Thankfully the hubster is amazing in this area and does most of the work!

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  3. Well, my kids are still younger, so I've only been organising parties for 5 years... but I'm still in the "love it" camp! 6 parties in a month would be way too much though... even if I was only organising 2 of them.

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  4. Birthday parties are a lot of work and I usually need a drink to calm the nerves!! We have done a few picnic in the parks as everyone thinks they are easier but I am not so sure! Glad you survived this one

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  5. Oh good on you for going ahead and doing it - I agree they can be soooooo utterly exhausting. Bet everyone had a ball, and that putting your feet up afterwards felt so very good!!
    xxxxx

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  6. Well we just survived Gilbert's Ninjago party and we have Delilah's 3rd birthday later this month. I think we will just do something low key for her with family but Matilda is already planning a Skylanders extravaganza for her 8th birthday in October - lord help us all! I completely get your party aversion however, particularly with the frantic birthday season you have - I hope you can rest up a bit now. Looking forward to finding out all the details tomorrow - thanks for linking up Rhi!

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  7. I am currently organising my daugther's 3 yr old birthday party combined with my son's 1st birthday. Their birthdays are 2 days apart. If I don't plan, I will totally be exhausted. This year is just family. My belief is that sometimes people can go overboard. Give a child a cake, happy birthday, some games and some balloons, they are happy. Sometimes it is the simple things that matter to them xo

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  8. Birthday parties really are exhausting, totally hearing you :) Glad to hear it all worked out in the end and you all had a great time xx

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  9. I have stopped giving birthday parties! My three sons say that they can understand me!
    I am a working single mum - out of question.
    We always do nice celebrations, but in a small circle.
    Other parents know about my decision and respect it.

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