Comments on: Birthday Party Theme: Obscure Minimalism

By: Kit

Kit — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:31:02 +0000

I love the minimalist party ideas, I don’t ‘do’ tv in my home and my kids are doing just fine without all the ‘must have’ tv commercial driven ‘must have’ gear !
(I homeschool though, and note that public schooled cousins get heavy pressure to ‘fit in’ by the age of 6 – horrid !).

I would like to wail a bit to Jenny of the ‘birthdays too close to Christmas’ kids -
If ANY of your kids have birthdays in the rest of the year, please, I beg you- treat them ALL the same !

My birthday is near Christmas, and my siblings’ in the summer- they got parties and gifts and I got the present marked ‘happy birthday/merry christmas’ – and no party – the folks were too busy…

To a young child, the unfairness was very obvious, and so heartbreaking…

By: Heidi

Heidi — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:17:25 +0000

People frequently ask me “Is Anja into Dora?” I must look at them like they’re wearing a shirt covered in poop, because:

A. I don’t even really know who Dora is.

B. She doesn’t watch TV, so there’s no way she would know who Dora is.

C. She’s ONE…is she really into anything except sleeping and eating and carrying around a stuffed animal?

I can’t wait for the mass marketing targeted at kids to start hitting the target in my family. Just. Can’t. Wait.

By: Sally

Sally — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:30:10 +0000

I don’t do themes. In fact, I rarely even do parties, I prefer just having family to a house full of wild kids.
And I am glad to know that you are obsessive about thank-you notes, because I thought I was the only one left on earth who makes her kids write them. We NEVER receive thank you notes from anyone when my kids have attended birthday parties amd given a gift. Where have good manners and common courtesy gone???

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:34:55 +0000

Your theme is the best one yet!

We have had quite a few where we just have bright colored plates, napkins, balloons, etc. Who needs a THEME, anyway?

By: Jenn G.

Jenn G. — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:09:24 +0000

This post makes me smile. This year for Susie’s birthday we had yet another family party. The last time she had a party with friends was when she was 2!! Ha! Tell Sean a big Happy Birthday from us….we don’t do big parties either, so I would have been lost with you in the party store.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:31:09 +0000

I just found your blog about a week ago and I love it! This post makes me thankful that I’m not the only one out there who thinks the party thing is insane. We just had a 60th birthday party for my husband’s mom and the theme was – get ready – Happy 60th Birthday! Haha!

However, I tried the minimalist thing with the upcoming Thanksgiving party at my son’s PREschool and it went over like a lead balloon. Apparently I have to have food, a craft, a goody bag and so on… To even suggest that the craft be a cookie they can eat instead of a picture frame made of foam junk that ends up in the trash was a sacrilege!

Thanks for the smile today – oh, and your ode to MTM had me crying!

By: Janis

Janis — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:29:11 +0000

In three weeks my older daughter is having a slumber party for her 14th birthday. Ten girls will descend upon my house, devour pizza, talk non-stop about boys, and never slumber. Last year, the dishes rattled in the kitchen cabinets from all the energy in the room. But, I would go through 10 teenage slumber parties a year,rather than plan a party again for a child in elementary school. I cringe at even the thought of the angst.

By: Ross

Ross — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:37:46 +0000

I loved the phrase “midget barbarians”. As a Sunday school teacher, I’ve had more than a few of those pass through my class.
Happy Belated Birthday, Sean.

By: nancy

nancy — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:16:37 +0000

Although I dont get carried away with it, I like doing themes as it gives the party direction and it’s like decorating a room, it’s fun once you come up with ideas that are homemade – it doesn’t mean spending lots of money at the party store. I have made lots of theme cakes involving making monster trucks with donut tires or the bat signal out of licorice, ect. At our last kid party I set up board games that had to do with the theme that all the kids took turns playing, but those Spongebob games were also his presents, as that’s what the birthday boy was into at the time.
themes can be an expression of their personalities. On the other hand, I was mortified that my Mom gave me a Barbie- themed party for my surprise 40th birthday party, I have three sons and no daughters.

By: Faerylandmom

Faerylandmom — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:50:32 +0000

I am soooo on the minimalist bandwagon. My kids don’t get anyone at their party unless they actually ask. Which has only happened twice.

And they don’t seem to be traumatized. In fact, they seem to have been made to feel pretty special.