birthday parties

[Urban Cowgirl]

Today is the second birthday party that I went to this year that we did not get to stay for cake or gift opening. Maybe this had become the norm but frankly if I am invited to a birthday party I buy a nice gift and rather enjoy being able to see the childs face when the gift is opened. These parties have carried on for hours and hours. Tonight they were waiting to do the cake and presents for the grandparents to get there. I am sorry but the grandparents were over 3 hours late and I feel its thoughtless to the guests that are there to keep them waiting. Maybe I am being selfish. :confused:

[cpbaby]

WOW! I think that was a bit rude. 3 hours? I think by the start of the second hour, the parents should have said, well, we are so sorry that grandpa and grandma arent here yet, but we need to open presents so we can have cake before people have to leave.

[queenangie]

3 hours is past rudeness when being late for the grandparents.

Had the hostess known that the grandparents would be late,
she should have had 2 cakes
or
she should have cut the cake within a timely fashion.
For the hostess to wait for 3 hours to cut the cake
was being rude to all
the birthday party guests who were there on time.

[hotwire]

thats why they make video cameras! (watch it later, granny!)
jeez........3 hours!? ive never been to a kids party that lasted that long! lol

[Urban Cowgirl]

In their defense I did expect this party to run longer than average, as I knew they were serving lots of food and stuff. BUT 2 groups of people left before me, and they had kids with them, I think the kids were disappointed that they did not have cake. Also I had been there about 3 and half hours and the grandparents were not going to be there for another hour!!! Oh well....reminder to self.....to keep my baby's birthday party short and sweet! ;)

[twinkiesmom]

I do think that's quite long myself. If the cake was that important to the grandparents, I think another cake should've been available for the timely guests.

[twinfawn]

We always have a party for the family and then a party for the friends....You are safe that way.... and the kids have two parties!

[DivineMsDi]

Ah, I feel like an old Scrooge but kids parties are not the same as they used to be! Now all the parents think about is "outdoing each other!" When I was a kid, you would go to someone's house and have games and a cake and ACTUALLY see the presents (it was kind of fun to see your friend's face when they opened your gift). Now you have to go to some hall or some "restaurant" or skating party or dog and pony show and the kid takes home the presents sight unseen.

I see the point of having it at a place if you don't want the mess of cleaning up or you have a small house or apartment but some people just put on a show for others. Here the kids have parties ranging from Chucky Cheese to Paintball to Fairy Tale tea parties and we are talking about kids in lower elementary school.

My son went to a party a few months ago at a pizza place. They had one of those game rooms and the kids were able to run around and play. It was well done. The mom did not have the kid open the presents (sort of odd, but I guess this is how they do it now). The goody bag included a pre-written, generic thank you (bad taste in my opinion). But I guess a thank you is better than nothing in this hectic world!

I personally went home EXHAUSTED!!! lol. Like I said, I am an old Scrooge sometimes! :)

[Tasha405]

Wow! 3 hours?? That's just crazy. My kids would have drove me crazy wanting cake and to open presents. lol

I agree with hotwire, video tape it and let them watch it when they get there. lol

All of our birthdays are in Sept. & Oct. and I'm going to have one big party for the family (all of them live in WV) so they don't have to keep coming up every week or two. We are going to cookout, let the kids swim, eat cake and open presents and I hope mine doesn't even last 3 hours! LMBO!

[1tiredmom]

ooh that makes me tremble 3 hours for a kid's birthday party!sounds like a nightmare-if it was up to me i'd have a drive thru window give you your cake and ice cream-hot dogs and chili and chips and oh yeah a drink .then i'd send you on your way i don't even care about the presents but it won't be refused especiallly bu nikki be careful she will give you a list and i can tell you if Taco Bell had gc's she would think that she died and went to taco heaven!!

[texanrose]

Shesssh then I need to be kicking out my husband's family within a couple hours. His family comes about 4 and they dont leave until 8. (If I'm lucky) I knew it was way too long for them to be here. Now I have an excuse to run them off. LMBO

[MelanieAnn]

That is awful. My kids aren't old enough to have a "real" party, they're only 2 and 4... but once they are in school and have friends and everything, we will probably do Chuck E Cheese or rollerskating, or even bowling. Once we have a house and have lots of room we can even have them at home. But right now everyone goes to my in-laws house and we do a big family party. It is hard to get everyone together at the same time (in-laws have 9 children), so sometimes we have to wait for someone to get off work. It's just having dinner (birthday person picks the meal of course), then cake and ice cream, and after that opening presents.

I remember when I was in elementary schools most of my parties were at home, we always had cake and ice cream and then opened presents. I think most of them lasted 2-3 hours. When I got in junior high, however, I usually had sleepovers with 5-6 friends. So that lasted a little longer. :)

Anyway enough of my rambling!!! Rude parents... ugh.