Party Prices Soaring

Children’s parties these days can easily cost as much as £100,000, according to an event manager.

10:12 07 April 2015

Parents these days are feeling the pressure to throw over-the-top fancy children’s parties that can easily cost as much as £100,000. Event manager Chloe Astin said that one of her clients requested for a temporary ice rink in their home and invited replicas of the Disney on Ice Team to perform. For another child’s winter birthday, the Astin’s firm, Quintessentially Events & Weddings, created "a bringing the outside in" themed party, which involved installing an indoor lawn complete with trees, flowers, swings and slides.”

 

"What kids are watching and digesting is giving them higher expectations," says Ms Astin.

 

Author Oliver James said that the trend could be attributed to an epidemic of obsessive, envious, keeping-up-with-the-Joneses mentality. Sarah Ockwell-Smith, the founder of the Gentle Parenting website, agrees. She said that media circus surrounding celebrities push the party bar higher. 

 

Her advice to parents is to "think about who you're doing it for and what will make your child happy."

 

Meanwhile, Bill Doherty, professor of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota, founded US group, Birthdays Without Pressure, said: "It's about giving parents permission to simplify their plans to fit with their family values. There isn't just one way to do this.”

He added: "If you don't do a big party you're not a bad parent."