Have you heard about or experienced anything like this?
A Chicago party invitation requests gift worth at least $35. The mother explains that last year her child received some gifts worth only $10, which did not even cover her costs.
Half birthday parties (like 9.5 years) are becoming the fashion in Chicago, so that if Johnny is unfortunate enough to have a winter birthday, he can have an outdoor summer party too.
Parents are now registering on Amazon.com for their children's birthday parties.
A $250,000 birthday party in Florida for a 7-year old girl, with limos, an adult party with alcohol, the grand ballroom for the kids, helicopter rides, horses, and wild animals.
The Associated Press reports on a Florida family that rented a cougar for their 7 year old’s birthday party. The result was not funny: the animal mauled a four year old guest.
A mother works hard to plan a nice at-home party for her eight year old daughter, who announces at the end, “It just wasn’t magic enough.”
A 6 year old boy, upon opening the expensive toy he had requested from his aunt and uncle, says in a disgusted voice, “This is a piece of junk!” and moves on the next present.
In one community where ponies and horses are common, parents hire a llama for their child’s party.
A five year old is terrified throughout her party by the clown the parents hire.
A mother reaches her limit with 36 children at her 2 year old’s party. Her husband says she is hard to live with when planning parties.
A six year old boy waits to find out the party bag before he accepts an invitation to a friend’s party.
A one year old’s party in a Minnesota community has 60 guests. The gift opening takes two hours; the party infant sleeps through most of it.
A three year old’s parents in the same community rent a fire station for party #1, and a private club with a pool for party #2.
A six year old girl and her friends in St. Paul get makeovers and dance in public as part of a “starlet” package at a party business.
A six year old guest who is disappointed by a St. Paul party without gift bags, declares, “This is a rip off!”
Seven year olds in rural Minnesota get picked up by stretch limos to transport them to a friend’s party.
An otherwise balanced mother in St. Paul obsesses for two months about a two year old’s birthday party and works solid for a week to prepare.
Twin Cities parents who dread at-home parties gladly spend $450 for a build-a-bear party at a mall.
A Minneapolis mother switches away from a “pirate theme” for her nine year old’s party because another parent has recently used the same theme.
A wealthy New York father throws a $10 million party for his 13 year old daughter’s birthday, including the band Aerosmith and $10,000 gift bags.
Parents from across the United States enter a contest for the most original birthday party.
Each week, MTVs' "My Super Sweet 16" documents as adolescents turning 16 plan and carry out "the party to end all parties."