Birthday Party Memories

Can you remember all of your childhood birthday parties? Some of them? How about just a memory or two? Think about which memories stand out to you and consider why they made an impact on you. Many times it has nothing to do with how lavish or perfectly decorated the party was. Many of those details tend to fade from our memories. And the same will be true for our children. As fun as it is (sometimes) to throw an elaborate party with perfect attention to every detail, the truth is that our children might not be as concerned as we are about all the particulars. And it might not take too long for them to forget altogether many of the elements of the party that once seemed so important to us.

I thought it would be fun to get parents to ask their kids to tell us some of their favorite birthday party memories. Here’s what they said…

“Getting wet in my own kid size ‘car wash’ I rode through on my bike.” – Campbell, age 6

“My Darth Vader party, because I defeated Darth Vader.” – Eleanor, age 7, about her fifth birthday party

“Mom and dad making me close my eyes and bringing in my blue and pink bike, along with all the gloves and knee and elbow pads, on my sixth birthday.” – Katie, age 14

“Getting a huge jar of M&M’s with my name on the jar.” – Makayla, age 10

“I knew them, but they were really good at being princesses!” – Roxy, age 5, about her princess birthday party with some theater friends who dressed up as characters from Frozen

“The water balloon fight at my 6-year-old birthday party.” – Isaac, age 8

“When I turned 5, I think. Because I got a bouncy house.” – Sanders, age 6

“My sixth birthday, because I got to make my own cake.” – Lydian, age 7, whose mother usually stayed up all night making elaborate cakes shaped as pirate ships or spacecrafts

“When we went to Chuck E. Cheese.” – Ben, age 7

“My ninth birthday party, when my mom hired the entire high school cheerleading squad to come to my house to teach me and all my friends a dance routine, which we performed for all the parents when they came to pick up their kids.” – Georgia, age 17

“My 6-year-old party at the bowling alley, because I like to bowl.” – Tanner, age 6

“When I came home from school and saw my new chair for my room, and then we went to a trampoline park.” – Ryan, age 8

“My party at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.” – Sam, age 8

“The day my parents offered me money or a party, and I chose the money.” – Brandon, age 13, who is saving to buy a new game and computer

“I still remember parts of my Dora the Explorer party when I was three. I remember the tunnel and popping the balloons. It felt like a real adventure, and I was so excited, and I remember feeling like it was the best party ever.” – Callie, age 18

“Blowing out the candle.” – Josephine, age 3

Have fun celebrating your kids’ birthdays! Don’t stress about the details; just make sure the party is fun and is what your child wants. It will be interesting to see what makes the best memories.