What does a typical birthday party look like in your family?

With our kids, so far, we've only had invited all our family over for dinner, cake/ice cream and just to visit and open presents.

My son is 8 and so far every year we had big celebrations. When he was litttle it was family and my friends. Now that he's older he has 1 party with his school friends and then a party with our (small) family. I am on a limited budget so it has to be affordable yet fun.

Right now ours are 1, 2 & 4 and we just do family party's. I've seen to many meltdowns of the birthday child at large partys which really turned me off them. When they get older we will let them invite friends over for sleep overs & the party. Then maybe have a couple of larger ones when they hit teenage years. I also hate that in school you have to invite the entire class if you send any invitations and then no one replys so you don't know if you'll have 1 or 30 kids there.

One word: CHAOS! lol WE invite EVERYONE that the kids know. Meaning family and friends. There is a frenzy of cameras going off... ppl shouting " get out of the shot"... cake in hair.. cake on the floor.. cake not on the floor anymore.. WHO ATE THAT?!

But I wouldnt have it any other way!

We kind of rotate. Some years we have a big party, sometimes a smaller party, some years we go to an amusement park. We have 3 boys, they're all older now, but when they were younger we kind of mixed it up. We did everything from theme parties at home, like a renaissance faire, or teddy bear picnic, to parties in the park, or at Chuck E. Cheese. Sometimes it would be Disneyland or Knott's Berry Farm.......

We definitely go all out for birthdays. It's the one day they are THE most special person in the world!!! (they're special everyday, but have to share that status)

we hired a charateristsic person . you know those people that draw your child . we also played pin the tail on the donkey. and hit a pinta.the kids enjoyed all that. and for the rest of the remaining time they just played on the swing set outside out back. we just invited family. aunts uncles cousins and brothers sisters & kids, m&f inlaw ,&b&s inlaw and their kida. had cake. and yes I made a little lunch too.. :)

I love birthday parties!!!! My kids parties are not necessairly huge, but we invite friends they have and family for their first's. We don't bother with opening presents at the first party, it's just too much stress for them.
We do themes and I plan as much around it as I can. Food, cake, decorations, games, crafts, loot bags and invites. I try to do the parties in the middle of the afternoon that way it's not lunch and it's not dinner. There are snacks, healthy ones to sustain the kids for the party time.
My kids are 5, 4 and 2. So far we've had Under the Sea, Messy, Pirates, Garden, My Little Pony, Sleeping Beauty, Pool Party, Cupcake, Walle and next month we are doing Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I love preparing the parties and involving the kids the once they are old enough to glue and pick out their own theme.
On the day of their birthday they pick dinner and we have cake at home.
I LOVE BIRTHDAY PARTIES!!!!!