Throw a $10 "Twilight" Party!

Throw a $10 "Twilight" Party!

Monday, June 8, 2009

filed under: family

This mom SWEARS it can be done. Here's how.

Wendy Thomas: With 6 kids, you can bet we throw a lot of birthday parties. If I'm not careful with the cost, they could easily break our party budget bank. In this economy, my challenge is to throw a memorable, exciting kids' party for less than 10 dollars.

Still riding the high from throwing a birthday party for my youngest daughter -- where I took 5 kids to a movie at the local library, fed them cupcakes and ice cream, and did a craft for a total of $3.19 -- I was determined to repeat my success with the next birthday party which, as it turned out, happened to be for my other daughter, Addy, age 11.

Addy, as are all of her friends, is into all things "Twilight," and that naturally became the theme of her party. We dragged all of the vampire decorations out of storage and placed them strategically around the yard. Who knew that Halloween decorations would come in handy in April?! Thank you, vampire empire.

The night before the party, my son and I created a "Pin the blood drop on the neck" board as a party game and hung it up outside. During the party, each participant received a sparkly bracelet -- left over from a previous party as a prize for playing. Apparently new vampires sparkle in the sunlight, making anything that sparkles a great tie-in.

The girls then created glittery "Twilight" apples (an apple is prominently pictured on the book's cover) as a craft activity. For this craft, I cut out apple figures from construction paper and let them have at it with glitter glue.

Food consisted of apple vampire fangs (two eighths of a red apple held together with peanut butter and with two butter candies inserted as fangs), cupcakes (with sparkly colored sugar crystals on top), blood-red punch, and an ice cream cup.

A friend of mine's son and girlfriend (who both look remarkably like the main characters from "Twilight") came to the party in order to have photos taken with each of the (giggly) girls. As a party favor, each girl went home with a photo of her with the guest vampires (cool shades and all), as well as a group photo of the party guests.

As I had done before for my other daughter's party, a letter had been sent to each invitee asking that all gifts cost less than 5 dollars. Each of the girls was very excited about this and put some thought into coming up with presents. The inventive gifts to Addy included:

• Handmade certificates for sleepovers and playdates (many were reusable)
• A toy a girl had gotten previously that she didn't play with but knew that Addy would love (and she does)
• Books a friend had read and enjoyed and wanted to pass on.

The girls all had a great time, playing games, doing karaoke, and being together. And wouldn't you know, not wanting the theme to end, they even invented a game of "Vampire Tag" to play at the end of the party.

Total cost for this nonstop 3-hour party? $6.72.

Candies: $1.00 (used for fangs)
Apples: $2.39 (everyone got to have 2 "apple fangs" each)
Cupcakes: $0.69 (the mix was on sale)
Frosting: $0.64 (again, we got this on sale)
Punch: $0.30 (instant)
Glitter glue: $1.00 (from dollar store)
Photos: $1.00 (.10 cents each, each girl took home 2)

12 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

This is probably one of the most selfish/boring parties I have ever heard of! A child always remembers there party and it is one time when you should go all out on games and decorations and food and not spend less money on your child then you do on lunch or dinner each day. I’m sure the kids had an okay time and that is because they were with there friends, but they would have had much more fun if a little effort was put into this party and if the mother wasn’t so cheap. I think spending less than $5 on a present is a GREAT idea but spending less than that on your childs happiness and memories is horrible. I guarantee this is not a party your daughter will remember for years to come.

- Kirsten

Posted 06/08/09 09:48 AM

How can you say she didn’t put in effort? Do you know how hard it is these days for some families to afford throwing parties. They have gotten so expensive and out of hand! Kudos to her for giving her daughter a great time on a budget, it’s about having fun, not spending money. SOME people may appreciate her ideas. There are people who have lost jobs can’t pay their mortgage and feel awful that they cannot throw their child a party. This would be better than nothing. Shame on your for thinking that kids parties have to be expensive and indulgent. I am so tired of throwing a party on a budget and still ending up paying hundreds of dollars between gifts and party supplies etc. It’s a day to celebrate the child, not to spend all your money. I remember all of my parties as a child where we just had sleeping bags, movies, boardgames etc. We had a blast! Have you ever seen “sweet 16” on MTV where these seemingly entitled children want their 16th b-day to be like a freaking wedding? I wonder where they get the idea that they have to have this? Your comment really bothered me, Kristen.

- Amy

Posted 06/08/09 10:36 AM

Kirsten, My daughter and her friends are still talking positively about this party. I, to this day, still get comments from the parents about how pleased they were to not have to spend a lot of money on gifts. My daughter saw us spending time planning her party, She saw her older brothers helping to make the game board and her younger sister organize crafts. She saw us investing in her because we think she is worth it. You don’t think that will be memorable to her throughout the years? If you want to go all out for a child’s party and spend the kind of money you are talking about then go for it. Have a blast. I simply don’t have the kind of relationship with my children where I have to spend a lot of money on them for them to know I love them.

- Wendy

Posted 06/08/09 01:00 PM

i agree with you kristen i mean they only have one b-day party a year you should go all out im planning a b-day party for my 3 year old as we speak and im spending like 200 dollars and the party is in her classroom so come on people dont be cheap ………

- adriana

Posted 06/08/09 01:56 PM

It’s so easy to substitute money for quality time. As parents, we need to make sure that doesn’t happen.

- Sara

Posted 06/08/09 02:32 PM

For the sake of transparency, let me preface this by saying that I know Wendy and admire her talents and ideas (check out her blog to see for yourself why). And, she is right on target, as is Amy and Sarah. Plus, in my experience of having 3 kids (the oldest of whom is 23), the most stressful parties were the most expensive ones. The trappings of the party overshadow the child and it just isn’t nearly as much fun for everyone as the simpler parties. And, guess what happens to those kids who have the $200 parties? They grow up entitled and struggle in the real world.

- Rosemarie Rung

Posted 06/08/09 05:21 PM

Well, I don’t know how this happened, but “when I was growing up…” (roll eyes here) We had sleepovers with cake made from a box, watched a rented movie, and played with the toys and games we already had. Our moms weren’t even trying to be “thrifty” that’s just what we did. And we always had a blast. I am appalled at how successful the media and corporate America have been in convincing us that we have to spend lots of money to prove our love to anyone. Kids may think they want what they see on TV, but what they really want is our love and attention. And that’s priceless.

- Kate Headen

Posted 06/09/09 08:31 AM

How ironic. I was just talking to one of my kindergarten parents about love and attention verses “buying stuff”. This parent was crying because she could not afford to take her child to the beach for making good grades but she worked with him every night to help him get the top reader award from all the kindergarten classes at his school, she and her husband put up a tent in the back yard and slept outside with the boys. I told her that buying them something everytime they go to the store then breaking down on the way back because you don’t have a dependable car is no way to live. Looking back I remember the birthday parties that I had but my greatest memory is of my entire family going to a double feature that I got to pick. We had a great time with the hidden candy in the baby bag and the canned drinks in mom’s purse. Time and attention - 1 Over the top party - 0

- denise

Posted 06/09/09 07:09 PM

That is great to creat home Birthday partys I too have at home Birthday Party’s, and Rent Out my Homemade Costumes. I made the perfect Spongebob, and Princess Aruroa,dress. I bought an Adult Spiderman costume, and others. We have Hawaiian pool parties for our grand- children and it is so much fun to pull together and not at all expensive as to pay rent for the name of a party place and food and games. We have wonderful results.This is something you can prepare on your own time and collect items all year.

- Eve

Posted 06/09/09 07:47 PM

I am blown away by Kristin’s comment. Are you kidding? This seemed like a great themed party! Her daughter and her friends had a blast. Rather than throwing money at her child, she spent TIME to hand make the food and decorations. I think most kids treasure knowing they are loved enough for a parent to put in the effort, rather than just the money. In a time that many are facing economic crisis, that fact that a child can still have a wonderful party without breaking the bank is inspiring. And to the person who spent hundreds on a kindergartner’s party, s/he probably wont remember.

- jenni williams

Posted 06/09/09 09:39 PM

Oh, please! Kirsten are you 13 years old? Do you even have kids, much less more than 2? We’re supposed to take parenting advice from someone who cannot even write english properly?! (Did you pay attention in English, Kirsten, or were you writing nasty blog comments on your Blackberry in class?) I have 5 children under 8 and all of our birthday parties are at home, inexpensive, and the kids have a BLAST! “Going all out” does not equal “love”, it equals “Mommy trying to make herself look/feel better”! -Blue

- MrsEvilGenius

Posted 06/10/09 06:51 AM

I honestly don’t know what is more entertaining - the actual article or the comments! :) I think Wendy should get mad props for her ideas! I think everything you write about is fantastic! Young kids don’t understand the value of a dollar - If they are with their family and friends they are going to have just as much fun whether the party costs $5 or $500. Thanks for the article. I loved it.

- Becky

Posted 06/10/09 03:36 PM