Competitive parents will splash out a whopping £4,858.56 on their child’s birthday parties by the time they reach 18, it was revealed yesterday.
The findings emerged in the Holiday Inn study of 2,000 parents and shows that in a bid to out-do others, most fork out £269.92 a year on parties.
Almost half of parents polled admit to feeling incredibly stressed and overwhelmed at the thought of everything they have to organise.
Incredibly, a third of parents are most worried about impressing other children’s parents with their party arrangements.
While seven in 10 mums and dads go all out to make sure the birthday party is a memorable occasion for their little one.
A spokesman for Holiday Inn which conducted the research to mark the launch of the hotels ‘Celebrating Life’s Big Occasion’ events and functions offering said: “There is a real pressure for parents to put on a great event for their children every single year, and the older the children get the more elaborate the occasion becomes.
“Birthday parties are incredibly important for both parents and children, as they mark a very special occasion and give people the opportunity to share the day with friends and family.
“But with such a celebration comes an enormous amount of preparation, and before you know it you have spent far more than you had intended on celebrations.
“These days children are no longer content with simply having a few of their best friend’s home for a party tea after school – so it is no wonder parents are becoming more competitive than ever before.”
Invites, food, drink, decorations, party bags, games and the cake all set folk back hundreds of pounds.
And rather than keeping things small and intimate, the average parents will allow their child to invite at least 11 friends to the bash.
Party planning also takes times as the average mum and dad spend up to three weeks organising their little one’s special day.
The poll shows the average family will spend £12.47 on invitations and thank you cards, and a further £22.72 on decorations such as balloons, banners and lighting.
Food and drink will set folk back a further £63.82 as they stock up on sausage rolls, crisps, fruit and other party nibbles.
The birthday cake also costs an average of £15.32 – and parents are more likely to buy one ready-made than make it themselves.
Party games such as pass the parcel, musical bumps, piñatas, pin the tail on the donkey and other more elaborate games cost £24.08 including prizes.
While parents spend an average of £3.77 on each party bag which is filled with goodies for the children to take home – that’s £41.47 for all 11 children.
Venue hire can also set folk back, as many would be prepared to splash out a further £90.04 on hiring somewhere for events to take place.
Incredibly, despite the party costing nearly £300, 24 per cent of parents will then go on to hire some sort of entertainment for the children, spending a further £86.79.
Most popular entertainment includes bouncy castles (44 per cent), clowns (31 per cent), magicians (30 per cent) and soft play areas (24 per cent).
The spokesman for Holiday Inn continues: “One in six parents are now opting to take their children’s birthday parties away from the home and this is for two reasons – to avoid the stress and because it’s easier to impress in a venue where everything is organized for you.
“And it’s not just children’s parties which are being moved away from home – we are seeing a real trend for families hosting their celebrations such as Christmas, weddings and proms at our hotels.
“When you consider the time, stress and money invested in transforming your home to party central – you can understand why people are taking the pressure off and going for the easy option.”
For more information on Holiday Inn’s event offering visit www.tophoteloffers.co.uk
BREAKDOWN OF RESULTS
| Invitations and thank you cards | £12.47 |
| Food and drink | £63.82 |
| Decorations | £22.72 |
| Party bags and gifts | £41.47 |
| Party games and prizes | £24.08 |
| Cake | £15.32 |
| Venue hire | £90.04 |
X 18 years = £4,858.56
