beautiful child enjoying life
A couple of decades ago the sum total of a birthday party was a cake and some balloons. Then there was a jiffy bag of take-home sweeties and a gift.
Birthdays were also always celebrated at home, mom and dad creating games, rolling out the snacks and making lunch. But that was then and this is now. It is a now that comes with a price tag. A ticket that could have bought an entry level family sedan a few decades ago.
PS, this article was compiled from research and personal experience in coughing up. No venues were named to protect the, well, no comment.
Kids’ parties have become a full scale industry. Any parent of a pre-teen will tell you that it is no laughing matter. But the cost is a joke.
Gone are the days of a quick playdate and a few sausage rolls or hot dogs, chips and a fizzy drink or juice. Today, a birthday means venue hire, themed décor, catering for adults and children, entertainment. Then, of course something it must look good on Instagram.
It is the expense that keeps on giving, or taking and could easily match two to three months’ worth of grocery shopping in its quantum.
One party could equal three months of groceries
Venue hire alone can start around one and a half to two thousand rand for a few hours, usually around two to three of them. And that is when you are lucky.
Prices climb fast depending on how private or exclusive the space is or for that matter what the amenities are. Add a jumping castle for four to six hundred rand, a water slide for another four hundred rand, a mini train or tractor ride for five hundred to a thousand rand each and you are already sitting at nearly four thousand rand before food is even on the radar.
It’s a shopping list of dread for any wallet.
Some venues include the use of their playground facilities or farmyard animal encounters, ziplines or trampolines, while others charge extra for every added thrill. It is almost impossible to get away with less than five thousand rand for this bit of fun.
Indoor trampoline parks, inflatable adventure courses and other play zones will not hesitate to relieve you of your hard earned cash. They offer all-inclusive packages for around 15 children edging toward the nine to ten thousand rand mark. At least they get decent food, mostly. That is before you buy Tommy’s dad a sarmie and a soda.
Bills add up faster than blinking
Hotdogs, the simplest meal anyone can get away with, cost at least fifteen rand each. Hamburgers or wors rolls edge north of thirty rand apiece.
Popcorn machines cost about three hundred and fifty rand for unlimited refills, if you buy the raw ingredients that is. Add candy floss at fifteen rand per swishy stick, ice cream at around ten to fifteen rand each and throw in platters for the parents. You can easily staple another three to four thousand rand onto the bill before you blink.
Venues that offer activities like gel ball shooting, air soft or laser tag seem affordable on paper, with a per child price of around four to five hundred rand. Until the terms and conditions make it clear that you must book a minimum of 10 children. The fine print of wallet-death.
That adds up to another five thousand rand before you even start thinking about decorations or catering. Many of these venues insist that you use approved suppliers for that, which again inflates the cost. By the time you have factored in themed party packs or goodie bags, it is easy spend past ten to twelve thousand rand.
Party packs or goodie bags start at around thirty rand per child and usually include sweets, a toy and juice. But that is the entry level version.
Some parents spend up to one hundred or even one hundred and fifty rand per pack when it is themed to the event and loaded with name brand snacks, bubbles, and toys of greater substance than a plastic soldier or two. Do not be surprised at splurgy parents including Lego puzzles in party packs.
Party pack mayhem
Gifting, by the way, is also not cheap when your child is at the receiving end of an invitation. Been to a toy store lately?
For anything worth an unboxing moment, or for that matter, which would not embarrass your child on the Monday back at school, expect to spend between five hundred to one thousand five hundred rand.
Exactly how much will ultimately depend on the strength of the friendship. Some parents are brazen enough to publish wish lists and tick them off when a gift is purchased. Don’t be left last with the most expensive item.
All said and done, there is no way a parent can get away with a bill of less than between five and seven thousand rand for a basic party. Double that for something of greater substance while twenty thousand rand, or cost of a week-long holiday for four, ranks at the luxury end of extravagance.
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