(How often) do you have a party just to have a party?

[ourbabygirl]

We used to have parties quite often before we had kids, but we rarely do now. We've only had about 3 parties since we moved here 4 years ago, and I'd like to start a new tradition of having at least one or two every year- a spring or summer one, and a Halloween one (in addition to a bday party for DD & DS). But I'm wondering if it's too financially irresponsible, since the cost of food has gone up so much and it would easily cost $200 or so...

How often do you have parties, and how do you decide if you should be having them, with the cost involved, etc.?

Thanks for your input! :)

[liz]

We usually have one big party in the fall- usually in September. It's a huge party and the theme is wiffle ball, so all ages and skill levels can play. It's a lot of fun and we have a huge turnout every year. We usually have a birthday cake for our kids because their birthdays are close by, but we don't call it a birthday party because we don't want our guests to bring gifts.

We have a smaller party for immediate family and really close friends for the kids' birthday, as well as cookouts for Memorial Day and 4th of July.

As far as cost, well the birthdays are at our house, so the only cost is food. For the big party in the fall, we do basic hot dogs/hamburgers, drinks/chips and maybe one large side (pasta salad). Everyone else brings a dish and we wind up having enough food.

[crl]

Never. More from lack of energy than from lack of money. Would a potluck tradition work in your circle of friends?

Catherine

[Pear]

Never. I kind of hate parties as both the host and as the attendee. I much prefer smaller gatherings like dinner with one or two other couples. I would like to do dinners more often, but lack energy.

[lucybabymamma]

We used to have parties quite often before we had kids, but we rarely do now. We've only had about 3 parties since we moved here 4 years ago, and I'd like to start a new tradition of having at least one or two every year- a spring or summer one, and a Halloween one (in addition to a bday party for DD & DS). But I'm wondering if it's too financially irresponsible, since the cost of food has gone up so much and it would easily cost $200 or so...

How often do you have parties, and how do you decide if you should be having them, with the cost involved, etc.?

Thanks for your input! :)

We use to have lots of parties too -- before kids:) We even have a gigantic disco ball we would hang in our living room -- ha!
Since kids, we maybe have a few small get togethers a year, usually after the DDs are asleep and apps/potluck style.
Another reason we have less parties now, besides the cost and kids, is our friendships have changed now with some of our former "party" friends....

Anyways, birthday parties for our DDs tend to be our only family/friend parties, so we usually go all out. It seems like less of an expense to have two bigger birthday parties and invite lots of friends and family, than two birthday parties, then other parties in addition.

This summer though, we have decided to have a "minute to win it" party for our couples friends. I am thinking it will cost @ $150 once you consider food, drinks etc. It is going to be an adult party and we are starting it at 8, so that should cut down on the cost (not doing dinner, etc).

If you use to have lots of parties, you probably get enjoyment out of planning AND having them -- we do! So we kind of figure this party will take the place of other entertainment spending we might do...Anyways!
As long as you can budget for the necessities and having parties can come out of your "hobby/entertainment" fund, I say go for it!

[LexyLou]

Besides hosting Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas we also have a NYE party and then we throw parties for other things.

Like I had a big girls night in party with 14 friends last Friday night and yesterday I had a wedding to go to so DH invited 5 of his friends and their kids over to watch the Man U v Barca game and the BBQ'd.

Tonight we're having over some cousins to BBQ....

So I guess we entertain at least 10 times a year besides the holidays and birthday parties.

I like having parties here, then I don't have to worry about drinking and driving. :)

ETA: Forgot to talk about the costs. Yes, I would say each party, depending on size, costs between $200-$500 BUT if we were to go out to dinner, after hiring a sitter, and paying for dinner and drinks, we're at about $200 so it's kind of a tomato/Tomatoe thing. My mom has always said, it's expensive having friends, but both DH and I are very social and love to entertain. We've got the whole set up/clean up thing down to a science so it's not a big deal.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I have some dinner parties but not any extra parties. I just don't have them because they are a hassle and some of our friends already have standing parties around when we would so no need or opportunity. I'm pretty good at keeping costs ok (Costco take and bake pizza rocks!) so it's more of an issue with getting the house ready and extra stress of entertaining.

Beth

[Seitvonzu]

we have precisely one "big" party a year-- for EASTER :) it's my favorite holiday, i do a champagne brunch and egg hunt. i have a traditional menu and i rotate a couple of the menu items, but for the most part it's "set." basically i do a traditional ham dinner (ham, scalloped pineapple, cheesy potatos, a manderin romaine green salad, roasted spring veggies-- carrots/asparagus) and then some large breakfasty things (spiced apple french toast casserole, quiche, butterscotch rolls)....the food isn't terrible expensive but it can add up when the quantities go up (this year we had nearly 30 people!! the carrots alone cost me 10 dollars !!!) i also make cupcakes and birdsnest cookies for dessert.

i pretty much have all the "stuff" in terms of set up, but as things have gotten bigger and children are now involved, i do get papergoods instead of using real dishes for convenience/clean up reasons.

because it's an egghunt i need egg stuffers (reuse my very large plastic egg collection every year, but i put good stuff in the eggs, so this can get expensive), there is the food costs (the brunch food & the extra "treats" -- i.e. CANDY since it's easter), i have "favors" for the kids and adults, prizes for the egg hunt (i'm scaling things back next year, so prizes are getting the ax), and then of course the "punch" ( i buy a ton of bubbly for this and then some "better" stuff for mimosas or just drinking....i ALWAYS overbuy ;) )

so-- all in all it's a pretty expensive party. i didn't add it up this year, but .... over $300 i'm sure. (of course that doesn't account for the "leftovers" and extra things i had/still have hanging about... for example- i bought 2 hams this year because of the extra people...we only ate one, we're going to tuck into the other one this week for many many meals!) i tend to collect the prizes/favors throughout the year to spread out the cost (when i get really great deals) i buy some things after the season (papergoods esp.) -- so there is some savings there.

if i wasn't watching deals, i'm sure i'd be up to over $500--- but i'd probably scale back on details & "loot" in that case.

all that said, it's sorta horrifying. but i plan my easter party all year long and in earnest once christmas is over.....so it's sorta a "hobby" and more than anything else i consider it a gift to my friends. we get to dress up our little kidlets and ourselves and gorge on delicious food and run around in the park next door and it's just a really lovely time. :) it's a real labor of love and i really think my friends love it too :) (at least they love me enough to say they do ;):)

[Carrots]

Never. I kind of hate parties as both the host and as the attendee. I much prefer smaller gatherings like dinner with one or two other couples. I would like to do dinners more often, but lack energy.

:yeahthat:

Some moms and I "wine nights" ever 2 weeks at each other's houses. It is just a nice way to get out of the house and have an adult conversation. :)

That is the extent of my entertaining.

[BeachBum]

We have people over once a month, or maybe every six weeks? That's our regular group...2-4 couples that we do stuff with pretty often...

We have "parties" maybe 4-6 times a year. This includes people we are friendly with, but don't know as well. I feel a lot more pressure doing these types of get togethers. I do usually have a "theme" to the bigger parties---since Dec we've had a cookie swap, oyster roast, and a easter egg hunt. We will probably have some sort of summer crab boil...and maybe a soup night in the fall.

Having people to my home (and going to theirs) makes me feel more connected. It just feels more intimate than having dinner at a restaurant. I do struggle with feeling inadequate. But all in all, I know that I'd rather be invited than not--and I just hope others feel the same way.

[sdoyle]

We love having people over, have several friends we have had for years who all had kids about the same time as us and I am the oldest of 8. I bet we have people over for impromptu and planned parties about 12-15 times a year. Our big parties are a pumpkin carving party in fall, 2 kids birthday parties, Thanksgiving (this is usually just family though so only about 25), and a cookie exchange tea at Christmas. Other times we plan things on the fly like a BBQ with about 15 we just planned for tomorrow. Also with that much family there are constantly showers, etc. (I've already done a wedding one and Baby one this year.) Some can be pricey if we go all out but honestly most the time they are pretty reasonable. I have accumulated a lot of party supplies over time such as service for 30 thanks to after Christmas 75% off at Target for about $35. People always offer to bring something and I usually take them up on it. It's kind of a given with our friends and family that people always offer. I bet tomorrow we will only spend about $30 (hamburger buns, toppings, 12 pack of beer, already have ground beef) and the kids will have a great time and we'll get to have some summer fun with friends- win-win with just a little inconvenience.

Stacy