Did you know it’s been estimated that the average parent spends around $400 on a birthday party for their kid? We have come a long way from the days when setting up a birthday party was usually nothing more than a cake and a few balloons. Children’s birthday parties have become a big business, and it’s no wonder that moms and dads are struggling to bear the brunt of these added costs, especially right now.
No wonder a new trend called the “fiver” party is becoming more popular. If you are a parent or have simply been to a children’s birthday party, you know that people often feel pressured to bring a gift, even if “No Gifts” is politely stated on the e-vite. So, what ends up happening is the birthday kid ends up with a lot of random presents, and often these gifts aren’t of much interest to them or may even be duplicates of something they already have.
At a fiver birthday party, instead of bringing presents, each guest simply brings $5 in cash to contribute to a large gift that the birthday kid can pick out themselves later. This way, instead of having to stress about buying a gift for a kid you may not know that well, or stressing out as you look for gift wrapping in your closet at the last minute, you can simply reach in your wallet for a $5 bill!
Not only is this a simple solution for parents who don’t have time to go to the toy store every time someone in their child’s class has a birthday, but it is also environmentally friendly. You cut back on wrapping paper and gift bags, and, instead of getting a group of smaller toys that they may not really care about — or you don’t have room for — the birthday child simply picks out one large item that will get a lot of love.
Another benefit of the fiver party is that it can help teach kids about the value of a dollar and how to spend money wisely when the big day comes for them to use their pool of cash at the store. If you’re looking for a way to hold a fiver party for your own little one, check out these invitation examples from Zazzle that allow you to frame the collection as a way to help them get a big gift they’ve been saving for, like a bicycle.
Do you like the idea of a fiver birthday party?
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
