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3:59 AM 26th June 2021
family

Weekend Family: Kids Party Traditions Could Soon Become A Thing Of The Past

 
Image Pexels from Pixabay
Image Pexels from Pixabay
New research suggests millennial parents are ditching classic party traditions in favour of sushi platters, prosecco for parents, balloon archways and even professional photographers.

In fact, as many as 45%t of modern kids have NEVER played pin the tail on the donkey, while 44% have never enjoyed a good old-fashioned game of musical chairs.

20 Birthday traditions that are falling by the wayside (and percentage of children who have never enjoyed them)
Clowns – 52%
Blind man’s Buff - 49%
Pin the tail on the donkey – 45%
Musical Chairs – 44%
Magicians – 44%
Pineapple and Cheese on sticks – 43%
Simon Says – 43%
Egg and Cress sandwiches – 43%
The Chocolate Game – 42%
Mum and dad being DJ– 41%
Pass the Parcel – 39%
Sleeping Lions – 39%
Musical Bumps – 39%
Musical Statues – 39%
Jelly and Ice cream -33%
Homemade birthday cakes – 29%
Iced buns – 25%
Cocktail sausages – 20%
Frozen oven pizzas – 18%
Crisps in bowls – 16%

Clowns (52%), magicians (44%), egg and cress sandwiches (43%) and games of pass the parcel (39%) are other traditions falling by the wayside, according to the research, with 62% of parents saying the sort of kid’s parties that they enjoyed as a child are now a thing of the past.

One in two parents (58%) said blowing out the candles on a cake was not COVID friendly, due to the risk of spreading germs, while almost a third (32 %) would worry about their child eating a slice of a cake which had been blown on.

Modern Kid's birthday traditions (and percentage of kids who have had these at their parties)

Professionally made birthday cakes - 54%
Hiring a venue - 51%
Helium balloons - 50%
Entertainers dressed as princesses or superheroes - $2%
Balloon archways / walls - 41%
Cupcakes - 39%
DJs - 38%
Pizza delivery - 38%
BBQ food - 37%
A marquee in the garden - 36%
Entertainers dressed as TV or film characters - 35%
Piñata - 32%
Unicorn horses - 31%
Professional photographers - 30%
Prosecco for the parents - 28%
Fruit platters - 26%
Farm animals to pet - 25%
Carrot sticks with humous - 23%
Mocktails - 20%
Sushi - 13%

In fact, 34% of those surveyed fear the tradition of blowing out candles on the birthday cake is in danger of dying out COMPLETELY.

Photo by Tania Miron on Unsplash
Photo by Tania Miron on Unsplash
As many as 48% of the parents surveyed said the reason they do not play traditional party games is because they are too competitive.

According to the research by Betty Crocker, in conjunction with the prototype of their germ friendly “No Blow Candle”, modern kid’s parties are likely instead to include hiring a venue (51%), balloon walls and archways (41%), and entertainers dressed as princesses or superheroes (42%).

Sushi, carrot sticks and hummus, marquees in the garden, pinatas, unicorn horses, pizza delivery and farm animals to pet also emerged among the list of modern party traditions.

Arnaud Sliwa from Betty Crocker, who commissioned the research in celebration of their 100th birthday, said: “Unfortunately the pandemic has meant a few traditions have been lost, and blowing out birthday candles is one of them. Our research tells us however that the cake is not lost, in fact it’s still very much at the heart of the party. Our germ-free candle solution reacts to universal expressions of joy and celebration: singing and clapping. Give it all you got to light it up completely, make your wish — and then extinguish it with a single clap, no blowing required. We’ve imagined it as a way to lose the germs but keep the cake.”

Of the 2,000 parents surveyed, 36% said they experience pressure in the playground from other parents to outdo each other, while 27% say some parents have more cash to splash on parties for their kids these days.

Yet, 58% of parents would love to see a return to old fashioned elements from their own childhood, like pineapple on sticks and heart-warming games of pin the tail on the donkey.

Meanwhile 81% of parents said their kids had to miss out on a birthday party in the last year due to lockdown restrictions, with 49% planning a “catch up” style party so their little one does not completely miss out on the celebrations.

In fact, most parties are taking place four months after the child’s real birthday came and went.