BIRTHDAY PARTIES ARE BIG BUSINESS

BIRTHDAY PARTIES ARE BIG BUSINESS; Parents Aren't Settling on Cake and Balloons to Make Their Kids Happy

The Spreitzers have invariably been huge party individuals.

There was the patrician party for his or her daughter's initial birthday. and therefore the Mexican-themed party complete with a ensemble band for the third.

But since alphabetic character Spreitzer's girl, Brooke, wished simply the ladies for her ninth birthday, Spreitzer rented AN formation space at Ponte Vedra hostel & Spa. There, the ladies vie kickball on the non-public beach and sipped smoothies between pedicures and facials.

The Spreitzers area unit AN example of these shopping for into a booming business in metropolis and therefore the remainder of the country: children's birthday parties. Informal surveys show that in recent years, on average, oldsters pay $200 to $400 on birthday parties. and a few loaded families could pay up to $5,000 or a lot of, aforesaid Heather Downs, a faculty member of social science at metropolis University. that is a so much cry from the Pin the Tail on the Donkey and paper streamers of the past.

Downs conjointly attributes the increase in value to higher expectations today from youngsters for lavish events. oldsters might also use a party as a chance to network with their colleagues, notably for parties for 1- and 2-year-old youngsters.

"Parents read the party as an opportunity for youngsters to suit in with their coevals," Downs aforesaid. "The oldsters area unit getting to do what they have to for the kid to suit in."

Why invest during a party? For the Spreitzers, it isn't regarding competition among different oldsters or desperate to impress friends. The parties give a chance to allow Rupert Brooke AN expertise she will keep in mind, alphabetic character Spreitzer aforesaid.

"Growing up, I had nice recollections of my birthday parties," she said. "[We] wish to form certain, as well, that she has nice recollections of her birthdays for years to come back."

Dozens of places in metropolis currently function venues for birthday parties, giving everything from expansive homes to leap in to full formal teas for tots, and infrequently area unit engaged weeks before. And for those brave enough to possess a celebration at their home, there is a embarrassment of party coming up with firms and performers to choose from.

Amelia Davis and Shelly made co-own girly-girl partea's INC., a St. Johns County-based company specializing in custom parties for women, usually packed with princesses and pink. Their themes embrace red carpet and spa parties, just like the one they place along for the Spreitzers.

"Parents currently really need to allow an excellent party for his or her youngsters," Davis aforesaid. "I suppose they've well-versed all the opposite parties and thought, 'you know, let's step it up a notch.' "

Davis aforesaid girly-girl partea's is usually referral primarily based, and their schedule fills up quickly. after they started their business in 2008, that they had a modest range of parties they worked on. In 2010, girly-girl's business has nearly doubled and has had purchasers everywhere metropolis.

Meanwhile, Portia Gillespie, owner of Sugar Plum amusement, aforesaid her business may be a full-time  job with a gradual stream of purchasers.

For the past fourteen years, Gillespie has seen children's birthday parties intensify and become a lot of elaborate. She's performed as a clown, magician or pirate at birthday parties for youngsters as young as a year recent.

"It does not appear to matter if [the family is] affluent or not affluent," Gillespie aforesaid. "People do realize cash to pay on their youngsters as a result of they need to form it special for his or her kid."

Gillespie declined to share her costs with the Times-Union, however aforesaid in metropolis, performers area unit generally paid $150 to $200 AN hour.

Jacksonville is not alone in shopping for into children's parties. A recent episode of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" featured woman of the house Taylor Armstrong defrayal $50,000 for her 4-year-old's yard party.

A new TLC show, "Outrageous children Parties," shows one family defrayal over $30,000 for his or her daughter's patrician party, complete with a equine carriage. …