Too many posts start with a variant of "when I were a nipper", and here's another one.
Parties - as a five year old I suppose I went to some, and there would be jelly and ice cream, and party games like "Consequences" or "The Minister's Cat", and then we all went home.
After my party days were over the concept of "party bags" seemed to appear, and they seemed from media reports to be more and more extravagant as the years rolled by. That road could only ever lead to tears.
And so we get to this:
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jan/19/five-year-old-misses-friends-birthday-party-and-has-to-pay-1595
In my imagined parenthood my kids would of course be nowhere other than Junior Mensa or spending the morning learning the Roy Lopez opening, and of course the television would be on for no more than thirty minutes a day before a nice 8pm at the very latest bedtime, tuned exclusively to BBC4.
I suppose, alas, life isn't like that. Children's party anecdote, anyone?
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Front page of bbc news wtf?
Utter non-story: tells as much about the parents of the 'offending non-attender' actually taking this to the press, as those of the guy whose party they missed.
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Interesting to know on what grounds the action for damages is ought.
Presumably they are alleging breach of contract but since the child would not have the capacity to enter into a contract, there was presumably no intention that there should be a contract, and that the parents had suffered no losses since they they would have spent the money on buns and balloons whether or not the little chap turned up it is difficult to see the basis for the action.
Perhaps Albert Haddock might advise
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The party was held at a ski venue, so I suppose the £15.95 is the per-child fee the host parents had paid.
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But how had they lost by the child not attending the party? If he turned up they would have still payed the £15.95
Where is the contract that has been entered into that been broken that has cost the party givers £15.95?
If you offer to give someone a present and they care not to take it you can hardly sue for the cost of the present.
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>> But how had they lost by the child not attending the party? If he turned
>> up they would have still payed the £15.95
>>
>> Where is the contract that has been entered into that been broken that has cost
>> the party givers £15.95?
Long time since you organised birthday parties. One parent pays the cost up front, other parents pay them on arrival or pre party. So party prepaid but kid did not show, no money paid, £15.95 out of pocket.
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Ah - you pay to go to a party! Times have indeed changed. We alway gave the jelly and crisps away free and didn't even charge for the balloon.
Is this practice common in the adult world of entertaining too. Should I be charging for dinner?
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>> Ah - you pay to go to a party! Times have indeed changed. We alway
>> gave the jelly and crisps away free and didn't even charge for the balloon.
you missed the escalating "our party bags are better than yours" period as well then?
>> Is this practice common in the adult world of entertaining too. Should I be charging
>> for dinner?
It would be an insult to insist on payment for your food, you don't even bake your own bread!
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"It would be an insult to insist on payment for your food, you don't even bake your own bread!"
No, it simply means I can charge a small supplement for Gluten Free meals.
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you take stuff out and charge more?
Ever thought of a job with Cadbury Kraft Foods?
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 19 Jan 15 at 16:28
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>> you take stuff out and charge more?
>>
>> Ever thought of a job with Cadbury Kraft Foods?
>>
never noticed that leaded petrol costs a lot more than unleaded?
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>> >> you take stuff out and charge more?
>> >>
>> >> Ever thought of a job with Cadbury Kraft Foods?
>> >>
>> never noticed that leaded petrol costs a lot more than unleaded?
It was, and still is.
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News to me too, actually, CGN. We've hosted a few guests at a venue but always regarded it as our treat. The attitude of both sides here - one issuing an 'invoice' and the other bleating to the media - seems poor, to put it mildly.
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>> Long time since you organised birthday parties. One parent pays the cost up front, other
>> parents pay them on arrival or pre party. So party prepaid but kid did not
>> show, no money paid, £15.95 out of pocket.
>>
Not in this neck of the woods - host parent stumps up the total cost. This from someone who has just convinced his daughter that she didn't really want to take all her friends to an all you can eat restaurant
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A couple of guests didn't bother turning up to my daughter's wedding. They tried to explain away their lack of courtesy of not informing us by saying their 'phones were flat/had no credit. I suspect the cold, wet weather had more to do with it. I'd paid around thirty quid a head for them and could've invited a couple of other people who would've appreciated it. IIRC the 'no shows' didn't provide a present either.
I'd have willingly invoiced them, if I'd thought of it!
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We organise a modest New Year's Eve bash. It really is annoying when people don't RSVP, as we do some catering. This year 4 people didn't show. Another couple called us at about 4pm on the day saying "something had come up". Given that we tend to over-cater, the surplus went on for days and days this year...
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I couldn't imagine charging a guest a fee to attend a birthday party I had invited them to. Probably Audi drivers. All fur coat and nae knickers.
;-)
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As to parties in general, is the panel a gregarious one?
It won't surprise anyone to know, for example, that I have never attended a party as a older child, teenager or adult. My last one would be about the age of eight.
I suspect some of you party every night, but I'll keep schtumm about who.
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Don't mind and quite enjoy parties with genuine friends. Absolutely hate office/work/industry type social events. Some are unavoidable but most are a painful experience. I have a low tolerance threshold for drunk people talking crap. Or sober people being sycophantic for that matter...
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Mon 19 Jan 15 at 16:39
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>> Given that we tend to over-cater, the surplus went on for days and days this year...
>>
Huh!
Didn't tell us though, did you?
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I can see this from both sides.
The parent of the child having the party was probably out of pocket. The other parent probably should have contacted them to say their child could not attend - apparently they should have had contact details.
The parent of the child not going probably would have paid up £15.95 if asked politely saying sorry he couldn't make it, but I do hope you realise I paid out £15.95 for him to be there. What I'd feel aggrieved about was getting an official looking invoice!
Presumably the children aren't allowed to be friends any longer. Maybe all parents should keep their children away in case they are invoiced for something too.
And if this went to the small claims court, I can see how nothing might be paid. Unless the contract/agreement was between the adults??
Last edited by: rtj70 on Mon 19 Jan 15 at 16:45
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I'm afraid I'd have just put it down to the fact that there are a lot of rude people out there. Certainly wouldn't have even mentioned it to the no show parents. Just wouldn't have invited that child next year or whatever.
But in any case, whether that was the intended arrangement or not, I'd never have the cheek to charge for an invitation to a party I was hosting unless perhaps it was a charity event.
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Maybe it's a Scottish thing, Runfer - we pay the cost of the venue for parties for our kids.
We also control the number of invites.
Someone else cleans up the mess and makes the party snacks.
Invitees bring gifts.
Who the hell asks other kids' parents to pay for their attendance at a party?
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>>
>> Who the hell asks other kids' parents to pay for their attendance at a party?
>>
Seems to be normal practice now according to Zero.
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Not normal to me. Excruciatingly embarrassing in fact.
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Not everywhere.
For ours and their friends until aged about 9 its been party games / tea and cake / village hall or back garden.
After 9 its been child plus a couple of friends off to the movies, a restaurant, zoo, ice skating and that sort of thing.
Always paid by the parents of the birthday child.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 19 Jan 15 at 17:24
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Would have thought that was normal No FM. Never heard of asking for payment from party guests.
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Hey don't shoot the messenger. Not my fault you lot organised cheapskate crap parties for your kids.
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And they say the Scots are tight?
Sheesh
;-)
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Surely the cheapskates are the ones charging admission fees to their parties.
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Says the Lidl Jelly and cheap white bread sandwich man.
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>> Says the Lidl Jelly and cheap white bread sandwich man.
>yes but I gave them away ( and don't forget the balloon - all dinner guests get one)
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When ours were young we paid for activity or outing and either supplied or paid for food. Up to mid primary school we'd hire the village hall
Activities pretty much like parties when I was a kid, games followed by sandwiches, cheese on sticks, jelly etc and a cake. Party bag with a few sweets, cheap toy and slice of cake on leaving.
As the got older ranged to outside stuff like sledging at MK snowdome or ice skating. By mid teens Miss B preferred some activity with just one or two friends, theatre in Stratford, Clothes Show at NEC a couple of times. We still paid and for meal afterwards.
The Lad had friends round the house right up to 6th form. Worked OK as a fair number were girls and the lads were sensible ones, in fact they're friends of Mrs B and I too now they're adults. Again we paid and supplied drink (alcoholic after 16 with nod from parents).
We also paid for his 18th bash for friends and family in Community Centre. We supplied a reasonable amount of drink and food plus there was a cash bar. Mrs B's family and his friends provided music - some of family are professionals.
Miss B's 18th was a (family) trip to Paris with her boyfriend in party - we've known him since he was born and he/she were both completely happy with arrangement.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Mon 19 Jan 15 at 17:41
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I don't think they would have charged had the child attended the party. It's because they didn't.
If anyone's seen the exchanges between the two mother's on Facebook (Telegraph has the text), then you will probably form a similar conclusion to me. The mother who sent the invoice is blowing this all out of proportion. And it is she that's in the wrong IMO.
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>> The mother who sent the
>> invoice is blowing this all out of proportion. And it is she that's in the
>> wrong IMO.
>
Strongly suspect there's previous friction between parents.
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I wonder if anyone turned up.
"No darling I think we'll give this one a miss, I know you like Tarquin but his mummy is actually a bit of a nutter and it's just safer if you don't go"
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>> The mother who sent the invoice is blowing this all out of proportion.And it is she that's in the wrong IMO.
Pretty much my comment at the start.
Probably not helped by the speccy control freak dad.
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>> Seems to be normal practice now according to Zero.
>>
My then 6 year old son went to a party at the same ski place several months back.
We weren't asked for a contribution to the costs... and until I read this post had no clue as to the cost. It was borne by the family booking the place for their son.
On NYE my son's birthday party was here at home. I didn't ask anyone to contribute to the £150 worth of fireworks or the party food etc....why would I?
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That makes you an honorary Jock, WP ;-)
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TBH Even if I really hated them and was really peed off, I still couldn't have been assed to prepare and send them an invoice, not for 15 quid.
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>> That makes you an honorary Jock, WP ;-)
>>
Yee hah...I'm up there in 3 weeks time or so...half term break....Ardnamurchan Peninsula. Absolutely wonderful. Can't wait.
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Who gets invoiced if I go on a date but don't get laid?
Me or her? And how much?
Last edited by: BiggerBadderDave on Mon 19 Jan 15 at 20:02
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>> Who gets invoiced if I go on a date but don't get laid?
>>
>> Me or her? And how much?
Go Dutch and share the difference?
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Can we move that to the "Bargains Thread"?
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Haven't read all of the posts but have heard all about it on the radio, all ruddy day!!
Tell the 'firm' that sent the original no show invoice "To Stick it up their Conga".
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Can you imagine what the erstwhile birthday boy is saying to his parents? Would like to be a fly on that wall!
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>Who gets invoiced if I go on a date but don't get laid?
>Me or her? And how much?
It will probably be covered in the contract BBD.
Get a lawyer to give it the once over before you sign.
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Give her the once over before I sign?
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>Give her the once over before I sign?
Even better.
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Can't be much cop if it's only the once
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So, the little non-attendee will presumably not be invited to his little friend's parties in future 'cos of this lickpenny mother ?
Who's the sufferer there ? He won't understand why he hasn't been invited to Jimmy Lickpenny's next birthday thrash......nice !
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I''ve never in my life heard of a child's birthday party the guests' parents had to pay for.
A specifically modern suburban form of insanity.
Brass face they used to call it. What that takes, I mean.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Tue 20 Jan 15 at 02:10
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There's a difference between hosting a party, which of course one pays for, and organising a shared day out for a large group to some event, activity centre, etc.
I suspect this one arose because of allowing the child to handle the invitations, probably casually handed out to people who didn't appreciate the value of the treat they were being offered.
I wouldn't want to know either of the families, it's hard to decide which are worse, the money-grubbers or the discourteous.
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Party time - Crankcase
