Going home hungry after birthday parties

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like there are two groups: one who think parties are about the host and the other who thinks it's about the guests. I think good hosting is about the guests. I'm honestly stunned that anyone would defend having a party from 12:30 to 2:00 without serving lunch, let alone a party for little kids.

No shit! Feed the kids, big deal. Throw some hot dogs at them!

Come on, how many DCUM mothers would allow their little darlings eat a hot dog?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, what is wrong with you? You can feed your kid at 11:30 one day and he/she will not die from it. I always serve tons of food at parties, but not all parties are the same and not all people like to throw the same kind of parties. I bet you have never been to a party that didn't serve any food, just parties that didn't serve the kind of food you like. Some people eat snacks during this window and some people eat a full meal. Some families eat dinner at 5:00 and some eat at 7:00. As an adult, I have been to tons of adult parties/social events where I left hungry or didn't like the food so ate when I got home. This is part of life.

I totally agree.

[Anonymous]

Maybe if you stopped smoking weed all the time you would not be hungry!

[Anonymous]

Sorry, but parties from 2-4 aren't SUPPOSED to be MEAL parties. If you feed my DS pizza at 3PM how is he supposed to eat dinner at 6?! He just ate LUNCH at 12:30! Parties from 2-4 are "snack" parties with fruit and cake. Parties around noon or 1 involve lunch. If they are around 5 or 6 they involve dinner. This isn't brain science. Don't be stupid. If they end at 5 you haven't hit dinner yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are the GUESTS' manners in this thread? Why not be gracious about the amount of effort hosting is and think "that's nice they invited me." Seems to me that is someone opens their house and goes to the trouble of organizing a party, guests could be happy about that and a less b*tchy about some of these other details...

I always make sure we eat at home before going to a party (either breakfast, lunch, or a heavier snack) bc I usually don't like much the party food, and prepare to mingle than eat ravenously, but still, I appreciate the snacks / nibbles that are put out.

IMO if someone goes through the trouble of organizing a party, they should throw out something for guests to at least nibble on. I have never been to a party where there was no food, I never hosted a party with no food, and cannot understand why it is so tough to throw some crackers / cheese at least on a table for those guests who may be hungry. Guests' manners in this thread are there, it may be safe to assume that the posters above said nothing other than 'thanks, what a wonderful party, we had so much fun' to their ungracious hosts. Why organize a party around lunch time and not offer at least some food? I would find it strange.

holy cow!ungracious hosts?! Who knew that inviting you and your rug rat over for a few hours of kiddie fun to celebrate the anniversary of THEIR could was ungracious? Of course its ALL about you, your ankle biter, and your stomach. That's definitely a gracious guest right there!

FYI--grace is not limited to what you do/say in front of others, its how you carry yourself through life (even behind closed doors and on anonymous forums).

Yes, ungracious host! As I said above, never been to such a party and never hosted one that did not have food. And glad that those I know have enough sense to throw some food on the table. Don't need invitation from someone who seems to be 'ticking a box' for 'party done'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like there are two groups: one who think parties are about the host and the other who thinks it's about the guests. I think good hosting is about the guests. I'm honestly stunned that anyone would defend having a party from 12:30 to 2:00 without serving lunch, let alone a party for little kids.

No shit! Feed the kids, big deal. Throw some hot dogs at them!

Come on, how many DCUM mothers would allow their little darlings eat a hot dog?

My children eat hot dogs and lick their plastic noisy non-open-ended-play toys. I'm sure I commit a whole host of DCUM sins, but these are my favorites of the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hosted a part for 4yo DC where all the parents stayed. It was from 1-3 and I served real food. Sandwiches, mac 'n cheese, fruit, veggies, etc. and it was ALL gone at the end of the party. So that tells me that people were hungry. Even if I hosted a party from 2-4, I'd serve heavy snacks, not just chips and dip. I think it's better to have too much than too little.

I once went to a party (not a drop-off) that started at 1pm and all they served were pretzels and cake. Some of the kids had come from soccer didn't have time to eat beforehand so by the time the party ended at 3 or 4, they were starving and cranky.

The food being gone doesn't mean that people were hungry...it just proves the adage that people will eat what is FREE. If you had put out a bag of flour and a half eaten apple, that would have been fine too.

Maybe your friends are like that. Mine aren't.

And what are people who choose to be friends with you like...humorless fat asses who stuff their pie holes at 3 pm because they can't go two hours in the afternoon without eating a full meal?

*sigh* you just sound like a bitter hag that doesn't know how to throw a party. The kids ate, the parents nibbled. But many people were driving during lunch time and the food was ready for them to ear when they arrived. IDK, maybe it's cultural but food is a very important part of any celebration to me, kid's birthday parties included.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS and i went to a birthday party last year in McLean. The hosts were obviously wealthy. The only food they had were goldfish crackers and grapes which they served in a communial bowl which was being rifled through by toddlers who were sticking their fingers in their mouths and then back in the bowl. Really gross. Other than that, there was nothing else for the parents who just stood along the wall looking really bored. I was chuckling at the mother who was following all the kids around with a Dustbuster to pick up fallen goldfish crackers.

DH and DS went to another birthday party at the home of a colleague of more modest means. The family (in-laws, aunts, etc) cooked dishes to serve everyone...adults and children. There was no formal "entertainment" but everyone still had a good time and no one went home hungry.

And the moral of EVERY DCUM story is . . . the poor are just so much more THOUGHTFUL and considerate of others, and just better people overall than the wealthy. Seriously, what did each family's means have to do with serving food at a party or serving nothing????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS and i went to a birthday party last year in McLean. The hosts were obviously wealthy. The only food they had were goldfish crackers and grapes which they served in a communial bowl which was being rifled through by toddlers who were sticking their fingers in their mouths and then back in the bowl. Really gross. Other than that, there was nothing else for the parents who just stood along the wall looking really bored. I was chuckling at the mother who was following all the kids around with a Dustbuster to pick up fallen goldfish crackers.

DH and DS went to another birthday party at the home of a colleague of more modest means. The family (in-laws, aunts, etc) cooked dishes to serve everyone...adults and children. There was no formal "entertainment" but everyone still had a good time and no one went home hungry.

And the moral of EVERY DCUM story is . . . the poor are just so much more THOUGHTFUL and considerate of others, and just better people overall than the wealthy. Seriously, what did each family's means have to do with serving food at a party or serving nothing????

I believe this was a reaction to a poster who defended not serving food and said she was in the midst of difficult economic times. The point is that money is not the determinant of good manners.

[Anonymous]

I'll just say I've never been to a party, adult or child, that did not have food. I'm not saying there needs to be an entire meal, but there's always been something.

[Anonymous]

I took my DS to the b-day of one of his preschool classmates a couple of years ago. No food except for the birthday cake. Juice boxes for the kids, and nothing to drink for the adults. Spent 3 pretty miserable hours at this party. Don't know what they were thinking--most of the b-day parties (including our DS') involved copious amounts of food and drink for everyone, adults included.

[Anonymous]

I went to a very lovely birthday party recently for a 4 YO with lots of parents and kids and siblings invited over lunch time (10:30 - 12:30, I think it was). The venue didn't allow pizza, and the family ordered trays of food from a local ethnic restaurant with lots of choices for everyone of all tastes and allergies. They're not well-off, but they wanted to throw a nice party for their friends and kid's friends! So refreshing and such great hosts. I thought it was very classy and generous that they did this.

[Anonymous]

Snacks rarely get eaten at parties so I don't blame parents for not really providing them.

This is what happens - the moms will say "oh no, I am not hungry" or "I just ate" and may or may not nibble on one or two things. The dads in attendance may eat a handful of crackers. The kids are too hyped up to eat snacks. Most might eat a slice of pizza or not. Most parents pass on the pizza because the recognize its for the kids and really how many moms are going to sit there eating greasy pizza.

I have seen people take home tons of food and to me its such a waste of time and effort. Put a couple trays out of things people will eat and the goal should be to take home the empty trays - not to be trying to stuff the crackers back in the box, etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are going to a party from 12:30-2 and was told by the host there will be no lunch served. I was steaming. That is lunchtime, my dc will be hungry so I have to carry lunch with me for him. What are thinking.

So, don't go if you don't like the plans.

I would show up at 1:30 for cake and say, "Sorry, DC was hungry so we stopped for lunch." Only go for the potion of the party when your hosts are being hospitable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are going to a party from 12:30-2 and was told by the host there will be no lunch served. I was steaming. That is lunchtime, my dc will be hungry so I have to carry lunch with me for him. What are thinking.

So, don't go if you don't like the plans.

I would show up at 1:30 for cake and say, "Sorry, DC was hungry so we stopped for lunch." Only go for the potion of the party when your hosts are being hospitable.[/quote

sorry, portion