Tuesday, January 31, 2006

The Great Zucchini

This is an amazing article about a guy who does children's parties in the DC area. Read it. Really. (HT to the great Mr. Lileks)

One of the odd things about having young children is watching people exert themselves in all sorts of ridiculous ways for their children's birthday parties. Why people are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a party for three-year olds is beyond me.
at

9 comments:

  1. Barry Vanhoff1/31/06, 11:45 AM

    Why people are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a party for three-year olds is beyond me.

    Ditto.

    But you must understand, the parties are not necessarily for the three-year olds. I believe it is a way for parents to feel like they have done something good for their kids ... maybe to assuage some guilt?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hunter Baker1/31/06, 12:45 PM

    Having a three year old of my own, I would happily pay $300 (if I had the resources) to set him and a group of his friends gleefully into laughter for thirty minutes or so.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Barry Vanhoff1/31/06, 1:39 PM

    (if I had the resources)

    Great disclaimer! I would have to say that it applies to me as well.

    The popular party around "here" is for parents to rent the indoor soccer complex. It ain't cheap, but the kids do have fun.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jay D. Homnick1/31/06, 4:04 PM

    If I may restate Hunter's point, it is "beyond you", Michael, because three hundred free and easy dollars are beyond you at this early stage of your career. Later you may have an epiphany.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hunter Baker1/31/06, 6:22 PM

    I can defend Mr. Simpson on this point. He can more than easily handle the three hundred!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kathy Hutchins1/31/06, 8:03 PM

    I think it will always be "beyond" some of us simply because we grew up among the tightwad Midwestern bourgeoisie. I have no idea what the festivities entailed on my third birthday, but extrapolating back from age, say, ten, it was grilled hamburgers on the porch followed by unsupervised mayhem with my cousins in a soybean field while my parents and uncles got squiffy on Carling Black Label.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Evanston21/31/06, 8:32 PM

    I'd like to thank Michael Simpson for directing us to a great article. If you haven't clicked on the "link" I really recommend it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jay D. Homnick1/31/06, 10:54 PM

    Yes, thanks very much, Michael. The article is astonishing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hunter Baker2/1/06, 8:14 AM

    Hey Kathy, I wanna "get squiffy" too. Arrange it, would ya?

    ReplyDelete