Well, my daughter says I missed my true calling in life! She says I should have been a party planner!
Every year we did the family party - small family, but fun environment.
It was the friend party with a different theme each year played up at every element from age 3 to 17 that made birthdays special! She graduated just days before turning 18 - so her graduation party was a big extravaganza & the birthday party was family.
I was never good at having her abide by the party rule of: age of the child + one = the number of children invited to the party. My rule was the more the merrier!
This was the time to make her queen for the day & to show her friends a great time & treat them to a fun-packed goodie bag & several hours of fun.
I was a single mom, living on a very tight budget. But you can ask my dd or her friends and they will remember all the little details of her parties and how much fun was had. I was creative, and worked hard to make it special. I had ideas - and put together these themed parties, and a couple yrs down the road, there would be partyware that would have been perfect - but not nearly as creative as mine - including invitations made from old 45s for a 50s party. Royal scrolls for a princess party. Plain party hats turned into megaphones for a cheerleading party. Or creating an actors slate for a Hollywood party. My biggest expense was my time & that was given with much joy.
Starting also when she was 3 - we also hosted a Christmas Tea Party - incredibly fun, and I love to look back at the photos and watch these little girls grow up into young ladies.
Also, as the summer drew to a close we would do a End of the Summer Fling - they started simple at age 3 or 4 in the backyard with a wading pool, slip-n-slide, watermelon & games, & grew to include meeting at the beach or my parents pool as they grew older
My dd would say some of her happiest memories were these parties - She felt so special, and loved. She also learned how to be a hostess and the joy in entertaining others