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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2018 22:14:48 GMT
We don't have parties of any sort because we have exactly zero friends to invite. We spend whatever money a party would cost on the kid graduating or having a birthday.
My ex had a party for our DD last year for graduation. She was basically pissed that he spent so much money and no one brought any gifts. We bought a laptop for the same price as the party.
But here they are a thing like any other reason to party, if you have a social circle. We just don't have a social circle.
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kelly8875
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Post by kelly8875 on Jan 27, 2018 22:16:05 GMT
They’re normal here too, but if you or your graduate don’t want one, then don’t have it. DS was indifferent to his, and a great friend of his didn’t even have one...that family went on vacation to celebrate.
I won’t care if DD doesn’t want one next year...less work for me. And the people that love her and support her would likely give her a gift anyway, whether there’s a party or not.
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Jan 27, 2018 22:18:21 GMT
I didn't have one, for financial reasons, when I graduated. Open houses were popular then, iirc.
If my kids want parties, I'll throw them one, even if they're small.
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AllieC
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Post by AllieC on Jan 27, 2018 23:06:35 GMT
I have never heard of one here (Australia) nor extended family travelling to graduations. There is usually some ceremony or dinner for the kids and immediate family but that is it. The first time I heard of big parties for high school graduation (and senior photos, graduation gifts etc) was on 2Peas.
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Post by krcrafts on Jan 27, 2018 23:39:38 GMT
Both of my daughters wanted a party, so we had themes and food and entertainment -- like a diy photo booth and silly things like sidewalk chalk and bubbles (yes, they were HS grad parties. lol). They had fun, I enjoyed planning them and made good memories. For their college graduation (they graduated from college together), we took them out to dinner, no party.
ETA: My grandmother and aunt threw a surprise grad party for me when I graduated.
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Post by queenbeeof3 on Jan 28, 2018 1:06:38 GMT
I have had 3 HS graduation parties for my 3 daughters as we have a large local extended family. My daughters' friends also had parties but my impression is that it is a "girl" thing as I don't recall any of their male friends having a grad party.
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Post by workingclassdog on Jan 28, 2018 1:40:11 GMT
Parties are a thing here for the most part. We did two parties one for each kiddo, but very very much on the low side cost wise. At our house, in the garage with friends and family. Bought some decorations from the dollar store and all potluck. That's it really.. Set up some chairs and visit... (garage parties is almost all we can do for the size of our house.. backyard is way to hot and nowhere really to get shade. So the garage is just a logical place for our house/neighborhood.
When I graduated I don't think parties were a thing, if they were I wasn't invited, but I was terribly shy so..... I don't think my circle of friends had parties either... this was in 1986. I went out to eat with my dad.
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scrapaddie
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Post by scrapaddie on Jan 28, 2018 3:41:28 GMT
When I graduated, there was no party. They were rare. When my dd graduated, nearly very one had a party. She did not want one. We just had a family thing. We did have a big party when she got her BS
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Post by betty on Jan 28, 2018 4:59:18 GMT
I did not have one and only attended one as a kid but that was because the father of the graduate had a recent spinal injury and they wanted friends to come there since he could not attend ceremony. Both of my step children had huge expensive graduation parties as did their friends so it must be popular where they live but not here. My son graduates this year and since our closest family is 1,000 miles away and will be visiting I plan on serving them dinner on the evening of graduation probably with a few balloons or decorations and lunch the next afternoon (cookout by the pool with our usual hula skirt table decorations & flowers) but not a big party with friends, coaches, neighbors, etc. It is more of a "semi annual gathering" since we last all got together at Thanksgiving and skipped Christmas this year. A May graduation frees us all up for the whole summer! ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png)
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lilypad
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Post by lilypad on Jan 28, 2018 5:33:46 GMT
Grad parties are a big deal where I live. Between mid-May and the end of June we typically have to go to a few every week. When my oldest kids were graduating seniors we could have 5 to go to on some Saturdays and Sundays. Most kids have them with one or two friends. I didn’t grow up in an area where it was a thing and it has taken a bit of getting used to but overall I think it is fun and a good way way to mark a milestone. I think it’s a good opportunity to teach the kids how to entertain..we and I think most people in our area expect the kids to help a lot with planning, shopping, set-up etc. On the day of the party they stand at the entrance and greet all the guests and make small talk, etc. Of course the kids have to clean up and send thank you notes right away. Parties here range from super simple afternoon cookouts to fully catered evening parties with a full bar. I really dreaded the whole thing at first it turned out to be a lot of fun and I know my kids appreciated it. My youngest is a sophomore and I imagine he’ll have a party as well but if he doesn’t want one I think using the money for a trip or something else he wanted would be a great alternative.
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Post by katlady on Jan 28, 2018 6:37:28 GMT
It was not a thing when I graduated. No one I knew had one.
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Post by nlwilkins on Jan 28, 2018 9:22:38 GMT
When I graduated, the dinosaurs were not interested. We had Senior Prom and Jr. Prom and that was all. The party was saved for the going away. We had to leave the island to go to a decent college. Everybody would show up at the airport with leis and all. My plane was more than an hour late in leaving so eventually all went home and we showed back up in the middle of the night to board. the plane.
With the girls, all the high schools would have what was called Project Graduation and everybody, I mean everybody, went to that. It was an all-nighter where the doors were locked and no one could get out or in after a certain time. It was a huge event and the parents worked on it and did fund raisers for it for months. Local businesses would donate prizes for some of the games and refreshments were available all night long. It was supposed to take the place of graduation parties where the kids would get drunk and be in danger from driving while drunk. Basically, it worked as I did not hear of any other grad parties except the family gathering kind,
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Post by vi on Jan 28, 2018 12:13:32 GMT
I know graduation parties were a big thing in the midwest with my family but I lived in California when my kids were in school. It was grad night at Disneyland so no one I knew had a graduation party also.
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peabay
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Post by peabay on Jan 28, 2018 12:49:14 GMT
Pretty much a given. We have the same one for all 4 girls - a pizza truck, tent in the yard, we invite family, they invite friends. It's 3 hours and over.
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pilcas
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Post by pilcas on Jan 28, 2018 15:45:16 GMT
I’m in NYC and my daughter just graduated last June. The graduation was in the morning and most of her friends went out to lunch afterwards with their inmediate family. At this time of year it is common to see small groups of people at restaurants celebrating graduations. Nobody I know has big parties. Prom around here is a pretty big, expensive event so maybe everyone is done with expensive parties.
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Post by Tamhugh on Jan 29, 2018 20:24:50 GMT
My parents had a party for me in 1983 when I graduated. It was family and friends in our backyard. When my kids graduated, we also had parties in our backyard. We spent most weekends in the summer of their graduation years party hopping. That must have been expensive! ![:smile:](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) We just went to a few parties for very close friends, we couldn't afford to go to all of them. It would have been fun though, the food always looks so good! It was. We gave small token gifts to the kids we weren't as close to, but it still added up. DH and I said all of the parents should have made a pact not to exchange gifts because it felt like we were just swapping checks.
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Post by PLurker on Jan 29, 2018 22:49:03 GMT
Pretty much a given. We have the same one for all 4 girls - a pizza truck, tent in the yard, we invite family, they invite friends. It's 3 hours and over. Not a pizza truck around here to be had, but that in genius. If either of them wanted a party and that was an option, I'd do that. ...as the pizza truck drives away with much of the mess and hassle.
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peabay
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Post by peabay on Jan 29, 2018 22:52:18 GMT
Pretty much a given. We have the same one for all 4 girls - a pizza truck, tent in the yard, we invite family, they invite friends. It's 3 hours and over. Not a pizza truck around here to be had, but that in genius. If either of them wanted a party and that was an option, I'd do that. ...as the pizza truck drives away with much of the mess and hassle. They are the best. Soup to nuts: salad, artisanal pizzas, gelato and cappuccino.
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Post by maryland on Jan 29, 2018 23:17:14 GMT
That must have been expensive! ![:smile:](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) We just went to a few parties for very close friends, we couldn't afford to go to all of them. It would have been fun though, the food always looks so good! It was. We gave small token gifts to the kids we weren't as close to, but it still added up. DH and I said all of the parents should have made a pact not to exchange gifts because it felt like we were just swapping checks. That's a great idea for the parents to agree not to exchange gifts! My brother/SIL and my husband and I stopped exchanging Christmas gifts after we both got each other pillows for Christmas (which we all asked for).
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Peal
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Post by Peal on Jan 30, 2018 1:46:10 GMT
When I graduated, a bunch of us went out after graduation and got up to no good. It's one of the few things I did in my youth that I really cringe about.
We asked DS if he wanted a party and he said no, until about three days before graduation, then he said yes. He ended up inviting his besties over and they all brought their computers and had a LAN party. We provided pizza and soda. It was perfect for him.
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leeny
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Post by leeny on Jan 30, 2018 2:37:38 GMT
We asked each kid what they wanted. 2 of three had picnics at a neighborhood park. They hung with their friends, played soccer and volleyball. Adults sat around reminiscing about when the kids were younger ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/5645536/images/MNrJDkDuSwqIMVw33MdD.jpg)
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Post by walkerdill on Jan 30, 2018 3:34:32 GMT
My dd is graduating in June & asked for a party. So I guess we're having a party.
I don't remember graduation parties when I was in high school.
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StephDRebel
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Post by StephDRebel on Jan 30, 2018 4:01:43 GMT
it's the norm around here. we will party for just about anything.
my twins both opted out
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teddyw
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Post by teddyw on Jan 30, 2018 13:44:57 GMT
I Have a graduate this year. Was hoping for a buy out. My middle dd did that. One of her bff’s moms is very ill and she and another friend were worried he wouldn’t have one so we are doing a combo party. Not at anyone’s house though. Too many people now. Dd’s golf club has a large room & balcony that we can use and bring in any food we want. They require you to use their bar. We are not serving alcohol so that’s not an issue.
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Post by jassy on Jan 30, 2018 14:34:34 GMT
It's the norm here. I had one graduate last year, and he wanted a party - we rented a cabin with good outdoor space, had it catered, a big bonfire, etc.
I have another son graduating next year, and a big party would be torture for him. He hates being the center of attention and making small talk with large groups of people. He will be going for further culinary training after high school and instead wants an extended family dinner (that would be 18 people) at Michael Symon's flagship restaurant here in Cleveland. I'm excited about it! It's the perfect celebratory event for him.
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