Instead of the regular cake-and-candles bash, parents and children are choosing ways to make the celebration more meaningful and personalised. Five families tell us how
Setting sail
In the hope of giving their son a different experience every birthday, the Bhandare couple took to the seas a few years ago. "We had been thinking of a boat ride for quite some time, but we had to wait till Advay turned the minimum permitted age," say parents, Neha and Kunal. On his fourth birthday, therefore, Advay was eligible for a sailboat ride, and so the family headed to the jetty by the Gateway of India. It was an enriching evening for her son, says Neha, as he got to journey on the sea for an hour and also watch a sunset. "Since Advay is a March baby, the weather is great for sailing. Besides, he has always had an attraction for water," says Neha. What made it a memorable birthday experience was that the sailboat crew had decked up the vessel with balloons and also got a cake for him to cut.
Total Cost: Rs 5,000 for an hour-long ride for a family of three
Diving in
Martin Ebnazer and Jessica Martin are not the kind who think big first birthday bashes are the way to go for toddlers. "There are too many guests and loud music and babies usually end up crying uncomfortably. I am not sure if they actually enjoy it. It seems like an awful waste of money over something a baby won't even remember," says Martin, a college lecturer. It was the reason why the couple took their son Oliver for his first swimming lesson last year on his birthday instead of throwing a mega party for him. "Knowing how much he loves playing in water, we thought it would be good to do something that he enjoys," says the dad.
Oliver, therefore, spent his first birthday at Baby's Castle in Santacruz, which has a play-zone and kiddie pools. In these pools specially designed for kids, Oliver had a personal trainer. As he buoyed about in his float, Martin and Jessica took turns to step into the pool with him. "He was very enthusiastic and it looked like he just wanted to spend more time in it," says Martin. "Our families and friends wondered why we hadn't chosen to throw a party but they soon understood when we said that it was Olly's day. We will certainly start hosting parties for him when he turns five, and is old enough to choose his birthday cake and remember the occasion," says Martin.
Total Cost: Approximately Rs 2,000 for a kiddy pool
Have a woof-y birthday
About a couple of years ago, Bengaluru-resident Mira Nandi adopted a pup from an animal shelter. When Mira turned 13 this year, she thought that, for a change, she'd spend it with her furry friends at the shelter instead of throwing a party. At Charlie's Animal Rescue Centre, in Yelahanka, they have about 305 dogs, of which many have suffered the brunt of old age and been abandoned by their pet parents. Thesy are kept company by rescued cats, ducks, pigs, and the occasional cow. On her birthday, Mira and her parents enjoyed sponsoring the day's meal for these birds and animals, and just hung out at the centre, watching them play or snooze. What's more, Mira also decided to treat the caretakers and other staff at the centre to a birthday lunch.
Total Cost: Rs 5,000 for lunch
Turning old, naturally
Last weekend, as Arham Mota turned 10, he was pretty sure that he wanted to celebrate his birthday outdoors. His parents have always planned different themes for his birthday parties, right from a cooking party to an eco-friendly theme, and this time around, they decided that they wouldn't do a restaurant party. Arham's friends were invited to a guided nature trail at the Maharashtra Nature Park in Sion. Here, they explored the park's various nooks, including its amphitheatre, and learned about different kinds of mushrooms, bird sounds, butterflies and harvest stations.
Cake-cutting is strictly not permitted inside the park and so Arham organised cupcakes and packed snacks for his friends. He just thought that his friends ought to be informed that there will be plenty of natural company but no birthday cake, so that they'd know what to expect. "The park expects you to keep the place clean. We made sure we disposed all the plastic and waste that would have accumulated after the party. It helps to pack in snack boxes, therefore, so that guests can carry the food home as well," says Arham's mother, Harshana.
Total Cost: Rs 1,000 for snacks and a guided tour
Learning new lines
Five-year-old Jiya Dand loves the story of Cinderella, so, for her birthday, her parents thought it would be a great idea to take this a step forward. Her mother, Surabhi, tells us that they checked with their friend Sangeeta Vyas, who runs Pitaara, an art centre in Goregaon, to see how they could do this. On Jiya's birthday, she and her friends got a chance to get on stage and deliver a few lines as characters from the Cinderella tale.
Jiya's friends had been informed earlier about the theme, so the young ones turned up in their party suits and frilly frocks. "We couldn't have a full-fledged speech and drama workshop as they are too young, but it is a good start," says Surabhi.
"We have been keen on creative ways of celebrating birthdays for Jiya — a way for her to not just enjoy the day but also learn something. It should ground them," says Surabhi, a psychotherapist. She adds that a baking workshop would have been the other option. However, no matter what the theme, Surabhi believes that cake is a must. "It cannot be a birthday without cake," she tells us.
Total Cost: Rs 15,000 for booking stage, food and decor
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