So, next month my son turns two (how did that happen, etc?) Last year, it being his first birthday, we went to town, hiring a venue, buying cakes, decorations and generally fussing more than was necessary. It was only afterwards that I mentally totted up the bill and thought, hmm. Not sure why we did that. Particularly as he’ll never remember a thing. But first birthday parties aren’t for the children – they’re an excuse for their socially starved parents to have a get-together.

But as kids grow older, birthday parties become non-negotiable. Thankfully, as the FT has reported the days of competitive children’s parties are over and parents are returning to a more retro, homespun feel, with jelly-and-ice cream, Pin the Tail on the Donkey and bunting being the three shortcuts to a successful party. Amen to that, we say. Here are some other tips for keeping costs down:

Keep the guest list small

Mumsnetters think that the number of guests should equal the number of candles on the cake. My friend Jo thinks it should be child’s age plus one. Either way, it’s a small number.

Invitations

E-vites are a free, convenient way of sending invitations. All too often they’re also tacky and garish, but a couple of American companies produce free online invites as nice as anything you’d receive in the post. Try Cocodot, or my favourite, Paperless Post.

Keep it short

An hour and a half is plenty. That way no one has time to get bored and/or grumpy.

And if you schedule it for around 2.30pm – i.e. between lunch and dinner – your guests won’t eat as much.

The venue

When I lived in LA, everybody held their kids’ parties in the local park, but then, they have guaranteed weather. In England we aren’t so lucky. Obviously home is the cheapest place to host it (if you can face the chaos), but if space doesn’t allow, try your local church or city farm. Both often have rooms for hire at affordable rates.

Food and drink

Keep it simple: sandwiches – cut into shapes, if you want to be fancy about it, and pin-wheel sandwiches (wraps sliced widthways to make bite-sized eats). Alongside the usual crisps and sweets, fruit kebabs will go down well with parents, as will cubes of cheese, halved cherry tomatoes and cucumber and carrot batons (naturally everybody will ignore these, but it always looks good to have them on hand.)

When it comes to the cake, fresh cream and soft fruit (such as raspberries) can be expensive, so cupcakes tend to be a cheaper option than, say, a Victoria sponge.

Decorations

For a home-spun feel, let your kids make paper chains. These, along with, balloons and crepe paper, are the cheapest way to liven up a bare room, while cardboard bunting, available on eBay is cheaper than its cloth equivalent. Don’t forget to ask friends and family if they have any party decorations you can borrow – many parents will have last year’s sitting in a box somewhere.

If you’re inclined to effort, you could make your own bunting from clashing fabric offcuts and afterwards use it to decorate your child’s bedroom. For inspiration, check out trendy Shoreditch shop Beyond Fabrics.

{Photo: Anurag Agnihorti}