Maybe because I am new to this birthday stuff, having done it only once before since she’s now two, I am going a little over the top.
First there’s the thing about calling everyone who’s called you – and that’s a long list. Then there are others who you want to invite anyway, so you do. Before I knew it, I had a list of some hundred people – forty-five of them children of varying ages – from 0 to 15!
So there’s the cake, the decorations, the catering, the music, the return gifts (each individually packed for the kids since the ages are so varied I could not just get one thing for everyone)
Then there’s the dress for her to wear. It’s amazing how difficult it is to find something simple you like. If you go for the party dresses, you are confronted with dresses that remind you of layered puddings, and the regular ones are too simple.
Anyway, I was out the whole day yesterday and got most of the work done, also found something nice for her to wear – now she has to wear it, because of late she’s been picky!! It’s a toddler thing I hear..
I returned home in the evening with a throbbing headache and fever. Ugh.
Hopefully, I’ll be better by Sunday.
mommyrage.com 
Wow, it’s amazing how much cultural pressure we get to do things like this — and you’re right, it can get out of hand really quickly! As someone who lives in the Middle East (which, in some ways, is more culturally similar to India), I sympathize.
BTW, how did your party go? Have you recovered yet?
I do hope you’ve recovered and I hope your party went well. We had a minor celebration on my kid’s second birthday. I went all out – almost – for his 3rd, 4th, and 5th birthdays. So I know what kind of a hassle it is to organize it. And then the chaos to manage. You feel like a spinning wheel. Everyone has a good time but you (the mommy.)
And then I said enough. So this year, with his consent, we decided to take the money we would have spent on a party and make it a contribution to a local orphanage. He loved it and I’m glad he’s ‘growing up.’
Hang in there. 🙂