by Jeanette Tamara

Throwing a birthday party for children in Jakarta is a complicated business.

There are many things that must be prepared: The venue, decorations, entertainment and souvenirs for the junior guests to bring home.

Gone are the days when a birthday guest would bring home candy in a plastic bags tied with a red ribbon.

Now they come home toting fancy bags decorated with their favorite cartoon character. The latest trend even sees kids leaving the party with a tiny, colorful plastic chair in their hands; the chair on which they sat during the party.

These days, children's birthday parties are as much social affairs as they are family gatherings.

Many parents choose to hire professional help, and subsequently a number of new services have begun to emerge in Jakarta to tap this market.

Dewi Melia, the mother of a 2-year-old, said nowadays the choice is unlimited.

"Even junk food restaurants offer a lot to choose from," she said at her daughter's second birthday party.

There has been a rapid increase in the number of party organizers specializing in children.

There are restaurants that can provide the venue and activities, party organizers that can help parents find the required equipment and independent stores that provide souvenirs, cakes and decorations.

Parents usually buy souvenirs at wholesale markets, including in Mangga Dua or Asemka in North and West Jakarta, respectively.

Dewi said she usually bought souvenirs at hypermarkets, including Carrefour.

She said parents usually sought venues that offered room for the parents to hang out in during the party.

"Children always come with parents and they also need something to do while waiting for their kids," she said.

Keeping to your budget is also an important element in holding a party.

Heny Sofian, the mother of an 8-year-old, said parents usually set a budget of around Rp 3 million.

"With that budget, parents have many options to choose from," she said.

Parents can hold parties in children's amusement centers.

Kidzania, a children's center that opened in Indonesia in late 2007, also provides a full party package for children. However, convenience comes at a price -- Rp 150,000 per child.

Some parents still choose to hold their parties at home. Heny said home offered better flexibility.

"We have unlimited time so the guests can leave whenever they want," she said.

However, the negatives of having a house full of screaming children simply did not outweigh the positives.

"There's no significant difference in terms of price and it's so tiring because we have to take care of everything by ourselves," she said.

Some mothers said they opted to hold their parties at their children's schools for the sake of simplicity -- parents only need to bring a cake, food and souvenirs.

However, some schools have forbidden parents from throwing parties on their premises, citing hampered learning activities.

Thus, fast food restaurants, which typically charge Rp 20,000 per child, are still considered the most viable option.

McDonald's paved the way for the fast food birthday party by offering the first birthday package of its kind.

A standard package at a fast food restaurant consists of food, an MC, decoration, sound system, souvenirs, balloons, party hats, games and gifts. Clowns and cakes are usually available as extras.

Fast food restaurants are usually located in strategic spots.

"They're usually located in shopping centers that are easy to access," Dewi said.

She argued that holding a party at a fast food restaurant is more practical. "They provide everything," she said.

Fast food restaurants also reward parents with flexibility.

"If I order for 40 people and only 30 come, I only have to pay for 30 people," said Dewi.

This article was first published in The Jakarta Post on September 3, 2008.