Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Chuck E Cheese, Laser Tag, and movie theaters like Chunky’s were where we usually held my two youngest kids’ birthday parties in the 90’s and early 2000’s.

My older daughter’s tenth birthday in 1992 was at the McDonald’s playground that used to be in Davis Square, and her twelfth birthday was a pool party at The Holiday Inn off Washington St. in Somerville. The boys had some parties at a place called Kids Playground and Laser Quest in Danvers for laser tag.

Children’s parties have become elaborate and expensive ordeals. Even if you have a party in your backyard you will pay a lot, especially if it’s a theme party. My grandkids have had Cat in The Hat, Toy Story, and Disney Princesses themed parties. Every related item possible can be purchased either at places like Party City or online. Cha-Ching $! It can be a car payment when you’re through, but that’s what we do for our kids. Not so in the old days.

In 1960 The Flintstones had just premiered on TV, JFK was our new President and life was good for a kid having a birthday. If mom didn’t just make one from scratch, she would go down to the A&P, or Johnnie’s Foodmaster and buy a Pillsbury or Betty Crocker cake mix. If we were lucky, she would let us lick the mixer beaters. Most of the time she would shut the mixer off first! That was a big deal. Then she would make the frosting and decorate it.

Of course, there was also plenty of Sealtest ice cream and snacks for all. For beverages, there was Zarex, or Kool Ade, or soda. My Uncle Chick worked at Cott’s Bottling Company in Somerville, so all my family parties had Cott’s beverages (it’s Cott to be good!).

Our birthday parties were held at the kitchen table as shown in the photo. The table and chairs were well made thick wood, and lasted forever. We actually just threw that very table pictured out last year.

The party goers were the kids from the neighborhood and/or your siblings and cousins. In the photo shown from my birthday party in 1960, there were kids from four neighbor families on Pearson Ave. Four kids lived across the street, three lived next door, two lived upstairs, and me, my brother and sister. Can’t get any any closer that.

And it was a fun time in our lives. We were with our first friends. We played in the street together, we all went to the same school, and our parents were friends. But after eating all that cake and ice cream and soda, there was the danger of the dreaded sugar rush. 12 kids all hopped up on mega sweets could get messy!

I remember one party when me and my cousin Butch got in trouble for squishing cheese puffs on each other’s foreheads and flicking ice cream at the girls. And where were the parents during these 60’s kids’ parties? Mom kept watch over the kids while the other parents were in the living room smoking their brains out. No one cared about our clean, young healthy lungs back then. No one thought of the hazards. Every so often dad would come in the kitchen and grab a few more cans of Shlitz or Ballantine Ale from the fridge for the adult guests.

Now let’s look at some of the presents that I would have gotten for my seventh birthday party in 1960. We didn’t get gift cards, we got actual stuff. An Aurora Frankenstein model, a Tonka Toy truck, or maybe a Popeye Colorforms set. There was always at least one gift that came from Davis Square’s Bargain Center. You could tell because it either smelled like smoke or it was singed from a fire.

Fast forward to modern day. A couple of my grandkids’ parties were held at farms. Kids could pet the animals, and there would be a hayride. My butt hurt from sitting on the floor of that crowded horse drawn wagon and I’d be pulling strands of hay out of my socks on the ride home, not to mention smelling like a horse. But everyone had a blast. One year the theme was unicorns and my daughter hired a horse that they actually “turned into” a unicorn (see photo) Hope they didn’t use super glue!

Today there are trampoline parties, parkour parties, and a slew of clowns, magicians, singers, and other performers for hire for your kid’s birthday party. If you have a trampoline or parkour party I’d probably invite an EMT or have an ambulance … parkoured outside, just to be safe.

My birthday party in 1960 was bittersweet. It was in July, and my family was moving in September to our new home near Davis Square. We went from being around the corner from Ball Square to being a stone’s throw from Davis Square, but it seemed a world away.

Moving was very traumatic for me at age 7, my sister who was 8, and my 4-year-old little brother. It took us a while to get used to the new street. Our new house was scary. The new neighborhood kids were mean. My cousin Butch had to come over and straighten out the bully next door. We missed our Pearson Ave. friends.

Today, I just pop over to Lyndell’s Bakery (where I worked when I was 16) and pick up a cake for the small family birthday parties we now have for me, mom, the boys, or grandma. As far as the grandkids are concerned, I know there will be lots more wonderful, exciting, themed parties that my daughter loves throwing.

I’ll never forget those birthday parties we had many years ago when we were kids. They were some very special and warm times. Simple, fun and memorable. And even though we didn’t have a magician who pulled a rabbit out his hat, my dad and uncles could pull a cold Narraganset Ale out of the fridge and make it disappear. I miss those magical times.

Stay safe my friends.