I wasn't going to fork out for a professional birthday cake for my son, so made a Minecraft one myself with M&S bargains
WE all want to give our kids a magical birthday, no matter the budget.
And one mum has shared how she created a personalised Minecraft cake for her son's birthday without paying a professional.
Taking to TikTok, Cara, a mum-of-five, made her own delicious cake for her son's birthday using M&S and Amazon buys.
In the clip, she said: "Come DIY my son's Minecraft birthday cake using two cakes from M&S.
"I feel absolutely awful but I left it way too last minute to order Noah a birthday cake, then I couldn't get one booked in anywhere so thought I'd go to M&S and do it myself."
She said her son was a big chocolate lover so grabbed the M&S chocolate Mini Bite Cake for £20 and the Cookies and Cream cake.
She used the cookie flavour cake as the bottom tier and removed the chocolate decorations and moved them to the chocolate cake that would suit on top.
To make sure the two cakes were secure, she stuck a few cocktail sticks into the bottom one before placing the other on top.
Next, the savvy mum had some Amazon bits to complete the cake and turn it into a Minecraft bonanza that Noah would love.
She was able to find a Minecraft logo and happy birthday sign made out of edible rice paper, so cut them out and placed them on top of the cake.
Cara also found some Minecraft figurines made of icing and stuck those on top as well.
"These are amazing," she said, "And I just popped them all over the cake.
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"Noah is Minecraft obsessed and Steve is his absolute favourite character, so I know he's gonna absolutely love this.
The final cake was perfect for her son and the rest of her family to enjoy while celebrating his birthday.
Cara added: "I mean it's not the best cake in the world but I know he's gonna absolutely love it and it was literally on a budget."
The clip of her DIY cake was shared on her TikTok account @ cara_mamato5 and soon went viral with over 170k views and 2,800 likes.
The cost of a professional birthday cake can vary massively depending on how big you want it and what decor you want.
A basic sponge or character cake from the supermarket can cost between £10 to £20.
A small personalised custom cake from a bakery or cake maker can set you back up to £60.
While medium cakes, with multiple tiers like what Cara made can be an eye-watering £100.
How much do experts advise spending on a child's birthday?
A study by major toy retailer TK Maxx revealed that one in three parents admit to spending less on presents for their own children and their children's friends compared to five years ago.
Average Spend: Parents spend an average of £175 on birthday gifts for their kids, while presents for their children's friends can cost up to £95 a year, adding extra strain on household finances.
Gifts and Parties: Children receive around 12 presents per birthday, and parents take their kids to an average of four birthday parties annually.
Top Five Gifts Parents Buy for Children:
Clothes: 49%
Books: 46%
Technology: 39%
Traditional Board Games: 38%
Remote Controlled Toys: 26%
Dolls: 25%
How Much Should You Spend on a Child's Birthday?
Experts generally suggest keeping birthday spending reasonable and within the family's budget. A common guideline is to spend around £10 to £20 per year of the child's age. For example:
5-year-old: £50 to £100
Remember, the focus should be on creating memorable experiences rather than adhering strictly to a spending rule.
Simple, thoughtful, and creative celebrations can often be just as enjoyable and meaningful for the child.
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