AZE.US
In Azerbaijan, celebrations tied to children – from 40-day ceremonies and gender reveal parties to circumcision events and birthdays – are increasingly being held on a much larger and more expensive scale.
What were once modest family gatherings are, in some cases, turning into highly staged social events with restaurant bookings, elaborate decoration, professional photo and video crews, and large guest lists. On social media, many of these celebrations look less like children’s parties and more like full-scale wedding receptions.
Residents interviewed on the issue say the trend is often driven by social pressure rather than necessity. The logic, they say, is simple: if one family organizes a grand event, others feel they cannot afford to appear less generous or less successful.
Some openly describe the phenomenon as wasteful. In their view, such milestones should be marked in a small family setting rather than turned into a contest of status, image and spending.
Sociologist Uzeyir Shafiyev says these types of events are often less about the child and more about competition among adults. According to him, lavish gender parties, 40-day ceremonies, birthdays and similar gatherings have increasingly become part of a broader display culture in which families try not to fall behind relatives, neighbors or friends.
He argues that the trend is also being encouraged by a growing event industry. Restaurants, decorators, photographers, videographers and party organizers all benefit when even minor family occasions are repackaged as fashionable, large-budget celebrations.
The financial impact, however, can be serious. Shafiyev says some families take out loans or go into debt simply to keep up appearances. That, in turn, can create tension inside the household and trigger conflicts among relatives.
He adds that children’s events should reflect the child’s age and psychological comfort. Family celebrations can help children feel valued, supported and emotionally secure – but only when they are designed around the child, not around adult expectations.
In many cases, he says, the opposite happens: parents organize parties that suit adult tastes, adult ambitions and adult social competition. The result can be stress, discomfort and sensory overload for the child, while the event itself becomes more meaningful for the guests than for the child it is meant to celebrate.
The cost can also be substantial. According to the figures cited in the report, restaurant expenses and professional photo and video services alone for events such as gender reveal parties, 40-day ceremonies or small children’s celebrations can range from 1,000 to 5,000 manats.
That does not include decoration, food or entertainment. In some cases, the total bill for a relatively small celebration can climb to between 10,000 and 30,000 manats.