ROBBIE Shaw hurtled through our lounge heading for the patio door and out into the garden. There was, however, just one small problem. The patio doors were shut.

He sat in a dazed heap on the floor while silence descended on what had been a noisy afternoon. The momentary bliss of quiet quickly disappeared in the clamour to see if he was all right.

For it had been a rowdy few hours. Screams, laughter, shouting, jelly on the floor (and probably on the walls as well if I’d dared look closely enough), singing, crisps crunching under foot, drinks spilled on the floor, the table and clothes, frantic games, crying, sulking, hair-pulling, kicking and loud music.

It was a birthday party for my daughter. I forget which, but it would be somewhere around the eight year mark.

For that was how children’s birthdays were largely celebrated year in and year out. Their friends came round to your house and absolute bedlam followed for a few hours.

The ‘lucky’ parents then sank serious quantities of alcohol in the aftermath while the star of the show slept soundly in bed.

This went on for several years and then for her 13th birthday we did something a tad different. The village hall was hired out for the bash. We still prepared all the food and organised the games and music.

It was just a birthday party run by us, but on a larger scale. Mad really.

So it’s little wonder that when the age of enlightenment dawned – and a few smart entrepreneurs put their thinking caps on – everything changed. Suddenly parents had a whole new array of glorious opportunities before them. And they took them gladly – with both hands.

Birthday parties were catered for by cinemas, bowling alleys, pubs with strange and wonderful rooms filled with plastic balls, swimming pools and adventure centres.

Everything was laid on a plate and a (reasonably) stress-free event was guaranteed for the parents of the birthday boy or girl.

It cost and arm and a leg, of course, but parents generally felt the price was worth paying to avoid putting their sanity at risk.

However, a report out last week revealed that the traditional children’s party is making a comeback.

It seems that the recession is causing parents to tighten up the purse strings and the home birthday party is back on the menu. The survey, conducted by retailer Argos, said that nearly two thirds of parents questioned said that hosting a party at a special venue every year had now become too extravagant.

Grocery chains are also reporting an increase in demand for party food and party kits.

Frankly I think it’s no bad thing. Despite all the mayhem and strain of a birthday party at home for your offspring, for me, at any rate, it was still a special and memorable occasion.

After all you can go bowling and swimming whenever you like. You only get to clean jelly off your walls once a year.