Spending on birthdays and weddings has now gone to another level of insane

I celebrated my birthday last week. Less than eight close friends, a gourmet meal, fine alcohol for the ponces, Heathen beer for me, and mad, unbridled conversation that mercilessly included deeply embarrassing anecdotes about me when I was a teenager. Total cost: Less than a second-hand iPhone 6. Value: Priceless.
That got me thinking about how spending on birthdays, engagements, and weddings, which were always out of control, has now gone to another level of insane. And it's got nothing to do with the child or the wedding couple.