Kim Kardashian transformed her home for her daughter Chicago’s fifth birthday in a manner that some criticized as excessively grandiose.
A Reddit post in the r/Anticonsumption forum highlighted the January 2023 Hello Kitty-themed bash at Kardashian’s mansion, where everything, including newly installed pink carpeting, was draped in pink, a detail also covered by Cosmopolitan. The event featured an abundance of balloons and child-friendly snacks.
The video’s caption on Instagram by Oink (@oink) humorously expressed a wish to be reincarnated as one of Kardashian’s children, emphasizing the extravagance of the event.
People.com reported that the menu for Chicago and her friends consisted of items like a ramen bar, waffle pops, Hello Kitty-themed grilled cheeses, and a milkshake station, all likely to be hits with the young guests. The waffle sticks came with an array of toppings such as strawberries, powdered sugar, whipped cream, sprinkles, Oreos, fruity pebbles, and blueberries. The children also enjoyed activities like painting Hello Kitty ceramics, making slime, and face painting, with a special appearance by a dancing Hello Kitty character.
Some Reddit users expressed dismay at the perceived wastefulness of the party’s decorations, particularly the use of the new carpeting, which they speculated was disposed of rather than donated.
One user found the Instagram caption about wanting to be reborn as one of Kardashian’s children troubling, citing the family’s perceived narcissism.
The debate about whether such extravagance stems from affection or a quest for social media validation is ongoing. However, the environmental impact, especially of the carpet waste, is clear. Such wastefulness raises concerns about its appropriateness for any celebration, even for the extremely wealthy.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. annually accumulates over four billion pounds of carpet waste, which is hard to recycle due to its bulky nature and diverse materials.
Kardashian’s event isn’t the first to be scrutinized by the r/Anticonsumption community; Paris Hilton and John Travolta’s mansions have also been topics of discussion.
Kardashian’s birthday party serves as another example of how some elite members of society overlook the importance of waste reduction and prudent expenditure, with one commenter highlighting a website that contrasts the wealth of billionaires like Kardashian with that of the average American.
