Is this a new birthday party trend?

[Anonymous]

Having a joint birthday party? 2 school friends having a birthday party together?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having a joint birthday party? 2 school friends having a birthday party together?

Not sure but I have seen it done. Makes a ton of sense for 2 kids who are friends, or even are in the same preK or early elementary class (since guest lists will be pretty much the same- usually whole class parties).

[Anonymous]

I don’t know but I’d totally do it for my preK kid. Parties are just big excuses to get the whole class together and they happen a lot — it would be easier to split planning with another family.

[Anonymous]

Yes, pretty common especially if you’re inviting the whole class. We’ve done it twice. Once with one other friend and another time with two other friends. In each instance it was at a venue and we invited the whole class. Splitting the party cost was a huge benefit. We did all agree to a “no gift” party (which will surely trigger people here) to ensure party goers weren’t buying 2 or 3 gifts.

[Anonymous]

Not new. I had those myself as a child. Only works if it's no gifts, of course.

[Anonymous]

New? Hardly.

Common? No.

Unheard of? Also no.

[Anonymous]

Its not prek. Its upper elementary kids and not invited the entire class. Just their friends(common and individual).

[Anonymous]

We used to do this in preschool with a kid whose birthday was very close to my kid’s — worked out great bc people are busy and don’t want to attend two parties on a weekend (plus cheaper). I love the idea of two elementary (or older) kids with a common friend group celebrating together. Why not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its not prek. Its upper elementary kids and not invited the entire class. Just their friends(common and individual).

This seems unusual. They normally stop before this age and, like others said, usually include the whole class.

[Anonymous]

I had a joint birthday party with a classmate in in 1979. Not that new.

[Anonymous]

This was the standard for us when our kids had whole class parties in pre-k through 1st or so in ny. Our classes were also divided by age in pre-k (Sept-Jan and Feb-summer), so it would have been party overload for every kid to have their own party. We even did a couple of triple parties along the way.

[Anonymous]

4th grade - 2 joint parties this year. Families are friends/kids have close bdays + expensive venues. Each kid got to invite half the kids.

[Anonymous]

On the topic of kid birthdays, is it acceptable or even encouraged to give a bookstore or Target gift certificate as a present? We had an all class party and got several of these and I was surprised and pleased to not get another toy (while I am usually anti gift card). I am thinking of giving gift cards to parties DS is invited to this year but don’t know how they are viewed by others.

[Anonymous]

I love the idea and wish more did it. Would love to not have an invitation to a birthday party every single weekend.

[Anonymous]

We did it years ago as both kids had a birthday the same week and they were good friends and easier for both parents. But, majority of the invites were from the school they attended.