Wow so many nasty responses.

I think it’s a good excuse to have a party. Make it clear on the invite you were itching to do something now that it’s safer, and it’s just for the kids to have a little fun, no gifts.

I’ve known a lot of 5th grade graduation parties, and gone to them, but none were “gift” parties, usually one parent would host and invite the 5th graders and their kid is friends with, and parents. Just an excuse to get together.

I’m going to one - since the 5th grade graduation is a lame-o drive through at school, I’m glad one of the parents is doing something festive .

I hate to be blunt but hearing stuff like this as a new(er) mom, I think this is crazy. Preschool, kindergarten, elementary school graduations are crazy. How low are we setting the bar for our kids?! And people wonder how entitled kids come about?

When elementary school was over, it just meant summer vacation! And that was GREAT!

Anonymous wrote:No.

Your kid is not graduating. They’re moving on to 6th grade.

All these “graduations” are ridiculous.

What is the resistance to a 5th grade “graduation” or “promotion” ceremony? I don’t understand. Who cares? A grown adult stubbornly refusing to acknowledge/give blessing to this small, simple rite of passage is confusing. Why not? What’s it to you? It doesn’t put you out, does it?

As for a party, one of my friends is throwing a party and we will attend. I am also making plans with other friends. This year especially- any excuse to celebrate & party is fine by me!

We need to cancel using the terms "graduate" or "graduation" to refer to elementary school.

Anonymous wrote:Some people host end-of-the-school-year parties, but not "graduation" parties for one specific kid. Having a "graduation" party for an ES or MS kid seems like overkill and might come across like a gift grab. If you want to just have a "Yay! Summer's here!" get-together, go ahead. Or have a belated birthday party.

+1. We plan to invite DC’s group of four close friends over for an ice cream sundae celebration on the last day of school. No gifts or games, just a chance for these fifth graders to mark a milestone.

In our circles (VA, further out), we saw a handful of large pool parties. They tended to be wider celebrations rather than with a specific guest of honor and had relatively long guest lists such as whole class or all of one gender in a class.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please, God, no. Please no. Please do not invite me or beg for gifts.

You sound nasty. Doubt you get invited anywhere.

OP, sounds like you’re just looking for a reason to celebrate and have a party. Perfectly understandable, but this is not a good one Do a belated bday / half-bday / summer’s here gathering as PP’s mention above. Everybody loves a party!

We get invited EVERYWHERE and two and three times every weekend. It’s fricking oppressive. And everyone does not like lame parties! You sound like a very unpopular puppy, PP, piddling at the thought of being invited anywhere.

I was hoping things would change after the pandemic and here is OP wanting to add a new one. No! Just no! Dear God, no!

No. And I am eternally grateful not to have one more celebration to attend.

Besides, I thought it was in poor taste to have any graduation party when the person was continuing in school. Like no high school graduation party (meaning individual thrown by parents) if the child was going to college. The graduation celebration was held off until the end of the person’s formal education.

Anonymous wrote:Please, God, no. Please no. Please do not invite me or beg for gifts.

You sound nasty. Doubt you get invited anywhere.

OP, sounds like you’re just looking for a reason to celebrate and have a party. Perfectly understandable, but this is not a good one Do a belated bday / half-bday / summer’s here gathering as PP’s mention above. Everybody loves a party!

Please, God, no. Please no. Please do not invite me or beg for gifts.

No, that's weird.

Where do you live, OP?

My kids are in MCPS and the elementary schools typically do a "clap out" for their 5th grade promotion ceremonies. These are usually in the evening, so many people go out to dinner afterward. For one kid, someone reserved a private room at a restaurant and they had it ready with pizzas, salad, drinks, etc. I think we were about 45 people. Other kid was last year, so we had some friends in the back yard and ordered takeout.