Why would I deprive one kid each year because of when I conceived? Both get their own separate parties each year.

Each gets/got their own party every year but ours are pretty laid back events. We didn’t have parties for friends until they were in school and they were pretty much over the bigger, all-class parties by middle school so that’s really not that many in the grand scheme of things.

But I like laid back parties so I guess that makes a difference?

My brother and I were only a few days apart and we always had separate parties, other than when we were really young. We are only a year apart.

My boys are 2 years apart but also only a few days apart. We always do joint parties because so many of their friends are siblings or mutual friends who are our neighbors. There would be so much overlap if we did two parties that it makes more sense to do one. We also have the grandparents over for their actual birthdays.

We also offer them a choice between a trip or a party and they chose trip some years. So it really just depends.

I have four kids all born within three weeks of each other.

Every year is different depending on their ages, wants and guest lists. Sometimes there is a joint party or two. Sometimes everyone is separate. Sometimes i will move one party up a week or another a week later so there is some space between parties.

I don't do venue parties until they are in school.

I figure they didn't ask to all be born so close together so I just figure out a way to give them all a birthday party.

My kids' birthdays are all about a month apart.

They all got separate parties.

However, my youngest with a May birthday, I found by far the hardest to schedule once she was is elementary school and beyond - frequently it fell on Mothers Day or that weekend. I didn't have a problem with it but attendees did. Super busy time of school year as well.

All of this to say, I feel for OP trying to possibly schedule TWO May birthdays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless they decide they want a joint party, two parties. Each kid gets their own party.

Yep. But we don’t throw lavish events - cupcakes from a box, a Costco thing of chips, and a playground = party.

Ugh. I hate those parties. Especially the ones like that where you are expected to bring a gift.

+ 1. I’m sorry, PP, but I really hate those parties too unless it’s absolutely a no gift party.

DP but what's wrong with that kind of a party? What does a gift have to do with the type of party thrown?

It’s a gift-grab. My kids go to that park twice a week and having cupcakes there isn’t special or worthy of the parents spending $25 bucks for a gift.

Good lord. What is wrong with people?? In my experience, kids have a great time at these playground parties. They get to run around and play with their friends and eat sugar. Honestly, the adults seem to have equal amounts of fun/boredom standing around a playground or standing around Little Gym or a trampoline park. Or if they drop off, it's no different. I would never base bringing a gift on how "worthy" I though the party venue is. But then, I'm not a snob.

Our siblings don't have birthdays close in date, but we still alternate years.

No. We give each child their own birthday party with their own friends. The birthday party with extended family is combined. The birthday dinner is separate by each child.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless they decide they want a joint party, two parties. Each kid gets their own party.

Yep. But we don’t throw lavish events - cupcakes from a box, a Costco thing of chips, and a playground = party.

Ugh. I hate those parties. Especially the ones like that where you are expected to bring a gift.

I like them. I hate the parties where both relatives and classmates are invited. I hate parties where I am made to feel like a +1 to a five year old. Particularly if I have to get a babysitter to attend.

My brother and I are 2 weeks apart. We had one joint family party and separate birthday parties. Believe it or not, a birthday party does not have to be some major blow out to be fun.

It’s probably cultural, but I would feel terrible and cheap if I hosted a birthday party and only fed my guests cupcakes and juice. I need to feed them a proper meal! Cost of the venue doesn’t matter - playground or My Gym or fancy hotel

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless they decide they want a joint party, two parties. Each kid gets their own party.

Yep. But we don’t throw lavish events - cupcakes from a box, a Costco thing of chips, and a playground = party.

Ugh. I hate those parties. Especially the ones like that where you are expected to bring a gift.

+ 1. I’m sorry, PP, but I really hate those parties too unless it’s absolutely a no gift party.

DP but what's wrong with that kind of a party? What does a gift have to do with the type of party thrown?

It’s a gift-grab. My kids go to that park twice a week and having cupcakes there isn’t special or worthy of the parents spending $25 bucks for a gift.

I'm so grateful for my group of down-to-earth like-minded parents that absolutely throw these kinds of parties. The kids have a blast and its all good.

Its also surprising to me that people actually expect gifts at kids birthday parties in this region still. I can't remember the last one I've been to where anyone has brought a gift.

I am the PP and surprised! I haven’t been to any other kind of party in two years, but even before that our fanciest party was at a My Gym (so totally not fancy). Guess my circle is just too normal and boring!

I have three kids, oldest nine, and have bought exactly one classmate birthday present ever. Who does birthday parties with presents anymore? Aren’t all present parties a gift grab? Or stone cold transactional - I am only buying your kid a jar of play dough if you give him a single slice of cold pizza in the gymnasium place we are all at last week for someone else?

Good lord, some of you people. Low-key parties are great. The parties are for the *kids*, not the grown ups, so as long as the kids have fun, who cares?

Also, who are you Scrooges who don't want to give children birthday gifts? What in the actual? We've done no gift parties, but come on, people. No one said you have to spend a certain dollar amount but stop being so damn stingy. Is the formula that only host parents who shell out for a super expensive party deserve to have gifts for their child? Un-f*ing-believable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless they decide they want a joint party, two parties. Each kid gets their own party.

Yep. But we don’t throw lavish events - cupcakes from a box, a Costco thing of chips, and a playground = party.

Ugh. I hate those parties. Especially the ones like that where you are expected to bring a gift.

+ 1. I’m sorry, PP, but I really hate those parties too unless it’s absolutely a no gift party.

DP but what's wrong with that kind of a party? What does a gift have to do with the type of party thrown?

It’s a gift-grab. My kids go to that park twice a week and having cupcakes there isn’t special or worthy of the parents spending $25 bucks for a gift.

I'm so grateful for my group of down-to-earth like-minded parents that absolutely throw these kinds of parties. The kids have a blast and its all good.

Its also surprising to me that people actually expect gifts at kids birthday parties in this region still. I can't remember the last one I've been to where anyone has brought a gift.

I am the PP and surprised! I haven’t been to any other kind of party in two years, but even before that our fanciest party was at a My Gym (so totally not fancy). Guess my circle is just too normal and boring!

I have three kids, oldest nine, and have bought exactly one classmate birthday present ever. Who does birthday parties with presents anymore? Aren’t all present parties a gift grab? Or stone cold transactional - I am only buying your kid a jar of play dough if you give him a single slice of cold pizza in the gymnasium place we are all at last week for someone else?

My family all have birthdays within a month of Christmas. I expect I’ll do two small friends parties for the kids when they’re school age (currently toddler and baby) but I’m actually planning to do one big family half birthday party in the summer so we aren’t doing all the big presents all at once.

We do a friends' party 2x on the same day Something like a 12- 2pm and then like a 3-5pm ...it's always been at our house. We rent a moonbounce for the day. Done and done.
Tiring for me at the end of the day, but well worth it and most practical. And I kinda thrive on being busy.
Obviously, 2 separate birthday celebrations as a nuclear family.

5/2 and 5/4 birthdays so fairly easy to host at our house and outside.

The kids are older now too so there's no longer this element of casting a wide net and feeling obligated to invite the whole class. It's usually 8 close friends so very easy to manage 2 parties in 1 day. Rolling in a sleepover this year though for each kid...thinking through logistics on that one.