Our oldest is 26 and I have never hosted one of those huge parties for any of our kids. I personally find it ridiculous. We typically turn down invites to those huge venue parties. I would much rather attend a party with a few good friends hosted in someone's back yard. Cake and Ice Cream, traditional party games, a few balloons and simple decorations, kids running around just playing, ....that's a birthday party! I say go ahead and have it but have it at your house. The kids will have a blast!



Of course, you are assuming OP and others HAVE back yards or a house large enough for kids to "run around."

+100
This is DC--most of the people I know don't have back yards and even the ones who do don't have ones that are necessarily suitable for a kid's party.

Argh trying to do a smiley on phone

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Op I'm having an August bday party for my dd, why don't we show some solidarity and come for each other's parties? ?

Anonymous wrote:How have turnouts been for end of August parties? As in, last weekend of August.

My DD birthday is end of August. We always have birthday party the weekend before school starts (MCPS so in August) and everyone is able to come because people are back from vacation getting ready for school.

Definitely don't cancel. Can you switch to a smaller package at the venue for fewer kids? Add friends from summer camp?

Anonymous wrote:Our oldest is 26 and I have never hosted one of those huge parties for any of our kids. I personally find it ridiculous. We typically turn down invites to those huge venue parties. I would much rather attend a party with a few good friends hosted in someone's back yard. Cake and Ice Cream, traditional party games, a few balloons and simple decorations, kids running around just playing, ....that's a birthday party! I say go ahead and have it but have it at your house. The kids will have a blast!

Of course, you are assuming OP and others HAVE back yards or a house large enough for kids to "run around."

Personally, I'd keep the date and change venue to my house.

I'd be annoyed, not angry, if you outright canceled because you, as the host, decided those that were coming weren't good enough for you. I wouldn't agree to come to another party "hosted" by you.

I kind of feel the same way. We go away most weekends and actually plan around kids' birthday parties so that we are home. I suppose if my kid really wanted to go, I would, but I wouldn't be the driving force and I definitely wouldn't change plans to go.

Anonymous wrote:

Don't worry about angering parents if you have to cancel or postpone. No parent really looks forward to birthday parties. They're a necessary thing for the kids to have social lives, but if you cancel, you've just freed up a weekend afternoon and excused them from buying yet another present- they will NOT be angry, LOL.

I'd be annoyed, not angry, if you outright canceled because you, as the host, decided those that were coming weren't good enough for you. I wouldn't agree to come to another party "hosted" by you.

Yeah, I might not be psyched about going to a kid's birthday party, but if you cancelled because your guest list was inadequate, I might understand why you did it, but I wouldn't be accepting any more invitations from you.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone. Actual birthday is Aug 8. For a host of reasons, if we delayed we'd be looking at Labor Day weekend, late Sept (ages after the real birthday), or a weekend when only one parent can be present.

I think in this town July birthdays are easier. People go away, but not as much.

I am where I am and just need to make an imperfect choice.

I also don't want to anger the few parents who have said they're coming by canceling last-minute. At the same time, if I don't cancel I'm afraid a couple of kids will change their RSVP due to last-minute Shenandoah plans or something, then things will be really sad!

Party's in a week.

I'd ditch the venue and have a smaller party at home, if you can. Serve cake and ice cream and just let the kids play. They will have just as much fun, which is really the important thing. There's nothing imperfect about a small party.

Yeah swim team is over and congress is out and everyone leaves town.

Don't worry about angering parents if you have to cancel or postpone. No parent really looks forward to birthday parties. They're a necessary thing for the kids to have social lives, but if you cancel, you've just freed up a weekend afternoon and excused them from buying yet another present- they will NOT be angry, LOL.

I'd be annoyed, not angry, if you outright canceled because you, as the host, decided those that were coming weren't good enough for you. I wouldn't agree to come to another party "hosted" by you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS's birthday is August 27th. We always had his birthday party the first weekend after school starts.

August 25th kid here and I've never figured out how to do this- you don't yet know the kids in the class! Do you just invite everyone literally on the first day of school?

Yeah, my kid's birthday is August 31, and we've just had small backyard birthday parties with a few close friends, the ones who we hang out with throughout the year. Party is usually the weekend before school starts or Labor day weekend, and since we are only inviting a few friends, I check with them before finalizing the date and time to make sure they'll be around. I alternate between being annoyed by it and being glad that it helps us to keep things low-key and simple. We do bring cupcakes to school for her birthday (which will be the first day of school this year), which is a nice way for her to celebrate with school friends (and I check with the teacher about this at the classroom visit the week before school starts).