Thoughts on a dual birthday party?

Kingston54

DS will be 4 on 12/29 and DD will be 1 on 1/6.... I can't decide if we should do a dual party or give each their own day. We want to have a big party for DD but DS's could be small... What do you think the pros and cons are to a dual party? Thanks for the thoughts.

TiffanyBerry

I'd do separate parties - maybe your son's a week before and your daughter's a week after?  Or push them both off a week?Then they can each have their own separate day.

Cherryblossoms07

I would be okay with a dual party as long as (1) there was not another child who always gets their own party, (2) they have their actual birthday day celebrated individually with the family, and (3) the party was not on one of the kids' actual birthdays.  I grew up having dual birthday parties with my brother.  We really enjoyed it.

Caseyk1127

My kids birthdays are 2 months apart but because our family travels so far to celebrate we did a dual party. However, I take them each out on their birthdays for a special day with just them (to the aquarium or zoo) and we do cupcakes at home after dinner.

erbear

We did first birthdays individually - it's a big one. We then did 2 and 4 together. If they want, we'll do 3 and 5 together this year; if not, each can do something small.

I should add that we don't do "school friends" at parties, for the most part, yet. So the guests are our neighborhood friends, most of whom have kids the same ages as mine, so the guest lists would be identical.

memali26

My mom had five kids - two with winter birthdays, three with late spring/early fall - and she did two big parties a year instead of five. Each of us still got our own cake and they sang to each of us individually. We each still got our own specially all about us day on our actual birthday, as well, and I feel like it really worked out nicely. I'm not scarred from the experience at all Honestly, as long as you are making sure to make both of your kids feel special, I think you'll be fine with a combined party.

It's possible DD1 and #3 will have birthdays a week or two apart. If that's the case, we'll probably do one party for the two of them, or have DD1's party several weeks early and #3's party several weeks late. Our families have to travel 3-6 hours to be here to celebrate with us, and asking them to do that twice in two weeks is just too much. 

SusieBW

Being right around the holidays and so close together, I think you should do them together.  I feel like family and friends might appreciate the one party instead of two parties a week or 2 weeks apart. 

Obviously, each kid should still get their own special day on their birthdays.

PepperBug

I think it depends on the guest list. If you are having friends from school for your four year old, I would have a separate school party for her and then have a joint family party for the two of them so that family doesn't have to block off two weekends in a row for parties. And I would celebrate at home with a cake and your presents on the individual birthdays.

CaniacMom

My brother & I had birthdays 2 weeks apart and there is a 2 year age difference.  Our mom threw many combination birthday parties for us.  We have a lot of cousins around our ages & neighborhood kids we both played with it.  It saved my mom a lot of hassle & money to throw one big party.  In the tween - early teen years we had separate parties but in our older teens we would have a big pool party as our present.  It wasn't necessarily a straight out birthday party but because we had common friends or sibling sets as friends it made for a great time.  I never felt slighted but I was extremely close to my brother and there was no sibling rivalry between the two of us.  We did have a younger brother with a birthday at a different time of year & he always had his own party.  

Spin313

My kids are three years and one week apart. For DD's first birthday, we did a big party for her and a small immediate family gathering for DS's fourth. This year, DS had a friend party for his fifth bday and DD had a small family gathering for her second.

Once DD is five, I expect that the kids will want their own separate friend parties and we'll still have a family dinner on the weekend in between their birthdays.

[Deleted User]

Since their birthdays are so close to the holidays and your guest list is probably close to the same, I would do a joint party. It's such a busy time of year that it would probably be a bit of a hassle for guests to come to two separate parties (unless you are just planning on family and they might not mind).

blondie42107

My kiddos' birthdays are 9 days apart. We're doing a joint party. Some family has to travel and I don't expect them to make the trip twice in one month. I have two boys so maybe it's different if it's boy/girl.

FWIW: I did struggle with this decision but ultimately I am looking at the pros of planning one party, still will have two custom cakes, but only one lunch/party to prep, make food and decorate for. :-)