If your kids birthdays are close together...

katie277s

or on the same day, do you do two parties, or one big one?

DS's birthday is Aug 14th, and this baby is due Aug 5th.  I have no idea when this one is coming, but obviously they'll have birthday's close to each other.  I feel like they should each have their own birthday party, but is it wrong to do that, for family issues?  For instance, asking family to come to a birthday party for DS2 and the next weekend having them come back for DS1's party?  Would a combined family party be okay, and separate friend parties (once DS2 is old enough for a friends party) be better?  I'm thinking a combined family party is best, but wanted others opinions.  

shouldbworkin

My nephews bdays are 12 days apart.  My sister always did joint family parties for them.  They each had their own special day that they celebrated together as a family, too. I don't think she ever did friend parties, but given that your kids will be 5 yrs apart, I would do them separately.   

katie277s

shouldbworkin:

My nephews bdays are 12 days apart.  My sister always did joint family parties for them.  They each had their own special day that they celebrated together as a family, too. I don't think she ever did friend parties, but given that your kids will be 5 yrs apart, I would do them separately.   

Yeah, I wouldn't expect the kids friends parties to be combined unless we just did one gigantic party for family and friends.  I can't imagine a bunch of 10 year olds wanting to play with a bunch of 5 year olds :-)

monchichi

I struggle with this for family parties and my kids' birthdays are much further apart than yours will be!  DD#2 is June 5th, DS is July 6th, and DD#1 is August 28th.  I feel like I'll be inviting people to birthday parties nonstop all summer  But, I'll continue to do them separately.  

My sister and I have birthdays that are 3 days apart (we're the same age for 3 days every year!) and we always had family parties together.  I hated it!  We always had our own day with immediate family, though, and it helped.

AnnapolisLari

My kids are 6 days apart-- Dec 5th and Dec 11th. We had planned 2 separate celebrations, but they were both sick that week and both parties were cancelled.

I would think combined family parties and separate friend parties will be the way to go.

ETA: in our family, the only big family parties that we do are the first birthday and then some of the older ones like 10 and 16. The rest are immediate family or friends only.

darlene'smommy

dd's birthday is Dec 11th and this baby will be born on either Jan 10th or 11th.  We are planning on them each having a party.  Most of our family lives 2 hrs away but its that a hard drive and right now we switch between every other year of having her party at our home and in the town where our family lives.  So we will just make sure that one party is here and one party is there each year.  So next year when we have both kids dd's party will be here (hers this year is set to be in Napa where our family lives) so we will plan for the baby's to be in Napa.  The next year we will plan dd's in Napa and the baby's here. 

ridesbuttons

My sister and I have birthdays that are 10 days apart.  But we are nearly 3 years difference in age.  We had shared birthday parties for a time when I was young and I remember resenting that.

 

MrsStubbs

My kids are 6days apart, they will have a combined family party every year and then their own friend party.

This year for Reid's 1st we are doing a boy theme and having both sides of the family come. We will celebrate Riley's on that same day. However, she will have a friend party the week before that.

hcmamm1

My birthday is 4/29 and my sister is 5/1.  Growing up, with our friends we always had seperate parties.  Now that we are older, with our family we have just one party.

 

hikerbeth

This will become an issue now that DS is here.  He and DD have birthdays a month apart and my family typically travels (500+ miles) for birthdays.  I guess I'll do one family party (probably around DS's first birthday this year since he won't have a "friend" party) and a seperate friend party for DD (and then one for DS once he's old enough to have friends).

canhardlywait1

My kids are 2 days apart (they were due on the same day, one came a day early and the other a day late!) and just turned 2 and 4.  Their birthday weekend falls over Memorial Day so we have a big cookout/pool party and invite family and our close friends with their kids.  About 50 people!  When they get older we will either invite a few select friends to this big party or do small friend parties for them at some point.  Even if it's a little pizza party at home.  But it adds up - $$$!

My brithday is the week before, it doesn't really count anymore!

luckyluvr

Mine are 2 days apart (3/20 & 3/22). We did a separate b-day party for DD's 1st b-day and a small 3rd party for DS, but beginning next year, they'll be combined until they're in school. It's a lot to ask people to give up two separate days.

melly&jimmy

I would love to host a combined birthday for my kids - DS is 10/19 and DD is 9/7 I think thier birthdays are  too far apart more than 6 weeks so they'll get separate birthdays.

If they were in the same month - I'd definitely host them together.  I just feel weird having birthdays back to back. DS#2 is in January, after the holidays.  What I decided to do for all their birthdays - is to write somewhere on the invitations - just the honor of your presence is more than enough.  I don't want people to feel obligated to get my kids a gift.  We'll spoil them enough!

I don't think it is rude to host joint parties so long as on THE day they are individually honored!