bday party playgroup etiquette

DoIreallyWantToChangeMyName

E's in a playgroup that was formed from my new mom support group. There are 9 babies born within a few weeks of him. I'm starting to plan for his bday party because I need to reserve a room. What's the right thing to do regarding invites? Should I pick and choose the 4 or 5 that we are closer with? Or, should I just invite everyone? In general, do people feel relieved or snubbed to not get an invite to these kinds of things? So this would be like 10 birthday parties in 3 weeks if we all got invited and went to each. And then how does the gift giving part work?

skio

I'm part of a similar playgroup and the bdays seem to be done in a couple of different ways.

1) Parents organize a casual pizza-party type thing for playgroup friends/parents on a weekday from 12-2 or so, then have the party for family and other friends separately on a weekend. These are usually at someone's home or at a park.

2) Some moms with babies whose birthdays are close to each other have organized joint birthday parties. These have also bee for playgroup friends only, during the day, and at someone's home.

I really think separating the playgroup party from the family party is a great idea. See if some of the other moms want to do a joint thing. If you have found that you're very close with a couple of the moms in your group, invite them to your family party, too. GL!

pattipu

Does the playgroup consist only of those 9 babies born within a few weeks of each other?  If so, what if you talked with the other moms and did one big playgroup birthday get-together?  Presents not necessary but still make it a party.  Or, maybe everyone pitches in for a small gift for each baby (each baby only gets one gift)...or maybe even some type of gift swap.

M&D06

I think a group party for the playgroup, to celebrate all the birthdays, is a great idea.  If you don't do that, I'd just invite them to the party you're planning.  It would be a pain for me to try to plan a family party and a friend party, I've only ever had one and invited everyone (but we have a small group of playgroup friends).