Birthday party timing

Telly21182 · March 2012

For those of you doing bigger parties, what time are you planning on having LOs party? Ours will be relatively big, because DHs family is so big and I don't want to invite just siblings and parents, so it'll be our extended immediate family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) and also our close friends. Because of how big his family is, even inviting just those in town it's going to be 75 invited. NOt everyone will come, but that's how big the invite list is. Darn Irish Catholic families!!

Anyway, we're going to grill and do a lot of sides so people can make a full meal out of it if they want, or just snack. I'm just not sure when to have the party. Meal time, or between "standard meals"?

I also want to make sure to have it late enough in the day that I allow myself plenty of time to get ready!

So, what time are you having your party?

susieandmarty · March 2012

we just decided on food trays and sandwiches - woo hoo.

we are doing ours at 4 pm on Sunday. We live in Philly and a lot of people are at the shore on weekends - us included and we dont want to ruin weekends by having the party too early. DHs family is not at the beach and the hassle of getting them there is tough

sooooo i am calling our for 4-6:30 or so

62406 · March 2012

We aren't doing a huge party, but we're planning to grill (if the weather allows). I just ordered the invites from Shutterfly this week (thanks tosunset+skies) and we have it scheduled for 1-3 (it can go later if need be). LO usually goes down for a late nap around 10 or 11 and another one after 3, so hopefully she'll be awake long enough for her party. I figure 1:00, allows me enough time to get everything ready and go and pick up last minute items (balloons, cake, flowers, etc.)

Jills83 · March 2012

We will also have a sh*t-ton of people at LO's bday party. (In our case substitute 'Irish' Catholic family with 'Italian' Catholic family). A lot of guests will have to drive 1.5 to 2 hours for the party and it is on a Sunday. I want to have it midday so they have time to drive in the AM and get home at a decent time too.

We will probably have it at 1:00 and have lunch. This should give V enough time for his AM nap (if he is still on the same schedule) and give people time to go to church and travel in the morning.

Telly21182 · March 2012

Jills83:
(In our case substitute 'Irish' Catholic family with 'Italian' Catholic family).

Awesome! The funny thing is my family is Irish/Italian Catholic, but like 1/4 the size of DHs. I guess we're just not good at the whole procreating part!

And I have no idea what to do about nap time - I have no idea what his nap schedule will be like then. I think he's working his way to one long nap a day already.

When LOs switch to 1 a day, what time generally is it that they nap?

JavaVino910 · March 2012

Ours is going to be on Sunday, July 1st. I'm thinking 1pm? It will give people enough time to go to the church in the morning. I would like not to have it start any later, as it's an outside party and I'm sure it's going to be scorching hot in the late afternoon!

march2008 · March 2012

I'm going to wait a few more weeks before deciding on the time. It won't take long at all to have invitations printed.

Over the past 2 weeks, DD has been shifting into 1 nap a day and the start time has slowly been creeping later and later in the morning. It's a long nap around 10:30-10:45 am and lasts until 12:30 or so. I've read that when they go to one nap a day, it's usually sometime after lunch, so I think I'll have to do her party in the late afternoon to be sure she takes a nap beforehand.

DramaMama06 · March 2012

i'm thinking 2/3... ours is 4th of july weekend. i figure that will give J time to have his morning and afternoon naps.

monkeysmama62 · March 2012

About 65-70 people are coming. We're doing a cookout at 2pm. Hopefully it will end by 4pm but not likely.

skrichar · March 2012

We are going to do a brunch - so 10ish I think. I need to be able to put people outside bc my house is tiny and I don't want it to be too hot, plus M does better earlier rather than later in the day.

jkchs2003 · March 2012

Man, I didn't even think about nap time. I surely don't want a cranky baby. I need to rethink this.

aniceucchik · March 2012

Ours will be 4-6p this year. Its after Jacobs nap, and thats the most important thing. We do a giant water slide each year, and we are also doing a joint party this year. Its gonna be HUGE! i love bday parties though...i still remember a few of mine, even my third bday cake, which was a totally swag-worthy big bird, so parties are important to me.

flows912 · March 2012

We're having our in the park and it will be from 12-4. He'll have his morning nap and then we're crossing our fingers that he'll nap in the park if someone takes him for a walk in his stroller.

MissManda · March 2012

I think we're going to do 3-6, and grill out with side dishes (and can go later if we want)... If he's down to one nap, I'm sure he'll be up by then! The toddler room at daycare lays down around 12:00, and that's the schedule he'll be on around that time.

jellybeanjean · March 2012

Telly21182:
Jills83:
(In our case substitute 'Irish' Catholic family with 'Italian' Catholic family).
Awesome! The funny thing is my family is Irish/Italian Catholic, but like 1/4 the size of DHs. I guess we're just not good at the whole procreating part!
And I have no idea what to do about nap time - I have no idea what his nap schedule will be like then. I think he's working his way to one long nap a day already.
When LOs switch to 1 a day, what time generally is it that they nap?

Different kids try to drop different naps, but usually they end up with an early afternoon nap. Like 1ish, at least that's been my experience. However, DS1 was still on 2 naps at one year old (dropped to one around 15-16 mon).

We're doing ours at 4pm. That way, Sam is sure to be up from any nap, and people can visit/eat dinner and be gone by bedtime-ish. Also, stays light late at that point, so staying outside won't be an issue. We did the same for DS1's first bday party (4pm) and it worked out well for having time to set up and for those with little kids and nap/bedtime.

Telly21182 · March 2012

jellybeanjean:
Telly21182:
Jills83:
(In our case substitute 'Irish' Catholic family with 'Italian' Catholic family).
Awesome! The funny thing is my family is Irish/Italian Catholic, but like 1/4 the size of DHs. I guess we're just not good at the whole procreating part!
And I have no idea what to do about nap time - I have no idea what his nap schedule will be like then. I think he's working his way to one long nap a day already.
When LOs switch to 1 a day, what time generally is it that they nap?
Different kids try to drop different naps, but usually they end up with an early afternoon nap. Like 1ish, at least that's been my experience. However, DS1 was still on 2 naps at one year old (dropped to one around 15-16 mon).
We're doing ours at 4pm. That way, Sam is sure to be up from any nap, and people can visit/eat dinner and be gone by bedtime-ish. Also, stays light late at that point, so staying outside won't be an issue. We did the same for DS1's first bday party (4pm) and it worked out well for having time to set up and for those with little kids and nap/bedtime.

Cool, thanks! I'm liking the idea of just waiting until he's generally up from nap #2 in case he's still on 2 naps a day. It's a Saturday so I'm thinking 3/4 wouldn't be an issue. If people leave at 6, great, even if they stay until 8 that's fine since it'll still be light out. I figure later in the day also gives other parents time not to worry about nap times, baseball practice, etc.

Jills83 · March 2012

Telly21182:
Jills83:

(In our case substitute 'Irish' Catholic family with 'Italian' Catholic family).

Awesome! The funny thing is my family is Irish/Italian Catholic, but like 1/4 the size of DHs. I guess we're just not good at the whole procreating part!

Yeah DHs is the big side too...his dad has 7 siblings and he has a lot of cousins. They are all close and they will all be invited. My family is big too, but not as big.

As for naps, each LO is different but I've noticed my nephews and niece all moved to a single afternoon nap after a while. Same with the older kids at V's babysitter...they all take afternoon naps a little after lunch.

LexGator · March 2012

We are keeping ours relatively small -- family and close friends. We'll probably do it early afternoon, 1 or 2, because that's a good time for DD. She is a sporadic napper, so it doesn't matter too much, but the earlier in the day, the better for her.

The_Birds_04 · March 2012

We are having a pretty large party and I plan to do afternoon to avoid nap times. Hopefully his nap schedule doesnt change to much between now and then but I would say 2 - 3 is a great time for a BBQ.

egpitt22 · April 2012

I wanted to do it between naps....so that would be either lunch time or after his 2nd nap of the day. My older son is playing tball & has a game the day of the party at 9am, so I didn't want them to feel rushed getting home, showered, etc...so I went with post-nap time. we'll probably start around 3:30 or 4.

Birthday party timing

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