Birthday party timing

[PunkyBoo]

DS2's birthday is in mid-January. We are inviting his whole class to his party, but we don't have a class list or contact info for most of the kids. So we will be giving out the invitations via class mailbox. My issue is the timing.

If we have the party the weekend of Jan 11th, we either have to distribute invitations before the winter break (by 12/21) and risk most people forgetting and/or misplacing the invitation during break; or wait to distribute on 1/7 and then we're only giving a few days notice.

Or I can schedule the party the weekend of Jan 18, but that is the MLK holiday weekend and maybe families have plans our will be out of town. If I did this, I would distribute invitations either 1/7 or 1/8.

Either way, since I don't have any way to contact most of the families, I have no way to remind or follow up and will just be going off who actually responds. Last year we invited about 25 kids and I literally only heard from 9 families, 8 yeses and 1 no. We didn't care about the number at all but would have liked to have some idea so I wouldn't overbuy food and goodies.

So which weekend and invitation distribution day should i do?

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[SnuggleBuggles]

I'd do the later ones. The families that aren't traveling for MLK might be grateful to have something fun to do. :)

[bnme]

I would try to see if his closest friends are available MLK weekend, and if they are, do it then. My DS's birthday is 1/3 so I feel your pain. I have experienced that people do forget over Christmas break if the invites are given too early. And if they are given that last week, especially Friday, there will be some kids away already and if the kids are younger more likely to get lost if they are also bringing home extra holiday stuff. I would only do that in case where you have a way to follow up with people.

[TwinFoxes]

I'm pretty good at RSVPing, and I can't guarantee I'd remember to reply to an invite over Christmas break. I like PP's idea of finding out if his closest friends are around on MLK weekend and having it then.

[bisous]

I'm pretty good at RSVPing, and I can't guarantee I'd remember to reply to an invite over Christmas break. I like PP's idea of finding out if his closest friends are around on MLK weekend and having it then.

I agree with this. I know when I’m planning a whole class event at least part of my motivation is to be inclusive but I don’t necessarily want EVERYONE to be there. Provided that some close friends are around planning it on a busy weekend might naturally limit the guest list a little which would be ok for me. I do think it’s a much better time from an invitation planning standpoint too!

[PunkyBoo]

I'm actually hoping lots of people can't come, only because the guest list is too long as it is but there's no good way to shorten it. I'd just much rather get ANY responses (yes or no) than no responses.

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[mom2binsd]

Are you allowed to send invites through the school, that WA not allowes at our elementary. If you are hoping for a lot of no responses, why not just have a small party?

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[SnuggleBuggles]

Are you allowed to send invites through the school, that WA not allowes at our elementary. If you are hoping for a lot of no responses, why not just have a small party?

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Most schools that I know let you pass out invites if including everyone.


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[DualvansMommy]

My son’s preschool only allow personal delivered invites if it’s the whole class. Otherwise we’ve a class list for those parents who want to do evite or Punchbowl. I feel your pain cuz DS2 is 1/14 but I’m having his birthday party over last weekend of Jan due to the whole invites getting “lost” over Xmas break and MLK holiday weekend. That way I can get the invites immediately out to parents 1st day back to school from winter break.

Is that something you could do? Or only limited to those 2 weekends?


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[PunkyBoo]

Are you allowed to send invites through the school, that WA not allowes at our elementary. If you are hoping for a lot of no responses, why not just have a small party?

Sent from my SM-G950U using TapatalkDS2 wants to invite a lot of kids. He wants his whole class (28) except for 5 kids, which I won't allow. Plus a handful of his close friends who are in another class. And he wants to invite his principal who he just adores, which means inviting the principal's family. So it's adding up.

We can distribute invitations at school only of the whole class is invited. I only have contact info for the friends that are in the other class, who are his best buddies. I hate that they won't do a class list!

I'd prefer one of those two weekends because DS1's birthday is in February and I want a few weeks in between.

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[AngB]

I would just do it MLK weekend.