DD's Xmas-time Birthday = scheduling nightmare!

[Onelittleprincess]

WHy not the following weekend? A new years party. Yes a week late but that way she still get s a day to herself and very little conflict in scheduling

[Traveller]

My birthday is on December 24th so I feel your pain.

What I would do is this:

1) let your family know that your DD is older now and would love to see them around her birthday, but that her actual celebration will be a kids only affair with her school friends.
2) book the party for Saturday 17th and let your friend know. As they have not fixed a date yet then they can fit their party around yours.
3) arrange a time after the festive season to get together with all your family so your DD can have a belated celebration with them.

If you do this now, then you can set a precedent for future years and get rid of this "expectation" that you will celebrate her birthday with family. She's a kid after all, she should be running round a playcentre or playing pass the parcel with her schoolfriends, not feeling guilty that she is inconveniencing family (not you, but your IL's who expect to be there). I love having a Christmas birthday but the only thing that upsets me is when nobody prioritises it because they are so worried about other obligations, or they make me feel like they are doing me a favour by celebrating with me.

[Traveller]

WHy not the following weekend? A new years party. Yes a week late but that way she still get s a day to herself and very little conflict in scheduling

In response to this, maybe I was a spoilt kid but I remember gushing with tears that my birthday party was after Christmas. I felt like nobody could be bothered with me and that Christmas was more important. Please don't do this.

[Cally]

I'd organise it for a day that suits DD and her friends. Family just need to fit it in, if they feel it is important then they will make the effort to come. There will come a point when she will just wants friends there anyway, not a party with all of the extended family.

I'm not inviting family members to anymore of DD's parties, it is just too hard to organise with everyone's varying schedules and travelling as all of my family are 2 hours away.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

It's school holidays around then right, i would have a party ON her birthday, give people enough notice so that they can take the day off work if need be, if htey can't make it during the day tell them it's a leftovers party that night

Personally you should't have to work around everyone else.
We have a similar issue with the fact DD2 is 6th Jan, everyone is generally off on holidays before school goes back or before work starts again, this year we have a friend who's son will be having a 1st b'day and a close friend will be due to pop, i don't know what were doing with hers. yet. eek

[MamaPan]

Ask your DD what she wants - giver her some options - something on the day, something after xmas etc. its her bdfay she should feel special...
if what she wants doesnt fit with the other plans.. then so be it. your priority as HEr mum is to give her the bday she wants...