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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

... To be annoyed at parents organising parties for the last week in January

271 replies

Everexpanding · 17/01/2017 15:51

Is it not a truth universally acknowledged that the vast majority of people are super skint the last week in January, could you wait one more week to organise your child's party, four invites received this week for this weekend arghhh small school everyone knows when parties are on, just enough for food seriously can't stretch to four presents, everything broke this month super screwed

OP posts:
inlectorecumbit · 17/01/2017 15:53

YABU
Perhaps the party organisers want the parties to be in the week of the birthday !!!
If you can't afford it just decline. Simples

GruochMacAlpin · 17/01/2017 15:53

YABU.

People organise their parties for when their children's birthdays are. Not everyone is skint in January.

I'm sorry you are struggling though, it must be very difficult.

drspouse · 17/01/2017 15:53

Maybe that was the only time they could get the venue, given that nobody (you say) wants to have a party in January!

I don't really want to have a party in the first week in January but that's when my DS' birthday is.

No use now, but I buy cheap presents (3 for 2 jigsaws from The Entertainer I think last time) as I see them and stash them for parties. No last minute forgetting then.

xStefx · 17/01/2017 15:56

I don't really find January financially any more struggle than any other months. Do you suggest they have their partys a different month to their actual birthdays?

SparkleShinyGlitter · 17/01/2017 15:56

YABU

The children's birthday is January so when are these parents meant to have the parties Confused Or maybe the venue was you know booked for the next weekend, maybe they aren't broke in January and so on

throwingpebbles · 17/01/2017 15:57

Yabu. Don't most people just have the party the nearest weekend to the child's birthday?
There's loads of toys etc massively discounted in January so it is actually quite good for buying presents

Sorry about the total skintness though, I know now relentlessly grim that is Sad

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 17/01/2017 15:58

Yabu. Obviously.

29redshoes · 17/01/2017 15:59

Yes, YABU.

Original poster
Everexpanding · 17/01/2017 15:59

Good idea drspouse, must do that this year, just coming to the end I think of a horrifically stressful financial year not suggesting they put off their children's parties for me but 4!!

OP posts:
LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 17/01/2017 16:00

Pressed too soon. Obviously you've not had dc with winter birthdays upset nobody is free to celebrate their birthday.

FourToTheFloor · 17/01/2017 16:00

I think you get it OP, yabu Smile

Dd1 party last weekend in Jan but invites went out mid December.

ZanyMobster · 17/01/2017 16:01

No reason to be any more skint in January if you budget all year given the fact Christmas is the same time every year.

TBF we don't actually know you're circumstances but YABU as it's their birthdays. No need to spend loads, fiver in a card and a bag of Haribo?

TheNaze73 · 17/01/2017 16:01
Biscuit

YABU. They're inviting, as it's the birthdate of their child & not to antagonise you. And not everyone gets paid at the end of January.

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 17/01/2017 16:02

Four is a lot, yes. I have not only both my kids birthdays but my niece and brother. Its skint month.

ZanyMobster · 17/01/2017 16:02

Sorry I typed slow, x post

Original poster
Everexpanding · 17/01/2017 16:02

I know I am being unreasonable

OP posts:
MrsBobDylan · 17/01/2017 16:03

Yabu. Oh the woes of those with popular children.

ZanyMobster · 17/01/2017 16:04

I still can't understand why anyone is skint in one particular month because it's their kids or relatives birthdays, surely you can budget all year? If your boiler breaks or car breaks down if course I get that.

JaxingJump · 17/01/2017 16:04

Try to have a little stash of suitable party gifts. At Christmas your own get so much I have ended up putting away a few jigsaws, colouring sets, books etc for a rainy day but they would be perfect for a regift! So maybe Jan birthdays are actually good as there's usually a bunch of unopened and unused you could use as a gift.

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 17/01/2017 16:04

Ooh an op admitting they are unreasonable. The world has gone MAD.Grin

coldcanary · 17/01/2017 16:05

Try having invites for 3 parties plus 3 close family birthdays in December! Absolute PITA but sometimes it's unavoidable. YABU but I get it.

allowlsthinkalot · 17/01/2017 16:05

You could regift some of the untouched Christmas tat or make a present? Or go to the pound shop.

Would you want someone to decline to come to your children's party because they couldn't afford a present? I wouldn't. Just make a card.

Original poster
Everexpanding · 17/01/2017 16:05

I do have a winter birthday day before Christmas so we always do a half birthday party in the summer in part because I feel it is unfair to put people under extra pressure at Christmas but maybe that is just from my experience of skintness

OP posts:
Chasingsquirrels · 17/01/2017 16:06

My ds2 is the end of January - I hate it, because it is my absolute busiest time at work and organising a party on top is just a step too far.
(He was due mid Feb but was 3 weeks early so I shouldn't even have to be dealing with it!).
One year I told him I'd pay more towards the ipad he wanted if he didn't have a party - that was a win!
As he gets older it gets easier though.

I've never thought about the financial implications to invitees! A card and some sweets and he'd be happy.

someonescj · 17/01/2017 16:07

Yabu, not the kids or the parents fault their birthdays are in Janurary. My dd is Janurary born and I quite like it as I get most of her presents in the sales, her party was 13 days after Christmas I did put on the invites gifts optional.

Sounds as if your problem is your financial situation, I've been there and it sucks but don't take it out on your dcs friends parents.

If your dc are going to the parties get yourself to home bargains/poundland/pound stretcher and set yourself a budget.