Annoyed at DD's friends birthday party on Christmas Eve

[ShabbaRAnkzz]

DD has been invited to her friends birthday party tomorrow (Christmas Eve). It's from 12-4 and parents have been asked to attend / stay with the children.
This takes out a block of Christmas Eve when I've got so much other stuff I need to do.
Its one of my daughters clotest friends so I will need to attend.
AIBU to this it's a very inconvenient time?

YANBU! If its really DC's closest friend I'd drop her and go. The whole thing of parents staying at parties with school age children is a British weirdness anyway - I've never seen it in other countries. They survive without you at school all day, why should a 2-hour party with the same group of friends be any different?

I probably wouldn't be up for a party on Christmas Eve, it isn't great planning, but I might go if we didn't have lots to do. Although NOT for 4 hours, regardless of the day!

I dunno, It's a bit shit having a Christmas birthday that no one bothers with.

Given its tomorrow and your DD is a close friend you're definitely right to take her.

But you're not unreasonable at all. Christmas Eve is awful timing. Thoughtless.

Giving parents benefit of the doubt that they didn't think it through.

They should have gone with the weekend before or something.

My nephew's birthday is the 23rd (today). My brother and sister-in-law always had his party the weekend before or after. I'd prefer that. I'm too busy Christmas Eve to spend four hours in the middle of the day at a child's birthday party

just go for the first 2 hours, what the heck are they planning to do for that length of time? 4 hours is too long for any kids party never mind on Xmas eve

Children are 6-7. There are alot of events planned, so the kids won't mind. It actually sounds fab but it's just the timing on Xmas Eve.

Agree. Poor planning by the parents. Why not last Saturday?

YANBU, that's really shit. Most people will have plans or be away or be busy preparing food etc for the next day. I would only accept this for my child's actual best friend and I'm guessing many others would feel the same so the poor kid will have a much smaller birthday party than if they'd picked a more sensible date.

My children have birthdays that often clash with bank holidays so their parties are the week before or after.

If it’s inconvenient then you should have said no. Accepting the invitation and moaning about it is not very nice behaviour. As the saying on here goes, it’s an invitation and not a summons

Yes. You're right.

4 hours on 24rd December with a parent present?
I would have declined. We are travelling anyway to see family snd wouldn't delay it.

I am only moaning on here. 99% of posts are people moaning on her because they are too polite or scared to say what they really think.

I had this once. Agreed with mum friend of another child that she’d do the first shift supervising both of our boys and I’d do the second.

Er send her dad with her!

I'd just plan my day around it. It's not like you only just got the invitation.

Also in that same thought, can’t stay as requested, don’t come. I invited about 15 to my kids Xmas party. Parents either stayed or gave me a good reason why they couldn’t!

We would decline too.

so when did you receive and RSVP the invitation?

YABU unless they invited you today

As long as there's enough warning, it's a lovely idea. I would be pretty annoyed if I got the invitation this weekend, but generally we get Christmas time invitations around a month in advance.

What's the problem? I plan the day around it, no real difference from booking some Christmas activity, we would have done them at the weekend or today instead.

If you really can't make it, you decline when you get the invitation?

Parties are great for the kids, who would resent their children actually having fun on Christmas Eve?

I'd think it was a great idea tbh. Something for the kids to do instead of being all hyper at home.

Take a bag of spuds and your sprouts with you, sit yourself at the buffet table and start peeling.

If they've got a trifle nick it.

Great idea.....

We were busy over the last weekend before Christmas, Christmas Eve would be far better for me. We’re just going to the cinema tomorrow as something fun to do. A birthday party sounds fun 🤷🏻‍♀️

Because it's MN I should clarify that I am joking.

I think. I am heavily under the influence of many many cheeses. I don't know what I do.