Really hoping for some advice to help me salvage a nice birthday and party for DC this year, in a tricky situation. This has turned into an essay, there’s a TLDR at the bottom!
DC is 4, turning 5 on 21st December - already a less than ideal date!
We moved house to village A this autumn, the plan was to move in time for him to start reception. Primary school in village A was oversubscribed, so we got him a place in the school at neighbouring village B - a tiny but perfectly lovely school. We got on the waiting list for village A’s primary school, expecting it to be a couple of years before a place came up. The move was protracted and stressful and we didn’t end up moving in til mid Oct, living in temp accommodation for him to attend school, and are only just feeling settled, so no Birthday planning has happened yet.
DC has started making some friends at village B’s school, and with the reception class being tiny I had a vague idea that I’d do him a birthday play date at home on 21st (first day of school holidays) for just the 8ish reception kids, and possibly a bigger party in January.
While I was dithering, we then received a party invitation for DC’s new ‘best mate’ at school B - for 21st December! We accepted of course, as they get on very well.
So, I was thinking do I do the birthday playdate on 22nd, or will it be annoying for the parents to have two successive parties so close to Christmas…
Then, I got a call from school admissions - a place has become available for DC at village A’s school, starting next week! Of course that’s a whole other dilemma - do we move him when he seems settled, but as that school is the one we want then we’ve decided it’s best to get it done sooner rather than later, and he seems quite excited.
So, we’ve taken the place, and he starts on Monday. His birthday is fast approaching, and I’m wondering what on Earth do I do about booking a party, do I give him a chance to settle then send invitations in mid Dec for a mid January party, inviting school A whole class (probably 30), and some/all of school B class? DH thinks whole class parties are ridiculous, but I want to do everything we can to help him settle in. And any ideas on what to do on his actual birthday, before/after the other child’s party, so he still has a special day? He has attended a few parties in the last year and is really keen for a nice one of his own.
TLDR: DC’s birthday is just before Christmas, has received another party invite for his actual birthday, and is now moving schools next week. When should I have his party, who to invite and what to do on his actual birthday so he still has a special day?