Birthday party dilemma- please vote

[Honeybeesinthetrees]

Help settle a debate. DS birthday is coming up and he wants a class party. His birthday is on a Thursday this year, should we book the weekend before or after? I think weekend before as I think it doesn't make sense to have it after his birthday is over and celebrated. DH thinks weekend after as it's technically closer as his birthday is Thursday, what do you think?

I'm not voting as I think either would be fine. As it is a whole class party I guessing DS is young. I would just choose the most convenient weekend for you . Once you have chosen then that is his party which I suspect he will love whichever weekend.

I don't think it matters too much tbh. I'd probably go after as it's closer and gives him something to look forward to after his birthday given that it's on a weekday!

After because then you don't have the weirdness of everyone saying at his party "wow you're 6 years old now, getting so big"... when he's actually still 5 and you have to correct people.

Whichever is available- both are reasonable options. I'd probably go the weekend before as my choice, and have more of a family day out the weekend after, but that's juts me. Both are equally as reasonable

I'd always do after but either is fine! For me after means the child is still excited for that after the 'actual' birthday and is the right age when the friends are there celebrating..

I've known people do both though I don't think there's a wrong or right in particular - just personal preference. How about you both don't worry what you think and just ask DC which weekend?

Definitely after. Presumably his actual birthday is on a school day so it will be nice for him to have his party to look forward to. If he’s already had his party then his actual birthday will be a bit of an anticlimax.

After! Then he’s got something to look forward to after his actual birthday and it doesn’t just feel ‘over’ after one day; my DS has always preferred it that way.

After, otherwise you are celebrating something that hasn't happened yet.

Either is fine. We've done both before and after just depending on availability of people and venues. Makes no difference to the child in the least.

Is anything else happening on either side? Beginning or end of a half term holiday, bank holiday, big football match, local festival etc? I'd decide based on that as likely to affect attendance.

This, unless the weekend after is massively inconvenient.

Presumably you're having it at a venue so see which weekend is available. Either is fine.

Either… but if all other factors are equal: after.

Whenever you can, within a month of the party. It doesn’t really matter…

After. Definitely.

It really doesn’t matter. If all things are considered equal like the preferred venue has availability at the time you want on both weekends then I suppose go afterwards since he’ll actually be 6 then.

I'd go for after as it's very close to his birthday but either is absolutely fine. For my daughter we've always gone weekend before but that's because my husband works every other weekend so just chosen the weekend he's off.

After

Either is fine, DC is 8 and has had Parties both before and after.. I always go by availability of the Venue! Also double check none of those close Friends have Birthdays around a similar time.

It doesn't matter one bit. One year we did dc1's party 6 weeks after her birthday was we were moving house and life was too chaotic. Choose a date when closest friends are likely to be available and that doesn't clash with any other parties or school/bank holidays. And if you are booking a venue, when they have availability.

Both are fine if no other considerations. Mine don't want class parties anymore but when they did for DS we usually did after as before often falls in a school holiday so people are away, For DD we often did before as another family member has a birthday a few days after her so didn't want to clash.