HELP! Don't know to invite class or not!

[adrianna22]

Hi

I am planning a birthday party for my near 5 year old.

My flat has no space to invite 23 kids in.

I was about to hire a space, but it costs £400.00 including food and cake. So that means not much money for Christmas.

As I put all my hopes into hiring the place- till late notice they gave me a price. Now I'm searching high and low to see if I can hire spaces in this short amount of time.

Or the other option is to not invite DS school friends and to invite close family and friends.

Don't know what to do.

I would not give up Christmas for Birthday Party!

Have you checked scouts halls or a village hall? Food and a cake prepared at hone won't cost that much.
Hire a magician for one hour. No idea how much they charge nowadays.

Can you not do something inbetween, invite 8-10 to they party at your flat for a house party. At that age children love just coming to someone's house, playing a few games, having some cake and getting a small party bag! I think you could do a small house party for under a £100 all in..

Oe if you have a soft play nearby you can usually do an all party quite cheaply, and my daughter loved these at this age, or check your council for any type of parties they might hold at various leisure entres from trampolining etc.

Thanks everyone.

I've have tried all my leisure centres and halls. They are all booked.

The venue that cost £400.00- I would have to buy the food at the venue- as it's a good business- so no external food allowed.

My only option is to call my housing to see if they hire out their meeting rooms.

If not I'll invite 10 of DS school friends at my house and hope 5 show up.

Sorry- its a food business.

Though if I invite kids at my house. That will mean putting extra rugs in my house as our neighbours complain about noise

I would visit neighbours with a bunch of flowers and apologise in advance
now you know you have to book those birthday places v.far in advance - I didn't know that either 11 years ago....

Are they booked up because it's this side of Christmas? If so, one option might be to delay and get a cheaper hall. They vary so much - anything from £5 an hour to £100 per party within a 3 min drive of my house. £400 is madness though.

My favourite parties are at-home parties and I agree that prewarning your neighbours is a good idea. Or could you do a pizza restaurant party - I think the children get to make their own pizzas at some - or kids AM cinema trip at 1.50 or whatever per ticket?

PS I'd just do the 10 is so. Whole class is a nice gesture but not expected, and after a few years of primary school parties I reckon all my DC's favourite parties have been smaller ones, with just the children they really want there.