invite or don't invite my friends kids?

[mumnosbest]

DS is almost 5 and has just started school, so has a whole new set of friends who he wants to invite to his party. However for the last 4 years his friends have been my friends kids. He goes to their parties and they come to his. This year we either have a massive party, which I can't afford, risk upsetting friends by not inviting their kids (even though we've already been to their parties or don't invite Ds's new school friends (obviously not an option as it's his birthday). How do you keep everyone happy?

Decide on your maximum and ask DS who HE wants.

can you not just tell ds how many children you can afford, tell him all the possible people that could attend and then get him to chose whoi he actually wants to be there.

How many friend's kids are there?
Could they come round for a bday tea on your DS's actual birthday?
Reception / Year 1 can be tricky with this, imo. After that becomes easier cos it is kind of accepted that they will invite school friends.

That's sort of what I'm planning at the mo. He's chosen school friends to go to his party but I'll then have to have a second tea-party for the others. Don't want him thinking he's having 2 parties every yr! I've been talking to friends about this, dropping hints for ages but they've all just gone ahead with big parties. The problem is my ds wants his party at a play centre so 8 is my max number, so I can't invite friends kids.