Is it weird to have a birthday party three months early?

[wvcorley]

My son (4) goes to pre k at the local elementary and just loves his friends. He has gone to several birthday parties this year and is so so excited for his own… except his birthday is the end of August, a few days before the new school year starts.

Because it’s pre k, the students aren’t all in the same boundary and next year almost none of them will actually go to his school. I am thinking about having a birthday party for him in May just before the school year ends. Would you find this tacky?

I don’t want to wait until August because he won’t know anyone in his new class, and let’s be honest, no one from his old class will go at that point (even during summer break is just asking for no one to come). I ask because this will probably become a regular thing, trying to fit the birthday party in before the summer starts until he has some more consistent friends.

Is this bad? Would you send your kid? Would you think we were weird or just fishing for birthday presents? (He mostly wants to eat cake and have his friends come over to our house haha)

 

[suezqz]

@wvcorley Nah, I get it. Maybe give that little tagline that “he values your child’s friendship and cares more about seeing them than a party near his birthday” and send out the invites.

Or pitch it as a dual “year-end/early-birthday” party.

If my son’s friend had a “it’s Saturday, come have cake” party you bet your ass he’d show up.

 

[wvcorley]

@suezqz That’s a good point! Lol

 

[soulonfire4god]

@wvcorley I guarantee you no one actually knows when your kids birthday is. To be honest, your 4 year old probably barely knows when his birthday is.

My son’s birthday is end of July and we always celebrate his birthday the last week in June when school is just about to finish and invite all of his school friends. He’s turning 8 this year and we’re planning his bday again at the end of June. Not even something he questions or wonders why.

There’s no rules when you have to celebrate a birthday and not something that you have to mention. One of his friends parents was super busy and unfortunately weren’t able to have a bday this year, so they threw it 6 months later. Why would anyone care?

Just send an invitation with the date and tell people to come celebrate your kids birthday. Don’t overthink it.

My kid goes to several birthdays a year, and I honestly wouldn’t even know if a kid threw multiple parties in a year haha.

 

[wvcorley]

@soulonfire4god My son actually tells everyone his birthday constantly because he’s so excited haha. The parents probably don’t know now, but 100% he would tell them at the party. I just want to make sure they don’t feel lied to or anything, but I’m glad to hear it’s not uncommon to celebrate at a different time. I’m very new to the birthday scene!

 

[gingerjess]

@wvcorley Not a parent, however as a kid it was common for there to be a flurry of parties the last month of school for “summer birthdays”.

 

[samanjm]

@wvcorley Weird to me.

Probably because of a stupid ancient superstition in my culture not to celebrate/congratulate with a birthday beforehand (to avoid death).

 

[maddy3000]

@wvcorley I’m always up for taking my kids to a birthday party even if it’s three months early lol. But if you’re worried could you not get their emails for August?

 

[wvcorley]

@maddy3000 I could, but at least one friend is moving after the year ends, and as it stands attendance is not high at birthday parties around here. I just feel they’re more likely to actually come if they’re still seeing each other every day.

 

[starfish49]

@wvcorley I might not send a gift if my Kindergartener was invited to a birthday party held three months before the kids birthday but I would certainly let my kid attend. If it was one of those "instead of gifts, we are raising money for an animal shelter" type birthday parties I would participate with that. I don't know why but I would feel weird about giving a gift that early, even though that seems like a totally logical reason to have the party way in advance.

 

[wvcorley]

@starfish49 Good to know! The presents thing is definitely the biggest hang up for me for that exact reason. And while on one hand I don’t want him to miss out on presents (it’s not why he wants a party but he would definitely notice if there weren’t any cause that’s what happens at birthdays), I definitely understand the hesitancy to just give a kid a present on a random Saturday!