Having the Birthday Party a Month Later

I'm interested in the responses b/c my GD's birthday is also mid-March and like you it's hard to do the outdoor thing because of the weather. I have thought about delaying until the weather is better but, also like you, it seems odd to have the party a month later.

Most of my kids have summer birthdays a few have colder weather birthdays. I have pushed birthdays out for the exact same reason.

We still did something for their actual day, but at home with just immediate family. They picked the meal, had a cake and got one small present. They never felt forgotten or bad about it.

Then when the weather was nice they got the party they really wanted. Sounds like a win win situation to me.

If that's what he wants and he is okay with it, then I say go for it.

Ah yes...everyone is always envious that my girls birthdays fall in the fall...which is perfect time usually for an outdoor party. (Although I've had some rainy days in the past)

I don't have to celebrate later....but don't see anything wrong with doing it that way. I agree with others who say other people probably won't even notice or care.

It doesn't sound weird to me. It is more convenient for you. If your son doesn't care, then I don't see a problem. He'll probably love it since he'll probably get a cake and familly gifts on his actual birthday and still have another celebration to look forward to a month later.

Honestly, nobody really knows or cares when the actual date of the birthday is.

Have the party whenever you want, kids are usually just happy to be invited.

I have done my sons birthday 2 weeks prior to his birthday as he is under 5 and does not know when his real birthday is.

I also let him know that it is just the party and on his birthday we sing to him, give him a cake and his parent gifts so he really gets 2 parties.

Since you have so much time you can see how the weather is before setting your date in stone and give 2 weeks notice.

I routinely do my younger kids' parties when the time is best, not necessarily when it's their birthday. One has an early January birthday so we plan on his in July and have a pool party. The other has a March birthday and like your son's, weather is an issue. Sometimes we have an indoor party for him in March, sometimes we move his to the summer too. This year we actually didn't get their parties in at all so we're doing a small outdoor party at the end of this month. We do a small family celebration on or around their birthday but the party with friends is...whenever. No one has thought that this was weird.

I think it depends on the kid. My younger son plans his birthdays 6 months in advance and couldn't stand to wait a month to celebrate. However, my older son is more mellow and we have waited a month in the past to have his party. His birthday falls right during the heart of the youth baseball season, often during playoffs, and he and his friends are baseball players so we've had to wait to fit in a celebration. We always do something with him on or near the actual birthday though--like a special dinner and family gifts. So, I think it's up to you and depends on the kid and his personality, temperament, etc.

I haven't done it yet, but we're going to. My daughter's birthday is in January, and she's always wanted a pool party. So next year, I'm going to have her party in May or June when it's warm enough to swim. We will celebrate her real birthday with our close family, but save the kid party for the warmer weather. Winter birthdays are hard to plan fun outdoor things for, and we live in a mild climate! Good luck!

I have done this and the kids did not care one bit, family loved it because they did not have to worry about traveling the half hour/ 45 minutes to my place in the snow. Their birthdays are Feb. 20th and March 2nd, so they have their birthday parties together as well. When I do this though I make the actual day of their birthday special. I do this by letting them pick something they want to do, where they want to eat or what they want to eat, and they get the gifts from my husband and I. I live in western PA so we never know how the weather is going to be and that means if they want outside parties or a big party they wait till mid-April.

I know a lot of kids whose birthdays fall over summer break have their parties either in June or September, just so that their friends will be available to attend, and not all away on vacation. You can just do a small family celebration on the actual birthday.

As for the backyard party, no matter when you have it you will need to be prepared to move the party indoors, unless you have a big tent/canopy.

My friend has a son who's birthday is December 18th. Right there where everyone is strapped for cash and have plans out the wazoo. She hardly ever had anyone show up for his birthday parties so she decided to do them in January once school started back up after winter break. It worked so much better for everyone.

Her daughters birthday is at the end of June. So they do her school main birthday party at the end of the school year so all her school friends can attend. They would always be on vacation or gone to camp. They would hardly show up. She enjoys her party a month early.

It works for them.

well, I don't think it's fair to make the child wait.....

yes, it's cold in March....but then again, you can easily have rain & mud in April. Celebrate his birthday when it hits!

My sister and I are both "Christmas" babies. We never were able to have parties on our actual days because everyone was out of town or busy with their own family celebrations.

We did things with just the immediate family and then we had a big party in the summertime. It was "normal" for us and we always had a blast.

My son was born at the end of June. We always had his parties for his classmates and friends before school got out. That way, everyone could attend. His actual birthday was spent with immediate family and one or two of his closest friends.

Kids are amazingly adaptable, and they certainly understand you can't have a bounce house in the backyard when there's a chance of snow on the ground.

Plan the party you want as weather permits. People do it all the time.

Best wishes.

I have friends who's daughter has a Dec. birthday right before Christmas. They have a friends party each year in June for her 1/2 birthday. For them it works and everyone understands because the invites say 'B's # 1/2 birthday'.

For me, 3 weeks before or after is usually the max. Although next year Easter is at the end of March, beginning of April, so maybe you could have an Easter Egg Hunt in place of a party?

Oh, and we always give our gifts to the kids ON their birthday, never at their party with friends.

I do that. One year Spring Break was the week of my son's birthday. Easter was a few days after. We had a huge 3 yard egg hunt during the day of his birthday (to give the kids something to do), ordered pizza, passed out juice boxes and frosted cookies. When we got to the cookies I said 'by the way, today is C's birthday, so lets sing to him'. Everyone had a blast.

For my daughter, her birthday is near Halloween, so we hold a Halloween party and sing. Last year for her 'outdoor' party we had a freak hail and snow storm. Had to move everything inside. Pinatas in the garage. The next day is was sunny and 70!

Why do I do that? So my kids can see that parties are about the friends around you, not the gifts that they bring. To me its the best of both worlds.
It also helps when you hold the party later, parents won't then feel like you are holding a party just for the presents.

My daughters bday is in August...right around the crazy start of school...I don't see any issues w moving it as needed....less stress for you...go for it.

Good question and I was thinking the same thing lately. My daughters birthday is right when school starts, and she wants to invite the girls from her class, but we don't have their information for invites yet. If we wait a month or so, we may be able to invite them all. I'll look forward to the rest of your answers.

My kids never cared and I did it often. One daughter's bday is right after Christmas, so by the time I get my act together to pick a place, send invites etc., it is usually March. Another daughter's bday is August so we always had her party in June or September. They never cared - we celebrated with the family on their actual day and that was good for them!

I think it depends on the kids. My girls would never want to wait that long (and our birthdays are Jan and March).