Has anyone been invited to or done a 1/2 birthday party before? My youngest-5 has his birthday a week before Christmas and I have never had a real birthday party for him. I was wondering if it would be weird of me to do a 5 1/2 birthday party for him at the end of June. It would be perfect timing because it would be the end of the school year and the weather would be nice.
It would also be perfect because for some reason the kid wants a surprise party and I figure if we do a 1/2 birthday it would really be a surprise. I would just add that on the invite so parents don't tell the kids.
So is this a weird idea? What would you think if you got an invite to a party like this?
Thank you
So it looks like we are going to go with a 1/2 birthday party this year! I don't think it is something I would do every year but this is his 5th year so it is going to be kind of special. I will have him invite all his preschool kids because next year all of the graduating preschoolers will be going splitting into their district school so he probably won't see much of them after this year. This will also be his last year at preschool so again it will be special since he won't be seeing much of them either.
He has made many friends in his short 5 years of life so I will let him invite everyone from his daycare and his preschool class plus he has friends from other places. It will be an awesome surprise if I can pull off the surprise part. The party will be in a big backyard so renting a space/money won't be an issue.
We always do a dinner with cake and presents from me and my mom and sister so that won't take away from his actual birthday.
My youngest was born in early January. I have held his party in July or August every year. People don't care when his "real" birthday is, as long as they're only invited to one party a year for the same kid.
As a mid December baby I loved my half birthdays! My mom would get me a small gift and do something fun with 1 or 2 friends. Some friends parents acted like it was a little "excessive" to have a half birthday so that is why my mom always kept it low key. HTH!
I think it's a cute idea. We do "half a birthdays" for the kids in our family until they hit 10. We don't do anything special other than cupcakes for all and a special little cake for the "birthday" child, no gifts, but in your son's case this year could be different. And we sing "Half a Birthday to You" to the tune of "Happy Birthday" : )
My birthday is Dec 18 - exactly one week before Christmas. Growing up, we ALWAYS celebrated my half birthday for a lot of reasons .... better weather for birthday fun and better birthday gifts (think summer toys!), further from Christmas chaos, etc. etc. On my real birthday, I still got a birthday cake and we sang. When I was little, one small present and a reminder my half birthday would be here in six months! It was a great idea and I recommend it!
However, I would recommend - if you are planning to "surprise" him by a half birthday party, I'm not sure he would get it on the spot at all. Perhaps a discussion in the weeks beforehand what a "half birthday" even means and trying this idea. Chances are, since it's not his real birthday, he may forget about it approaching if you want to let this happen so then he can be surprised by the party - but still understand whats happening.
We have exactly the same situation. A 12/25 birthday and we have always (27 years) gone away for the holidays which we have not changed since we had DS. We did our first 1/2 birthday party when he was 4-1/2. We have a pool so we do a pool party on approximately 6/25. His friends all know we don't do a 'whole' birthday party so we just treat it like his once a year party - gifts and all (family get him gifts at his real birthday, not the 1/2 one).
In my youngest's kindergarten class, they do all the summer birthdays as half birthdays.
I planned on doing that this year for my son's 5th birthday. His is 12/28 and he so just wants to have a bunch of friends over for his party! I don't know how long I plan on doing it, but I figured for his 5th why not.
Mine is the 27th of Dec. and I never had a 1/2 birthday, but I never really wanted a party either. I think it depends on what your child wants, and it sounds like a celebration with some friends would be perfect for him :)
Sounds like a cute, fun idea as long as you don't host a 5 and 6 y/o party in addition :) I have a summer birthday and can attest to how much fun they are. Enjoy!
That's what I want to do for my New Year's Eve son! My husband won't get on board, but I think it's a perfect time for a party! I want to do family only on his bday and the friends' party on the 1/2 birthday. I'm still campaigning!
My daughter (17) has the 12/27 birthday. We've never done a 1/2 birthday and we've never had a lack of attendance for parties that were on her birthday.
It's just your call on what you want to do. I've heard that some people do it and love it.
We prefer to celebrate on her day. I make it her day from day 1. All of her birthday things are in another area of the house in birthday paper. So far so good.
We've had lots of end of school parties but none related to a 1/2 birthday. Our end of school parties were just that, end of school party with Dj and the works!
Enjoy whatever you choose to do.
I think it is a great idea! Unfortunately, my husband isn't like minded. :( He's very nostalgic and just can't imagine celebrating on a day other than her actual birthday. I am hoping that as she gets a bit older he may have a change of heart.
I would not think it was weird at all. All of us with little ones born in the busy winter months TOTALLY get it. :)
I told my SIL that next year, I'm going to give my nephew (her son) a Christmas gift, and then NOT give him a bday gift till summertime at his Half-Birthday. She got bombarded with gifts and clothes this December (when he turned one). And then 3 months later ran out of clothes that fit him.
So no - I don't think it sounds weird at all. If I got an invite to a party like that I'd think "Cool. Smart M.! Christmas is so busy with parties and food and holiday stuff that the poor kid doesn't really get a good birthday party." I'd be game. As it is, I'm going to give my nephew a 1/2 birthday present from now on. I'll be the "cool" aunt maybe ??
I've never heard of a half birthday but I think it is a wonderful idea! and a great way to celebrate! I would not think anything of it to get a invite to a childs party like this i would just go!
My birthday is in January and everyone always seems too burnt out from the holidays to celebrate it properly so maybe this year I will do a half birthday especially since the summer is when I get to go see my family anyways! Thanks for the idea!
Yes. My birthday is 26th of December and my mother still sends me a 1/2 birthday card. When I was young my mother always had a 1/2 birthday party in June. It was great to have a birthday party like all the other kids and not have to always share my birthday with the Xmas holidays.
We're all about half birthdays...double the cake!
My sonis about to turn five in a couple of weeks and he has taken great joy is saying "I'm 4.5 but I'm ALMOST five."
I started the tradition here. Everyone was fine with it provided I not have 2 parties.
My son's birthday is 12/20, and while he's always had a birthday party around that time (or right after the new year), I think this year we will have a 4 1/2 party in June as a special day with just some treats and outside play, maybe an evening with friends where they stay up past their bedtimes and have snow cones in the backyard, no gifts or renting a place or anything.
He has been talking about how he will be 4 1/2 so this could be fun!
My friend has a son who also has a birthday a week before Christmas. She has always had a separate and real party for him that has nothing to do with Christmas other than having Christmas decorations in the background in the pictures. Just food for thought.
A good friend of mine has a daughter that was born on December 26. They decided to acknowledge her actual birthday with dinner and a few gifts with just immediate family, but celebrate the actual party with friends on her half birthday. I thought it was a really great idea and she gets the best of both worlds. My son was born on Dec. 2, so we always have to do something indoors because we just can't count on the weather in December. We may do this for him at some point!
I think it is a great idea. I don't think kids or parents would care if it was the real birthday or not. A party is a party!
HTH,
A.
