What do you do for birthdays?

I am sure I asked this last year, but heck!
 
Last year we did a bounce place party with preschool friends. This year I was not going to do anything, but the kids have already been invited to a lot of parties, so I know it's going to come up again. Problem is they are in two different classes again, and they are 16 and 18 in each class... that's a lot of kids. I can't really do only boys and only girls as they know everyone and get along with both boys and girls in each class... and they don't really have best friends yet.
 
Plus nobody knows they have a twin brother and sister, so it might be awkward for the parents when they show up and a bit annoying when we open presents as we won't know who it is for etc...
 
How do you handle it? I contacted Little Gym to see if they would even accommodate a party with 30 kids.

 

We did a big bowling party for my girls' 5th birthday for both pre k classes and requested no presents. For their 6th bday we decided not to have another big party. We took them on a special day at the museum of natural history in NYC and then had family over for dinner and cake. This year for their 7th we may do a small home party with only their closest friends.

 

Last year we just invited the kids from the neighborhood.  Kept it smaller and there wasn't that awkward "oh he's a twin??" with the other parents.   We just did cake & ice cream and they all played outside.   Probably do something similar for their next birthday.

 

We invited their age…..so this year they invited 8 kids- 10 total with them.
 
They have one best friend- but the others were friends. We did the same last year (7 friends). 
 
Yes, it was hard to decide who to invite, but it was affordable- we got to celebrate- and in the end it was no big deal. Not all 8 were even in their class (they are in the same class).

 

Hubby was thinking of just doing it in our house but UGH lol. It's not that big. And I wouldn't even know how to entertain 30 kids (and even less where to seat them for cake). February birthdays suck!

 

After attending a birthday party for a girl in her class, I discovered that not a lot of kids attended parties so when the time came, I invited same gendered kids from their respective classrooms.  If there was a set of twins, I made note on the invite that it was for both twins.  (all twins in my twins' grade are b/g)  I had the party at our house and was prepared for about 7 kids.  I invited about 18 I think.  Two girls showed up.  It worked.  IF you know that a lot of them will attend, the party at a place is best.  This is just what worked for me. 
 
What is very important is that you do what you can afford.  Do not try to keep up with the Jones'. 

 

This is so true.  My kids have a December birthday and we have a small house.  And obviously with a December birthday, I cannot send the kids outside to play.  Since my kids are in the same class,  if I were to have a friend party, we probably would invite the whole class.  Or they could pick two kids each to invite and we'd have a small party.
This year, we'll stick to our family birthday.  The kids have been asking for a friend party and I said we'd aim for next year and maybe hold it some place.  That will give us time to save up money and come up with ideas.

 

We have done friend parties since they were 3. The boys are October and Annabella is June. With the boys we've cleaned up the basement. They have invited one friend each from their class, plus our group of friends. This year they had 15 total. We didn't clean the basement, so it was all upstairs(halloween themed). I've found, I've had all these activities prepped and ready to go, and they honestly have a blast just...playing. Granted they run around the yard, etc. But if weather is issue, I'd have some sort of craft activity or two and honestly, that would probably be all you need. They'll just play!

Dh didn't want to go crazy cleaning, etc and wanted party elsewhere. But to have a party elsewhere around here, it's almost $20/kid. I'm T $60 before I've invited anyone! Next year we may do a party elsewhere, but we will see.

 

My favorite birthdays have been the ones with cake, ice cream, and a small favor for each classmate at school.  Its short, everyone is included and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. 
 
Last year we had a party (first real party since Preschool) at the ranch where the girls ride.  The guests were reciprocal invitation kids and a few good friends from school and activities.  Everyone RSVPd and stuck to their acceptance or decline except one family who got lost and was unable to contact us.  It was only 2 hours, parents all stayed, the kids took turns grooming, riding and roping, we served cake, beverages and snacks and everyone left at close to the designated time.  We also had cupcakes at school.
 
I prefer not to invite the whole class because you can get into a loop of polite reciprocal invitations when the kids are not even friends.  In first grade a boy, who my girls are friendly with but not good friends, invited the whole class, so we invited him to the girls party in 2nd grade, he could not attend but invited them to go bowling two weeks later.  I could see this getting into an endless loop, so I declined the bowling and said we'd try and organize a playdate with a lot of school friends at a park the next school break.  His parents seemed happy about that.

 

Every year, I tell the kids they can invite as many kids to their birthday party as their age.  They each give me their list (last year they each listed 8 kids).  But I always end up with less than 10 kids since many names appear on both of their lists.  If I want a small party, I just leave it at that and invite less than 10.  If I have room for more kids (like at a bounce place party) I also invite siblings, since some inevitably show up anyway.  
 
They get invited to many many birthday parties of their classmates, but they don't attend all of them.  If it is a kid I have never heard them talk about, I ask if he/she is a good friend or just a classmate, and RSVP accordingly.  
 
Also, I always put both of the children's names on the invitation so that everyone knows it is a party for both.  
 
At this age, they just want a few of their friends, have fun, and eat cake!  Don't worry about inviting the whole class just so that nobody feels left out.  If their classmates don't even know that they are a twin, I don't think they would feel left out about not being invited to a birthday party.   

 

So far, we have only had one friends party, a small and informal one at home - 2 kids from DS' pre-school class, 3 from DD's, a few party games, cake and free play. I had prepared more games but did not need them. It is a small pre-school so everyone knows they are twins, but I put one child's name on the invitation to limit the gifts although some kids did bring at least a small gift for the other child too.
 
BTW, you can do winter birthdays outside: I have a January birthday and if there was good snow my mom asked for everyone to come with snowsuits, mittens etc. and we went and built huge snowmen or went sleighing and then came indoors for cake and hot cocoa and a party game or two. These parties were unsual and so much fun. Of course this does not work if you have rainy winters where you live.