2 year old December birthday party

[redapplelove]

Hi there ladies! I'm new to this forum and was wondering if any of you might be able to help me out with some suggestions for my son's upcoming 2 year old birthday party. His birthday is on December 21st, so it's kind of a hard time to throw a party with everyone preparing for the holidays just a few days after. I live in Northern NJ and am looking for a place to have it where kids between the ages 1-6 will all be able to have a good time. It's hard because there is such a large age span between the children and having the party at home is not an option because of lack of space.  Had his birthday been in the spring or summer, I could have had an outdoor party.  I'm pressed for ideas.  Can any of you ladies help me out with some suggestions please?  Thanks so much!  

[She2dancer]

My oldest DS will be 5 this coming 12/22.....so I totally understand your predicament!!  We have done various things for the past four years.  We have had his party early Dec and late January to avoid the holiday "rush" and last year I considered having his party in June...just to have it outside!  We have done two of his parties in our house (not large...but I didn't care for the other options) and the other two years we have done it at our church hall.  Every year no matter when we do his party, on his actual birthday we invite his cousins over to our house (I have 13 nieces and nephews ranging from 12 down to 5 months) and we all decorate gingerbread cookies together and sing happy birthday.  Last year I decided to make this night his "party"....even though it fell a few days before Christmas.  We actually had the best turnout out of all his parties so far...it was fun, festive...though a little stressful to clean up the mess a couple of days before Christmas. 

We will do cookies on the 22nd again this year, but I haven't decided about his party.  My middle son's birthday is mid March, so I have considered doing one party in Jan/Feb for both of them at the local Children's museum or indoor bouncy place (Pump it Up or Monkey Joes)....

nothing is really ideal...but I do try and make sure that his birthday is a special day so it doesn't get swallowed by the season....

[darlawoods]

We are a holiday birthday family too! DD birthday is the 10th of December.  We will have parties at home, since we don't have a lot of friends with small children, and our home is large enough.  However, I know friends who do places such as Pump it Up (jump place), gymboree is ideal too, I think they go up to age 6.  Any indoor kids play place is great. Indoor soccer field, gymnastic stadium, room at the park district...

Hope that you find some place to have your celebration!

Good luck

[redapplelove]

Thank you so much for you suggestions!  We ended up having a robot birthday party at a pizzeria in town.  Everyone loved the pizza and salad and my good friend made an awesome robot cake and cupcakes.  All in all, it was a success and my son had a great birthday.  Thanks again!

[~Adorkable~]

my twins were born between christmas and new years and just turned one, i am thinking very seriously of moving their birthday to halfway around the year and doing a big outdoor thing then each year, with maybe a tiny family thing of their actual b day each year.  seems bad enough they share a birthday with their sibling, but to share with the holidays seems like they are getting cheated.

what do folks think about that, specially if you have a kid in the same situation and have had a few years to see how it has worked out.