Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

How does everyone feel about Friday birthday parties? Trying to plan my son's birthday party for the end of January. We just had our other son's party this past Saturday, and of course Christmas is in just a few weeks. So, we're trying to keep the cost as low as we can. He's turning 6, so he's old enough to have lots of opinions now . So we are looking into some options that he's interested in and trying to figure out ways to cut cost. One place I was looking into offers a much lower price for Friday parties. But I don't want it to be a big inconvenience for people. How do people usually feel about it?

Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

As long as we were home no later than 7:30 I would have no problems with it.

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

As a working mom I would't be able to make it on a Friday unless it was 6:30 or later.
I get home at 6 then would need to get DD and get to the place

Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

You really can't gauge what your child's friends will find convenient from a post on a message board full of strangers though. The circumstances are probably not the same.

I prefer a weeknight party to a Saturday/Sunday daytime. If people work, they decline, no big deal IMO. I will say, every bday party we have done on a weeknight, everyone has came.

Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

Working parents will most likely have issues with the time.

I work in the city and unless it was a close family member we would not be able to get my DS there.

Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

I would think that a Friday afternoon/early evening party would be hard for working parents to get to, especially depending on their work hours and location. I'm a teacher, so wouldn't have a problem with it but my situation and work hours are unlike many others. Since its a weeknight, would the birthday party be competing with other after-school activities (i.e. dance class, sports practice, karate, brownies, boy scouts, etc.)?

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

I hosted my daughters 5 th birthday at my home last year at 530 on a Friday evening. Everyone showed. Because it was a house party- no pressure to show up exactly at 530.

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

My daughters' birthday party was at 6 on a Friday. All 26 children showed. I was surprised. It is the best response I have every gotten. All the other parties were on a Sat or Sunday.

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

I would actually prefer a Friday night rather than a Saturday. My weekends I usually need for other things so I'd actually find it really convenient to go to a kids party on a Friday instead. It would just have be at night though after work. If it were in the afternoon it would be impossible.

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I'd be fine with it, but I work in a school and can leave by 3:30.

Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

I'd be fine with it and would just rearrange my schedule or Dh would

Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

that would be ok for us... DH and i would just work it out (right now, i'm a SAHM but i'm thinking ahead to when DS is in school and i'm back at work...)
i think no matter when you have it, people will or won't come for different reasons. so do what works best for you. could you maybe ask around to the people you're planning to invite... or at least the people you know your DS would really want there?

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

As a working mother of 2, I wouldn't be able to do a Friday night bday party.

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

It might be hard for a working parent to attend.

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

Message edited 12/1/2015 10:11:21 AM.

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

Do what works best for you. I think Friday parties usually are pretty well attended.

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

I would have no issue
If I worked Friday's and it was an issue id ask my mom to take them if they were close to the kid

Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

I'm personally off on Fridays so it would be ok for us but if I was still working on Fridays, we would most likely have to decline unless it started after 6.

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

I don't have a problem with a friday evening party, but I also have a very flexible work-from-home schedule.

Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

I like Fridays better than Saturday- it gives me all day Saturday free still.

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

As long as I'm home by 7:30 to get the kids to bed on time I have no probs with a Friday party.

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

Ever since 1st grade we have tons of parties on Fridays. With sports it's really hard sometimes to have weekend parties. Friday afternoon/evening parties are pretty common by me. I do agree with an above poster that it does depend on the area you live and your circle of friends. The majority by me are SAHM where Fridays aren't an issue. I'm sure if we were mostly working moms it wouldn't be as pravelent.

Re: Friday afternoon/evening birthday parties?

Depends on your guest list - For a family memember or close friend of my child, I'd rearrange my schedule, leave work early etc to make it work - but for a 'random' for lack of a better word, classmate, it would be a decline.