Notice for Bday Party? and Sunday Parties?

Updated on September 13, 2012
A.K. asks from Minneapolis, MN
21 answers

how much notice is the usual amount to give for a childs birthday party? If you got a invitation on a monday and the party was on a saturday 12 days away, is that not enough notice?

What about if a party is on a sunday? is that usual / ok?

we are renting a place and they only have sunday available, or the saturday a week before we had planned...

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L.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

I always throw Sunday parties. It's a day to relax and not plan anything so we always plan dinner at mom's anyway. I always text everyone to give a "save the date" so that way everyone knows ahead of time when the party will be. Details to follow later and by later, invite standard for a party is 2 weeks. Weddings are 2 months. I think anything too early and people forget. Too late and they make plans.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Chicago on

I think Sunday would be fine for a party. I usually like to give people about 2 weeks notice for invitations. Anymore than that and they forget. Twelve days should be plenty, though. I wouldn't go less than a week notice in case someone needed to ask for the day off of work or something.

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M.J.

answers from Sacramento on

Between 2-3 weeks is ideal but 12 days isn't bad.

We've gone to lots of parties on Sundays. That's usually a better day for people because Saturday is a big activity day with kids' team sports.

4 moms found this helpful

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

I have no issue with either one, provided we don't have a conflict with the date/time specifically.
I mean, if it was scheduled for Sunday before lunch, my child would have to miss it b/c we are at church, and we don't miss church for a birthday party. But in the afternoon would be fine.
And only 12 days notice? As long as my child gave me the invite right away and "I" knew about it that far in advance, then, again, so long as we weren't already locked into some other activity that day/time, it is fine.

Honestly, too much beyond, say... 3 weeks notice, means I am more likely to forget. :/

ETA: Sometimes Sunday afternoons can work out really well, especially THIS time of year. Dad's are watching football, and it gives moms a reason to get out of the house with the kids. :)

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I give at least two weeks' notice. Parties on Sunday are OK. I prefer afternoon parties on Sundays so we can go to church first. Locally there is a large Jewish and 7th Day Adventist population so Sunday = Saturday in some families.

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C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

I usually send out invites about 3 weeks ahead. People get so busy that if you plan for something that's only a week away, no one will be able to come because they already have plans. We had my son's party on a Sunday and we just made it in the afternoon since most of our friends and family have church in the morning. All but I think 2 people came.

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D.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

We usually send out invites the weekend before the party (or home from school on the Friday before), giving just over a week's notice. Otherwise people forget. People generally don't not-plan something just because of a party; if the family was going somewhere, they won't cancel the trip because of a party inviation received before or after the event was planned.

On either a Saturday or Sunday, you run the risk of people not being able to attend for religious reasons. Some religions hold Sabbath on Saturday, some on Sunday. I've never had an attendence issue with either day as long as the party is in the afternoon or evening.

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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

12 days is plenty of notice. Also, a Sunday party at a rental location is pretty normal.

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K.P.

answers from New York on

It depends on the child's age, but two weeks is usually enough notice. Less than that and people tend to have plans (especially if there are older siblings).

Sundays are fine with us, as long as it's not in the morning. Many families attend church or use that time to get pulled together. An early afternoon/late morning (after 11) party on a Sunday would be fine.

My preschooler brought home an invite yesterday for a party on Friday evening. Short notice for sure! He has soccer so he won't be attending, but Friday evening parties are more challenging for most families than Sundays!

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F.S.

answers from Pocatello on

I would say 2 -2 1/2 weeks is good. We have always had our parties on Sunday. I find that it is better accommodating to everyone's schedule especially ours. Saturdays get so busy! Good luck!

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L.A.

answers from Austin on

2 weeks is a good amount of time.. If possible also do the evite as well as the paper invite.

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L.M.

answers from Reno on

I send out invites 7-10 days before the party. If you go too far from the date, it's easily forgotten, I've found. Also, I think Sundays are okay, just (as before mentioned) have it at about 2 o'clock or so.

Also, if you don't want to include lunch for the kids, do as I do... never have a party between 11 and 2 - most every party we've thrown is at 2/3 or we provide lunch for the munchkins.

Have fun!

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K..

answers from Phoenix on

2 weeks is a good time frame. Please, do not send me an invitation 3 or 4 weeks in advance unless we know each other personally, because it may get misplaced or forgotten about.

I LOVE Sunday mid-day/afternoon parties. I think you just have to do what works for you, however. We usually have something going on Saturday, and Sunday is a "chill out" day, so Sunday parties are great for us.

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K.G.

answers from Boca Raton on

I give about 2.5/3 weeks notice. I noticed if I gave more notice, the worse it was. People would forget....

Example:
-My son's bday party is Saturday, September 29th...
-I mailed the invitations on Saturday, September 8th....
- I put a RSVP by Saturday, September 22nd.

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

How old is your child? I think that has an impact because the older kids get, the more activities they have and the less flexible those activities become. For instance, around here, most kids my child's age (11) and even a few years younger have clubs or dance or sports or other commitments. Some are missable for a party; but others just aren't (like mandatory rehearsals for a show, for instance -- my daughter's situation.). So if your child is quite young, 12 days is OK, though three weeks would really be preferable and allow folks to arrange rides etc. easily. A Sunday would not bother me at all unless it was before about 1:00. Many families do still go to church or just t have other ways they spend Sunday mornings, so I'd only do an afternoon party on a Sunday.

If you are spending to rent a place -- well, I would not want to spend money on renting a space and risk having a low turnout because there wasn't enough notice to guests. I'd go for a later date and more notice to guests, if it's possible, since there is rental money involved. And remember, if your own plans change, rental deposits usually are not refundable within a certain number of days or weeks prior to the scheduled event date.

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A.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

I send out a Save the Date email about a month in advance, and the actual invite far enough that will arrive at least 2 weeks before the party. (this is my "goal," it doesn't ALWAYS happen this way!)

Sundays are tough, as there's church for many families, but later in the day is fine, I think.

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M.L.

answers from Colorado Springs on

Twelve days is fine. I think that's a good time notification.

If you have to do Sunday, try to make it an afternoon party. Some people don't attend parties on Sundays because it's their worship/family day. Others have church in the morning and hope their children will rest in the early afternoon so they'll be ready to party later on. You can't have much say if it's a rented place, but do the best you can.

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K.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

I tend to give 3-4 weeks notice, but a recent post on here revealed that many people give two weeks or less. To me, 12 days sounds like a short amount of time, but many people responding would have felt like that was completely acceptable.

I don't go to church, so Sunday parties are great for me! Sunday is also better for many people since a lot of kids have soccer or other sports on Saturdays.

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A.B.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter's bday party is this Saturday, and we gave the school the invites on the 5th for parents' folders (10 days notice). For me, I prefer not to send much earlier than that.

I'm not sure how much of an issue Sunday is in MN, but it seems to be a bit of an issue in my area. I'd absolutely avoid any Sunday party time before about 1:00 or that ended later than about 5. Otherwise, you get into people's church time and family night.

No matter how early I send invites, it seems like RSVP's are usually pretty late (if at all).

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C.B.

answers from San Francisco on

12 days is plenty of notice.

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L.F.

answers from San Francisco on

We don't go to Sun parties unless its a super close family member or friend. We have family day and church on Sundays so its what we do---. I think 12 days is enough notice--I hope you all have a great birthday party!

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