Two Birthdays in One

Updated on July 14, 2011
S.C. asks from Austin, TX
20 answers

I need help. I have a daughter that is turning 1 and another turning 7 within a week from eachother. My husband is fixed on having one party. How do I do this??

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M.H.

answers from Dallas on

Please celebrate their birthdays separately. I have a sister who is 13 months older than me. Her birthday is three weeks before mine. I never had my own birthday party--it was always combined with hers on her birthdate. It still annoys me to this day and I am 40

1 mom found this helpful
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R.L.

answers from Houston on

I may be in the minority but I disagree that it's "unfair" to combine the parties. As long as you make it special for each child it should be fine. I would get 2 small cakes, that way they each have 1 with their name on it. Since the 1 year old is too young to really remember the party, you don't have to make a huge deal with her, and can make a bigger deal with the 7 year old. As the 7 year old gets older maybe she can choose special outings to celebrate her birthday, and you can still have the combined family party. (Like taking her and 2 friends to the museum, aquarium, park for a picnic etc.)

Good luck!

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J.A.

answers from Denver on

I actually love doing this! Let the 7 y/o invite some of her friends (no reason to do a huge kid theme) Invite some family, and grill burgers. Your older daughter will love having friends over to play, if it's warm enough you could even have them run in the sprinkler and play with water balloons. We do this nearly every year. My oldest two's birthdays are 2 weeks apart. We enjoy doing one party, this year we even had both of my school aged kiddos invite friends. We had 16 kids and about 8 adults. Everyone had a great time. I always make two birthday cakes though so they each get the cake they (one mario, one unicorn) want and they each get sung too and get to blow out candles.

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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Let the 7y pick the theme and invite a few friends over.

Each kid gets their own cake.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Birmingham on

My boys are 2 years and 1 day apart. We always have their birthday parties together. It is easier on you and your families and friends. We pick a theme that they can share and sing the happy birthday song twice. When my youngest turned 1, we made a big deal out of the smash cake and had a lot of fun. It has worked out very well for us. I wouldn't change a thing!
Good luck!

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S.P.

answers from Seattle on

My sister and I are exactly 2 years apart. My bday 9-4 and my sisters 9-2. My parents never had 2 birthdays for us we always had them combined and did a big party on the 3rd. Of course we still got our special days on our actual birthdays but as far as having parties our were always combined. We each had our own presents and our own cakes. Combining is a great idea. Hope this helps and you Plan ONE HECK OF A PARTY for your girls.

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S.S.

answers from Daytona Beach on

my kids are 2mos apart with birthdays, so i gave them one together (not the first cuz i thought that my boy deserved a first birthday for himself :)). but my SIL did the same thing because her kids are about a month apart also. if you want you can do 2 separate smaller cakes or make the cakes yourself. go with a color theme that would go with both cakes, and get the napkins, plates, etc. invite a few friends if you want for your older child and family for the both of them. that's really all there is to it. if you want to do one cake, go with something that they both like, maybe littlest pet shop, barbie? then get a cupcake or get a free cake from the bakery for the 1 yo.

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K.L.

answers from Redding on

Since the 1 yr old wont really understand much, Id go with a theme the 7yr old likes and invite a few of her friends. Family will be there for both. Have grama tending to baby while you do a couple cute games with the 7yr old group and then move on to cakes for each. Its fine to do the 7yr old first, and have her friends sharing cake while you do the 1 yr olds cake with pictures for the baby book. Gifts for the 7yr old first. Then the 1yr olds while the 7yr olds go play. Baby wont know the difference or care, and will just want to see pictures later in life. You dont have many years to do this as by the time the little one is 3, youll be needing her own party and big sister wont want to share too much. Just get the photos so they know you spent the time and effort making a nice party for them each.

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R.D.

answers from Richmond on

I think that this year it would be fine having one huge party for them both (but not on either specific date; somewhere in the middle)... but once your 7 year old starts making friends at school, they need 2 separate parties.

Actually, you know what? This is the 1 year old's FIRST birthday. I think that in itself deserves a separate party. You only turn 1, once ;)

My dad and brother have the same birthday, and they have ALWAYS found a way to have 2 separate parties. If the can split it ON THE SAME DAY, then you'll find a way to split it a week apart ;)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE ONE'S!! :D

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C.B.

answers from Austin on

It isn't fair to your 7 year old to share her party with a baby. Have a simple family party for the one year old with cake and have whatever party you and your 7 year old agree on for her. If they were close in age it would be fine, but they are too far apart to enjoy the same friends and activities.
It isn't that much of an issue for your 1 year old this year, but it is going to be a conflict when she's older. Each one deserves to celebrate her own special day. Set the parties on the weekend closest to each one's birthday.
Tell your husband that you would celebrate separately if the birthdays were further apart, and there is no reason to put them together just for timing.
Enjoy yourselves!

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M.L.

answers from Colorado Springs on

It might work this year. Later... maybe not.

Talk to your seven-year-old and see if she'll pick a two-birthday theme. When a one-year-old has a birthday party, it's more about the family than about the birthday girl. So you older daughter will have all the say in what happens, and she could graciously include her little sister.

Another year, it might be better to go with smaller celebrations and let each girl have her own.

My older sister and I were born within two weeks of each other, but we did not have joint parties. (My sister and my dad shared a birthday, but they didn't have joint parties either!)

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J.T.

answers from College Station on

My boys are very close together and we did a joint party for all 3 of them once and I will never do it again. But, I did do a joint party for the older 2 right after the 3rd was born.

We had 2 small cakes- one for each with their own themes and mixed the plates and stuff. I think it was Buzz and Nemo.

I did a swim party and it was mostly family. It worked out well.

B.S.

answers from Lansing on

My girls are 2 years and 2 days apart I always do combined parties. Here are the things I do to ensure they both feel special.

1. They have separate cakes with their own themes chosen. (Although 1 year I did combine them, but will never do that again. LOL)

2. If needed I will do two separate themes to the party in some way.

3. I invite a couple of each of my daughters friends their age. (My youngest is still young for friends but I will invite a couple of her closest friends when she gets older. Right now she is content on all her cousins coming)

All in all its really convenient. I only have to have on party, purchase food for one day and our family only has to take up one day out of their schedules to come to the party, it works out great!

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S.K.

answers from Chicago on

I have a daughter and son whose birthdays are 4 days apart ( he was actually due on her birthday!). We live a few hours from family so right around their birthdays we travel back and have a big party for them, and also their cousin whose birthday is about a week later (this year they turned 7, 4, and 4). But I always make sure that their actual birthday is acknowledged and special. They get the royal treatment all day, no chores, waited on, special treats, get to choose dinner, go out for ice cream, and they can open at least one of their gifts. That way they are honored and get to enjoy their own special day, but we still do just one party. I think as long as they both have some special acknowledgement their shouldn't be any resentment or jealousy. The younger one certainly won't care for at least a few years, and if your older daughter wants something just for her maybe let her have 2-3 friends sleep over, watch movies, eat pizza and ice cream, but not make it an all out party. Hope you find a good compromise.

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N.H.

answers from Austin on

I would ask your eldest what she thinks b/c it does include her birthday too, not just the baby's & she may want her own party but if he's insistant on just one party, then have one party, maybe just put happy birthday on the cake rather than one name or the other or, if you get a big cake then there should be room for two names on it or you can have cupcakes but have the one birthday celebration in the middle of the week that way, there's no 'jealous moments' or disappointments on either side later down the road. Once you start doing it this way then it's easier as your youngest gets older to actually know what's going on. If this doesn't seem to be something you'd like to do then perhaps since your youngest is only 1, maybe having it on the oldest's birthday til your youngest gets older then switching off or having in the middle but just keep in mind, I'd ask your eldest child how they feel about it b/c after all, it's their birthday too & including them in the decision may make things smoother too! Me & my hubby's birthdays are 8 days apart so we just have it on a day of the week in the middle...just to keep things even or 'civil' as I like to say but my hubby really doesn't care either way. Kids on the other hand may care a bit more about these things I'd imagine. I had a childhood friend that I'm literally 2 days older than he is & when we were kids, our moms would have our birthdays on either mine or his...switch off each year. We did that for a few yrs til he got "too big to do that" but hope this helps, good luck!

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J.N.

answers from Salt Lake City on

We don't do a party every year, only on the big years. (Like 1, 8, 10, 12) and maybe occasionally in between. The other years, we still have a birthday cake and family over, but not a big deal.

The thing with having a joint party for kids 6 years apart is that, until they are nearly adults, their interests and friends are going to be so different that it will be like you are throwing 2 parties at once, or the older will feel like it's too juvenile or the younger will feel lost in the "big girl" stuff.

Kids seem to be pretty understanding. Maybe this year, do a party for the 1 year old (especially if the family thinks that it's a big deal for first b-day) and a smaller family celebration for the 7 year old, and then next year you can make more of a fuss over the older one.

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G.G.

answers from Austin on

I did this for my kids when they were 1 and 4 (their bdays are less than a week apart). However, my son will be 7 this year and I can't imagine asking him to share his party with a 1 yr old sibling. Could you do something really low key for the 1 year old? Family and very close friends only? You can maybe make a big tray of lasagna and have your friends and family for dinner on a week night. Make a cake and there it is. In case you end up doing them together, here's what I did. The majority of the party revolved around my oldest (we did ice cream sundaes instead of cake). I found cute ice cream bowls, with matching spoons, and that was the party favor. We did this part in the garage and sang happy birthday. Once the big kids were finished with their sundaes and were playing, the grown ups and other babies sang happy birthday to the 1 yr old and we had a cake for her. It was a success but kind of overwhelming (too many people to invite). Something to think about. It's a pain having birthdays so close together but now I make it a point to have their own separate celebrations. Even though it's exhausting! :)

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S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

My son was born on my birthday....24 years ago! We have always shared birthdays....along with my husband's - which is 2 weeks earlier.

My gpa & my uncle always shared birthdays.

My dad & my aunt always shared birthdays.

My niece & nephew do, too!

We consider this a blessing in our family. & we rejoice in it! As with everything in life, it's all in the attitude & approach!

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J.T.

answers from Victoria on

easy! we did our party for both our kids together (1 and 3). a boy and girl. we did an under water theme. but you could also have circus, country fair, farm, castle, swim, ice cream, with both girls you could have a tea party, fairy, girly monsters or something super girly. look up ohdeeoh.com and http://frostmeblog.blogspot.com/ for some great ideas!

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P.B.

answers from Houston on

The 1 year old will NOT remember and how many friends do they have that are even walking???? Make it about the 7 year old and don't sweat the small stuff. But I would DEFINATELY have a small cake for just the 1 year old - our family still hee haws over the video of the first cake!!!

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