Serving alcohol at a child's birthday party

[kimberlybb]

Is this tacky? I was planning to go to Costco to stock up on Sangria and a beer sampler pack until an acquaintance remarked how “irresponsible” it was to serve alcohol at a child’s birthday party. This is our first time hosting a “friend” party and all the other kid parties we have been to have been in the morning so alcohol wasn’t a factor. We are friends with all the parents of the children invited so I expect most of them will stay and hang out. I don’t want to commit some birthday party faux pau but having a glass of sangria will make having a bunch of 5-year-olds running around my house a little more tolerable…

[rere]

I would be delighted to be offered a drink at a birthday party, but we drink a lot around here so not unusual.

[twinmomma]

When we've done a cookout type party, we usually just have a cooler with beers and a cooler with sodas/waters. No one has ever acted like it was inappropriate and the other parents from school definitely grabbed beers.

[erinshelley21]

You can absolutely serve alcohol at a child's birthday party. I went to a 1st birthday party a few weeks ago and there were multiple coolers of beer and a couple bottles of wine. There is almost always a fridge or cooler of beer at my nieces parties. I'd serve alcohol at DS's but his parties have always been on a Sunday around lunch time and while I'm not opposed to drinking at noon on a Sunday I just haven't thought too.

Your friend sounds uptight.

[sweetptater]

If you want any of the adults to show up, serve alcohol. 

Seriously though, I have always had beer/wine at my kid parties. It would be different if it were a kids only party and you were standing around with a straw in a gallon of sangria though. 

[vasc]

I would be delighted too. We would have served drinks at DD's party last weekend had it been a little later in the day.

[mellym]

We always serve beer and sometimes margaritas at our kids' parties at our house. We haven't done a kids only party at a venue yet but if it's at our house then yes, alcohol is available.

[kimberlybb]

Thanks all! I will go ahead with my planned Costco booze run. For those of you that like sangria, their Kirkland brand is great and only $7 for a huge bottle!

[k3am]

The only time we don't serve alcohol at a kid's party is when it's at a venue that prohibits it. I've only been to a handful of kids parties that could have served alcohol but didn't.

[jlaok]

We've always served alcohol at our kids' birthday parties and my friends are always appreciative of it.

[2chatter]

We serve alcohol at kid and adult parties. But a friend wanted parents to leave and not stay, so didn't - I think I have mentioned before that parents will stay at drop off parties here and it can be awkward. One of the parents ran home and grabbed a cooler! THAT was tacky. I was helping my friend at the party, and seriously didn't know what to say.

Have fun at the party!!

[shakinros]

I have never been offered alcohol at a school friend birthday, only family parties. Sure wish there had been beer/wine at more of them!

Last year at DD's birthday at our house, we had a cooler of beer. The only people who drank it were us and the neighbors. 7 or 8 school parents stayed and none of them touched it.

[k3am]

The last kid party we went to was for a 3 year old had a cooler of beer that was restocked multiple times and a never ending pitcher of vodka lemonade. Also, I went to bed several hours before the party ended.

[mustardseed2007]

In my neighborhood, For parties held at homes, having alcohol is common in my area. I've only been to one day care mom's house where they served alcohol, though.

[akafred]

Irresponsible? I don't even drink and I don't get that at all.

They aren't common around here, but I have only been to a handful of kid parties where parents stayed that were at a house. Maybe 4 or 5? And only one has had alcohol; it was a late morning party and they served mimosas to the adults.

[sweetptater]

Also, this reminded me that my DD's birthday party is this Sunday and I need to stop at the liquor store on my way home from work tonight. 

[mommyatty]

Short of serving to the kids, I think you're fine. Brought to you by the mom trying to convince her friends and neighbors to do grown up boozy trick or treating.

[waverly]

I served when we invited the neighbors to the house. I will not serve at whole class birthday parties that are held outside the home.

I think the difference if you are friends with all the parents and you know they drink and will hang out. As opposed to daycare or school age class parties where you don't know the parents that well, but most stay because the kids are on the younger side.

[sdlaura]

Jul 14, 2017 12:45:46 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

Short of serving to the kids, I think you're fine. Brought to you by the mom trying to convince her friends and neighbors to do grown up boozy trick or treating.

That's a big thing here in the San Diego area. It wasn't normal where I grew up, so I thought it was weird at first, but all trick or treating seems to be accompanied by a block party like atmosphere and the adults walk down the street following their kids with their drinks.

[2chatter]

mommyatty - some folks were dubious the first year we did boozy TOT. They were the same ones consuming my box of wine from under the stroller after three houses. Did they really think it would be more fun to have a couple drinks, do the piñata and then sober up while TOT? Do it!! So fun!!

And akafred - mimosas are like one step up to me - it's morning alcohol! Those people are awesome. I went to a 1 yo party at a country club a few weeks back and thought the mimosas were a great touch!

[erinshelley21]

Jul 14, 2017 13:06:38 GMT -5 waverly said:

I served when we invited the neighbors to the house. I will not serve at whole class birthday parties that are held outside the home.

I think the difference if you are friends with all the parents and you know they drink and will hang out. As opposed to daycare or school age class parties where you don't know the parents that well, but most stay because the kids are on the younger side.

Or you could serve alcohol at those parties too and possibly make new friends 

[waverly]

erinshelley21, I totally would, but I think the vendors prohibit it. Places like Pump it Up parties (bouncy jump type places) are popular here for class parties. But in a park, definitely!

[twinmomma]

Jul 14, 2017 13:38:11 GMT -5 waverly said:

erinshelley21 , I totally would, but I think the vendors prohibit it. Places like Pump it Up parties (bouncy jump type places) are popular here for class parties. But in a park, definitely!

Our bounce house place prohibits it. I may know this because we considered renting it out for a giant 30th birthday bash last year... Until we found out no booze. 

[erinshelley21]

Jul 14, 2017 13:38:11 GMT -5 waverly said:

erinshelley21, I totally would, but I think the vendors prohibit it. Places like Pump it Up parties (bouncy jump type places) are popular here for class parties. But in a park, definitely!

I definitely wouldn't serve it there. I was referring to the parties with parents that you don't know that well.

[msn06]

I drank at a first birthday a few weeks ago. I enjoyed the booze option.

[sunbutter]

I think this recent exchange that I overheard in my car sums up my thoughts on the matter:

L (9): this starts with an R and we are driving on it.

M (5): ROAD

L (9): this starts with W and we drink it.

M (5): WINE 🍷

[thatsfancy]

I definitely think the venue dictates if alcohol is served as most everyone has said. Most parties we've been to at homes/community clubhouses have had alcohol.

[HeartofCheese]

We've had mimosas at the last 2 bday parties we hosted which were both over by noon. TBH, it was MH's idea and I had the same "irresponsible" reaction, but we did it anyway. It was fine. Our no-kids friends appreciated it as well as parents. And no one was "irresponsible."

[indyrowergirl]

Damn. I need to hang out with you ladies IRL. Booze at birthday parties isn't common where I'm at, but I would sure appreciate it if it were!

[ECB]

Your friend needs to get out more. A- I love kid parties that include alcohol. B - In Brooklyn today, I walked by 3 kids parties. 2 out of the 3 had wine and beer available. Those were the parties I wanted to go to!