So our family has a killer amount of birthdays is may, we have one every week. We have found that yes sometimes a joint party is the best way. However my daughter 13th was highjacked and so was our sons 13th. I haven't had a mothers day in 10 years because of football this year is the year. We always absorb the cost of everything, our house is the biggest, we have more kids to celebrate, our house in middle ground. I am ALWAYS left with clean up, cooking, decorating and even the cake making. This year our eldest is 16 big numbers and we have shut down any plans for a joint party. This has course a Strom within the family, am I the AH for wanting something just for her.