Christmas party dilemma. HELP!!

I am having a party also ... now we call it open house... I do not have a sitter for my 8 yr and he is going to be the only child there but will be going to bed around 10.pm.. (we have other dinner arrangements earlier in the day and all of the guests are firemen and their wives so they all know my little boy well)
But no other children are coming, not that they are not invited, it's a night for all of us to get together and we have done this for yrs... the previous hosts for this gathering had 2 children (their own) always at home no sitter...
Being that the child is as young as it is may not be a wise choice to bring... noise, loud voices, music, possible smoke, not a good place... I would really suggest to your friend that no children are invited ... that this a party for adults to enjoy adult company for a change...
Good Luck...

She will be the only one at your party with a baby. Wont she be uncomfortable knowing that? Seems likke she would not even want to come, ya know? I dont know.........

If it's an adult Christmas party only and you have let it be known then she needs to get a babysitter for her child. How will the other guests feel if you let her bring her child and others can't? Tell her that and if she doesn't like it I guess she doesn't have to attend. Sometimes adults just want to be able to get together without kids to worry about. There is nothing wrong with that

I also would agree that a baby that young should not be brought to an adult only party IF there is going to be drinking, smoking, etc. If it's just the adults getting together for dinner and conversation, then I think it might be okay if the baby is playing quietly in a pack and play or something. We don't host holiday parties unless the kids are invited, but I don't think its WRONG to do so because its Christmas. Its NOT just for kids, its for everyone. Adults do deserve the chance to have "adult only" time where they don't have to worry with the kids and can just relax and have fun with their friends. So if you want to keep it no kids invited, i would calmly explain to your friend that it is not an apporpriate environment for a baby, and that it may make it a little harder on the other guests to relax when there is a baby crying. I would also say it's not fair to make everyone else find a sitter if the one friend doesn't.

Thank you all for your help.

I don't agree with adult only parties. It makes a lot of people not want to come and makes others have to spend a fortune on a sitter just to attend. I usually hire a sitter for a few hours to watch all of the children attending and have them do arts and crafts projects or whatever in another room. If its an office party there shouldn't be people getting drunk anyway.