How would you handle this dilemma about two parties on one night?

A good friend texted me a few weeks ago and invited me to a party at his home. He’s a friend from high school but we haven’t been particularly close in the years since. He and his husband have an annual holiday party and they live about 45 minutes away.

I responded right away and said yes, I’ll come and he said yes I can bring my teenage daughter.

About a week ago, the flyer came out for the Christmas party where I live. One of my friends comes every year and she is coming this year, too, with her kids who are in the local school system (same school as my daughter).

I had told my daughter she could bring some friends to the local party here, if she wants.

So the dilemma is two parties on one night. I am annoyed at myself because I should have waited to RSVP to the first invite. If I waited, I would have told the friend that I’m sorry, I’m busy on that night. Maybe I’m mistaken or overthinking it, but I don’t think there’s any tactful way to say “we’re not attending your party because the local party is our first choice” (not in those words, of course but you get the idea).

The easy thing would be to tell the first invite that I can’t come, but there’s no easy way out. I feel like it would be inappropriate to say the local party is on the same night and I’m going to that one. I could lie and say at the last minute that I’m sick, but I really don’t like to lie. I could go to the local party first, leave early and drive my daughter and her friends 45 minutes away to the other party, where we’d arrive late, just for dessert. That’s a pain in the ass and stressful but it is do-able. Of course, I’d have to tell the host ahead of time that we’ll be coming just for dessert and I’ll have my daughter’s friends with me, if that’s ok.

What would you do? Would you tell the truth? Would you lie? Would you try to do two parties on one night?