I am looking for something creative. im trying to steer away from a lavish birthday which i think ends up being more fun for the guests than my baby =)...but something sweet and memorable. please share ideas on what you did.
2007-01-22 07:12:56 · 19 answers · asked by klumzy 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
I had a huge party for my son's 1st birthday and you are right it was more fun for the guests than for him.
2007-01-22 07:17:46 · answer #1 · answered by Angela B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
After 3 children, I feel that the 1st birthday really IS for the parents. It is a celebration of not only your child's first year, but you - making it through that first year (a very exhausting year). We always invited our family and close friends and have food and drinks. Lots of balloons and cake. Celebrate it for you and if you feel comfortable enough asking your guests, or if any of your family asks what gift they can buy, it is always good to have gift certificates or memberships for the coming year to the zoo, children's museum, or fun places rather than more toys. You can buy them a few fun toys and then you will have places to go over the next year. Have fun.
2007-01-22 07:25:25 · answer #2 · answered by luveeduvee 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I answered a similar question to this, here is my answer:
First off, I know it's the first birthday and as parents we want it to be the best day ever for the little ones, but it's a 1 year old. At this young of an age the party is really for the guests and not the child anyways. They aren't going to care if you decorate in TV characters or old newspapers from the back alley of a circle k, seriously. God knows they will watch enough TV in their lifetime so make it less about TV characters and brand names and more about family and friends for them. KIS(keep it SIMPLE!) method means less stress for the parents.
The invitations can be bright colored xerox or construction paper with the necessary info on it IE date,time,place,RSVP. Slap the baby's name on the front with some cute openers like "Look who's turning 1" and for a personal touch mabey the baby's handprint in bright color paint on the front and send em' out, be sure to keep one for a baby book or scrap book for the little one.
Trust me they will like the wrapping paper more than the presents, and since it's the first birthday, ask your guests to wrap something to put in a time capsule for baby that they can open at say age 18.
Have the party in the middle of the afternoon between lunch and dinner so that you don't feel obligated to serve up a big meal. You can serve children's favorties such as "Ants on a log", fruit kabobs, animal crackers & Banana Pops, and any other fun fingerfoods.
Any kid will eat the frosting right off a cake weather it has a fanfare of TV characters or a simple Happy Birthday on it, you can make it really personal by having your bakery put a picture of mommy and baby or baby's hospital photo on the cake.
Use brightly colored balloons and streamers. Decorate with simple recognizeable shapes, even some paper cranes would probably be appealing to them at this age. Hang poster size pictures of the child from birth until now and include pictures of the child with family members and guests as decoration alternatives which will serve as conversation pieces for guests.
Buy a few disposable cameras for your guests to take pictures for you, you can't catch every moment by yourself, having a few cameras floating around is sure to catch some great moments that you may have completely missed.
Download some kids songs and play them in the background.
The best part about a child being so young is that at this stage in their life you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on "theme" parties. Before you know it you will be working overtime to save up for these kind of birthdays, enjoy the simpleness of it while it lasts.
Happy Birthday to your little one!
2007-01-22 08:18:11 · answer #3 · answered by terisagideon 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
We had a 'party' at the park with two different cakes one for him and one for the guest that way we could take him to play on the equipment so he wouldn't get bored while everyone else talked. then we opened presents and ate cake and videotaped the whole thing the neatest thing that happen was that at the same time and air show was going on over the river so he got to see planes as well
2007-01-22 07:41:04 · answer #4 · answered by hotmoma_37 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could have just a few family members over. Give your 1 year old the little cake to eat. Take lots of pictures and get ready to clean your baby up after eating the cake!
Have fun!
2007-01-22 07:17:29 · answer #5 · answered by Sarah S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your baby isn't going to rember anything. I just had a small get together with close family for my son's 1st birthday party.
I recorded all of his birthdays on the same tape. Nothing else is on that tape. He just celebrated his 8th birthday last weekend. It's tradition to watch all of his party's at the end of the day.
2007-01-22 07:17:23 · answer #6 · answered by zil28ennov 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Keep it simple, invite mostly family and only one or two other toddlers.
Make sure someone has a video camera.
Have your parents and siblings record things about YOU (and your hubby's family the same) when you guys were little. Later on your 1 yr old will get a kick out of learning these 'secrets' about Mom and Dad.
2007-01-22 07:18:43 · answer #7 · answered by Puzzler 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The day my son turned one was also the day my father passed away. But to celebrate his special day we got him a cake and let him make a HUGE mess with it and took lots of pictures. For his second birthday we took just a mommy and son trip to the aquarium and I let him run around (not to the point of annoying people) as long as he wanted, he had a blast.
2007-01-22 07:19:55 · answer #8 · answered by NCMOMMAAC 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
when you order the cake also order a small chocolate birthday cake some places will provide it free for first like walmart bakery time to lite the candles and sing then give the samall chocolate to the baby in the highchair and have camera ready !
2007-01-22 07:18:13 · answer #9 · answered by ladydrummer72 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We had a quiet little event at home with just our family, and on the weekend we had my parents, my brother, and a couple family friends over.
2007-01-22 07:42:34 · answer #10 · answered by serenity_ii 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋