How to make a child’s birthday special/memorable

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What makes a child’s birthday special/memorable do you think?

My DS will be turning 7 soon and wondered how to make it special/memorable for him.

Thanks

A cake with candles, and singing!
A party. Either for friends, or special tea with family.
A breakfast that they don't usually have (full English, chocolate croissants - whatever they like), with lots of balloons.
Big badge saying "I Am 7" to wear to school (if allowed).
Taking a cake, or sweets to school to share with friends (again, if allowed).
Let him choose what the family have for dinner that night.

No grown ups being all tense and tearful because they've over-extended the plans or over hyped their own expectations of what makes it perfect.

Thanks both.

I really agree with previous poster; I got a bit worked up on my DDs first birthday wanting it to be perfect.
Also all the things first poster said.

What would he like to do?
Otherwise it can be as simple as being allowed to stay up late and having a picnic tea in front of a film on the tv.

Let him decide what he wants to eat and who he wants to spend it with and let him choose the activity. Then just get a nice cake and take lots of pictures.
You could make a scrapbook afterwards with pictures and bits and pieces from the day.

Decorate the doorway to their room with Happy Birthday banner, balloons, bunting, maybe some lights, it's something different for when they come home from school.

I think simple things can be great. We have a small pile of presents in the living room (3-4 things) and blow up some balloons. The dc can bring a cake I to school. We have a family tea (a buffet type affair) with gps on their actual birthday and then a party or sleepover on the closest weekend. I tend to focus most of my effort on the party making a cake in the theme they want, inventing games and so on.

Thanks all. Also, not Not to be nosey what is a reasonable amount to spend on presents would you say?

What you can afford. Usually around £40 for us

Totally depends. I've previously spent around £100 but things are tighter this year and I spent about £60 and I don't think the dc noticed.

A friend just threw her 8yo a party in the park. They had a table groaning with fun food (I'd no carrots sticks and dips made of worthiness) and played games such as tug of war, egg and spoon race, wheelbarrow races (where you carry the feet of the child in front) and such. Real 1970/80s it was a massive hit with the guests.

We do fancy breakfast of choice (pancakes with strawberries and cream or smoked salmon and scrambled eggs)
Have balloons and a gift on the table for breakfast.
Play happy birthday to ya by Stevie Wonder.
Then cake and candles in the afternoon with friends and extended family if available or otherwise just us.
Dinner of choice too.
So it’s mainly small Things but add up to being made to feel special, I hope.

On birthdays I make American style pancakes for breakfast with hocolaye spread, fruit and a few smarties. I make a pancake in the shape of their age to sit on top of the stack and they get a candle in them.

How much we spend on presents depends on what we can afford and what they would like.

What a nice thread. My baby is due on my daughters fourth birthday next month so I can’t throw her a big party or plan much, but will take some nice ideas from here.

dd does swimming lessons and it coincided with her birthday, so we got there early and had drink and a cake to make it special. and DH and DD2 came too which they don't usually.

I do Presents, balloons and banners for my ds to wake up to. His birthday is in winter so I also put some fairy lights around the house. I make the table look very decorated for breakfast with table cloth and party decorations.

Occasionally I have arranged a birthday party but my ds has more fun doing an event with family or friends or having a special meal with family. He also likes going to the theatre so if there is something good on around the time of his birthday, I will try to get front row seats.

Forgot to say I spend around £100 on him. He is 10.

When mine were babies I’d decorate their high chair on their birthdays, then decorated a kitchen chair when they were older. Using ribbons, or balloons, plus put bunting up in the kitchen and confetti on the table. Always write their name on the envelope in crosses, still do this now. My mum did this for me

Easy (if you can afford it), buy them a games console and some games.

Still remember the birthday I got my n64 and super Mario 64...and Zelda, but Zelda needed the rumble pack to work so I had to wait till Christmas to play it...boy that was an awesome Christmas.

Parties and cake and all that shiz - is mostly just for the parents benefit. Not that some kids won't enjoy it of course. But they'd obviously rather have a games console (the 3ds gets my vote atm).

Problem is that what they remember can be something little.
Of my parties (I had one a year through primary) I remember
The milkman giving me 10p when he came to collect the milk money during my party
Feeling sad that one of my friends just sat on the side and didn't want to join in
Opening the presents from friends in front of them and finding 3 of them had independently bought the same doll in different outfits (I was delighted and they were there triplets-George, Harriet and Charlotte)
Arriving at soft play (in Blackpool tower) and DM having to persuade them to let one of my friends in who was an inch over the height, about 6" taller than the rest of us.

Not memories mum would have chosen!

Thanks everyone