to ask how much you spent on your child's first birthday party?

[Twinklestar2]

And what did you do?

Grandparents for lunch - so cost of lunch at home for 6.

I wouldn't spend £500 on a children's party but if you have the money and want to spend it, that's up to you - realistically a child's 1st birthday party is for the parents, not the child.

I'm trying to decide what to do too. more for me than my baby just so I can say thanks for helping etc. I have a tiny house so not inviting folk here and was thinking about asking my mum if can have tea and cakes at her house but nothing more elaborate than that and probably same at my dads unless he is ok with coming to my mums.

£500

It wasn't even a big do! Just friends and family round my house for a BBQ! But food and drink adds up!

£50 for sandwiches and tea / juice at our local tea shop as when DD turned 1 we were in a tiny flat. This year for DS probably less as we're having people to the house.

About £30. Buffet for family & some friends at MILs.

We had nct ladies and babies here for bring and share lunch.. I cooked chocolate cake
On the nearest Sunday we had family to us for roast dinner. In all honesty it cost over £200 for the lunch for 15 people with wine.
We were very aware it was for us not ds1

Zero.

We had a family day - me and DH, took DS to the zoo (we have annual passes - so didn't cost us anything). Then went home for Dinner and my DM came round with a cake she'd made. Sung happy birthday, blew out his candle, gave him a teeny piece then off to bed.

Party's are only for the adults. Plus DS wasn't a huge fan of lots of noisy people around him at that age, but was fascinated by animals.

Went away with friends to stay at their country cottage. Made my own cake, plus a few gifts for DD and the usual costs for food over a weekend trip and that was all. I put some bunting and lanterns up. It was low-key, low-cost. I'd say less than £100 all in.

Pfft about £5/600 plus I think. Tons of food, drinks (goose ain't cheap ), decorations, her outfits etc. Had about 30 people in my flat. Really nice day and lots of great pictures for the albums.

Homemade cakes, but of bunting, about ten people in our living room. 2nd birthday: repeat. 3rd birthday: repeat.

Might do something different this year as ds is at school. Might solash out on a picnic in the park after school. However, the days before and after are both holidays, so there won't be many schoolfriends going.

Spend what you can afford, is my motto.

First birthday party, or party for first birthday?

£5 for a birthday cake as it was just me dh and dd on holiday in Dorset. We went for a walk on the beach and that's where dd walked for the first time

We invited DD's grandparents round for party food and cake, and I got Hungry Caterpillar plates/cups etc - £50 maybe? We'll do the same until she's at school as it's rare she has all her grandparents together (my parents are divorced) and she enjoys it. DS will have the same.

Party for first birthday

I's say around £200 nearly nine years ago. We live far from family and wanted to have friends who had helped us a lot in that first year over, plus many of them had very young children then too so it was a way to socialise. I made a huge pot of breast of chicken curry with rice and chutneys and poppadoms and stuff like cocktail sausages etc for tiny guests who did not like curry to nibble on. We had beer and wine and non alcoholic and some decorations in the kitchen. I baked Nigella's old fashioned chocolate cake and we made pots of fresh coffee etc after - it all adds up! But it was a really wonderful relaxed day and it was great to see all our friends there - I can still remember that day very clearly 9,5yrs later

Second birthday we did more or less the same except I cooked huge trays of lasagne, home made garlic bread and salad - then cake etc.

After that we only had parties for her own friends.

I don't regret having those parties one bit. And as it turned out we couldn't have any more children so it makes those memories even more special for us.

DC1- we had a little party at home, bit of a buffet, adults and children mingling in the garden, made a cake for him and sang happy birthday.

DC2 - invited best friend and her two dc over for tea, went to the park. Made cake and sang happy birthday.

DC3 - family day out at farm park, made a cake and sang happy birthday.

The 3 of us went to the zoo. We bought a nice picnic and I made a cake badly .

For DC1, his birthday fell on a Sunday so we went out for lunch at a nice family pub with close family, still had a cake and a few balloons. DC2, we had lunch at DPs a week before because they were going on holiday and would be away for her birthday then we took both DCs to a toddler oriented theme park on the actual day.

About £100 - invited NCT gang to cheapo child-friendly local chain pub for some grub - on us.

Soft play centre €5
Presents €35
Cake €2

We didn't 'do' much other than take her to soft play and cake after dinner.

£10 for a supermarket cake.
That's it.

Family round for tea, cakes and a few nibbles for ds (psb).

Family and a few friends who had babies for informal lunch for dd (pfb)

At ds' managed not to get in anything dbil and his partner could eat. Not my finest hour.

Yes £500 is too much. The child won't remember or care and it's probably too many people in one place for them to cope with (also they won't care about all the various activities you have laid on). If it's for you, and you can afford it - fine. I'd prefer to spend the money on a weekend away (without baby - or with a minding service).

Ps I think ds enjoyed his more because there were no other babies so everyone was looking at him!

Family round for buffet and cake so not much less than £30.
But for her second we had family and all her baby friends round for a party so decorations/food/cake/party bags £150 it was a lovely afternoon though old school musical statues and pass the parcel :) dd had lovely time :)