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Original poster

Baby's first birthday.

32 replies

Writerwannabe83 · 01/01/2015 14:13

In a few months it will be DS's first birthday and I'm wondering if it's a bit precious and unnecessary to have a party???

I know friends have had parties for their child's 1st birthday in the past but in reality it is just an excuse for the adults to get together and have a few drinks which is not what I want.

A good friend of mine hired out a hall and booked a company to provide ball pools and soft toys etc but some people thought it was OTT for a 1st birthday party that means nothing to the child.

How did you celebrate your child's 1st? If at all

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Jumblebee · 01/01/2015 14:17

Small tea party with homemade cake and finger food, just family, everyone watching DD open her presents and she loved the attention

MissHJ · 01/01/2015 14:21

For my son's first birthday my sister came to visit( she does not live near) and we took him for a morning at soft play with both us and his dad. My mum met us and we took him to Pizza Hut for some food which he loved and some cake. On the Saturday he had a very small family gathering with cake my aunt made and pass the parcel with his cousins. Perfect for him, it seemed daft to do him something big that he would not remember and my son gets very overwhelmed quickly and cranky if he has loads of people around him. He likes laidback and casual at his own speed so his birthday was perfect for him.

JuniperTisane · 01/01/2015 14:22

Just family and a big spread plus cake in the garden. It is for the adults, of course, no reason not to thoroughly enjoy it though. No such thing as OTT if its what you want to do.

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Only1scoop · 01/01/2015 14:26

We just had family and a few friends and a little tea party....if I'm honest I spent all afternoon sorting out drinks and food. I'd literally invite a handful only so you can enjoy it.

CMOTDibbler · 01/01/2015 14:41

DH, ds and I went out to lunch, and had an M&S choc cake. Took photos of ds eating it.

It was a nice celebration of getting through our first year of being a family with no hassle.

SnugLitttleBug · 01/01/2015 14:45

DS was one last month and we didn't have a party...
We live quite far away from our family so we didn't really see the point in spending money for a party that would have a low turn out when we could use the money for the boy himself. So we had grandparents visit just before his birthday and then spent the day with just DH DS and I.
A lot of people that we know with babies had big parties for the 1st birthday but we really enjoyed the day we had.
We ate out and had professional photos, gifts, cake, a balloon...it was really special.
We enjoyed it particularly because it'll probably be the last one we get to spend that way for a while, as DS gets older birthdays will be parties and friends and we will miss the quality time just the 3 of us.

dashoflime · 01/01/2015 14:53

We had a picnic in the park with both sets of grandparents. Probably not an option this time of year though

TeenageMutantNinjaTurtle · 01/01/2015 15:04

we invited the godparents over for lunch. had sandwiches and cake. did it for the 2nd bday as well. she's 3 soon and having a proper party!

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 01/01/2015 15:11

DH and I took DD to the Aquarium before lunch, hope for a nap, then family came round at teatime for cake and sandwiches. After dd went to bed we had a takeaway and a bottle of fizz

ch1134 · 01/01/2015 15:36

My son's 1st birthday this month too. No family nearby but he's very sociable and loves attention so we're just inviting his best friends over for finger food, cake, dancing and playing with cars... 12-2. Hopefully it will be low key as our house isn't big. A summer bday in the park would be so much easier!

NickyEds · 01/01/2015 21:06

We went out for lunch with some family. Ds's birthday is only a couple of days before Christmas so I thought everyone would be busy and/or not really want another commitment. We went to a friends baby's 1st party a few weeks ago and it was fab. A big buffet, toys, balloons, circus theme(all of the babies dressed up-unbelievably cute), a photo booth thing(all the piccies available to download from facebook later), cake, decorations, the works. I don't think anyone thought it was OTT in anything other than a really good way. Of course it meant nothing to the LO but we all had a nice time and there really is nothing cuter than a baby dressed as a strong man!

BellaOfTheBalls · 01/01/2015 21:12

With both DC's we arranged a day out at a local petting zoo type place & sent very casual - "we will be at x place at x time with birthday cake if you would like to join us" to close friends & family. Everyone got a nice day out, no completely overwhelmed child who had missed nap time and cannot understand why Great Aunty Loretta who they've not seen since they were 3 weeks old won't get out of their face, no adult stresses, no family politics.

BackforGood · 01/01/2015 21:13

Tea party at home with our parents, grandparents, (local) siblings and nieces.
But dont go through life worrying about what other people do or other people think, do what you want to do.

lomega · 02/01/2015 21:26

my ds just turned one and my mum threw a small family gathering at her house for about 20 people. it was just a buffet with drinks etc for the adults and we all sang to ds, gave him a bit of birthday cake, watched him open his presents before heading home. only lasted 2ish hours but it was perfect.

NannyNim · 03/01/2015 15:53

When my LO turned 1 we had a small party for the family with finger food and cake. He remembers none of it but it was nice for all the adults to get together and celebrate his first year!

But do what you want to do because he won't remember it!

TarkaTheOtter · 03/01/2015 16:00

With dd we hired a hall, had a buffet, hired soft play stuff etc. We had loads of friends and family there and it was great as the babies/toddlers had somewhere to play safely and the adults could chat and have a glass of wine.
With ds we went for a walk with some close friends and had cake at home.
Both were great for different reasons. I think so long as you understand that whatever you do is mainly for your benefit you can't go wrong.

Christelle2207 · 03/01/2015 16:16

We had close family only over for sandwiches, tea and cake. originally planned it to be in the garden but rained a lot so was a bit cosy in the house but still nice. DS wanted a nap half way through which was easy to arrange! On his actual bday we had a nice family day the three of us to a petting farm-he liked that.
He will probably have a "proper" party for his second. I did go to a few 1st birthday parties though, some in houses and some in community centres. They were nice and fairly low key.

Queazy · 03/01/2015 17:36

We had one, and turned into a political mess as we just had a few friends and little ones round and saw family another day. I just made a cake and we sat and ate a few buffet bits on picnic rugs.

mrsleomcgary · 03/01/2015 18:58

My dd turns one on wednesday, next saturday we've invited our family and some friends over (some with kids some without) telling them theres nothing special beyond some cake! We have ordered a cake from a local bakery,local woman i've know for years who has just opened her own shop and made our wedding cake. All in it will cost us about £40 for the cake,some nibbles and some wine for the adults.

Artandco · 03/01/2015 19:01

We did afternoon tea and champagne both times :) the babies just ate a bit and played with normal toys or fell asleep

fishybits · 03/01/2015 19:18

DH and I took ourselves out for supper to celebrate making it through year one. Did the same for year two.

NickyEds · 03/01/2015 19:29

If I wasn't pregnant I would definitely have congratulated myself on surviving the first year with some champers!

Artandco · 03/01/2015 19:33

Nicky - oh I was 6 months pregnant with no 2 when ds1 was 1 year! I just had one glass of champagne myself ( only alcohol I had in pregnancy), and ate double the amount of cake. Prob had 1/2 a bottle when ds2 was 1 to make up for it ( and to celebrate getting through the year with x2 under 2 for most of it)

NickyEds · 03/01/2015 21:11

Morning sickness wouldn't allow it, Along with many other nice things! Oh I'll make up for it when he's two-I suspect I'll need it by then!

GingerDoodle · 04/01/2015 17:23

Do whatever you want but don't judge others.

I don't care if it was OTT or precious but we hired a hall and the lady who taught baby sensory classes (DD has been doing since 3 months old), had food for adults and a balloon release. DD enjoyed the sensory and it was lovely to get everyone together. We also got a few off the tags back from the balloons which are now in her scrap book. The only real negative was the family politics but that would have happened whatever we did.

Similarly 2nd birthday we had a huge party - massive bouncy castle, food and alcohol for the adults. DD had an absolute blast - and so did everyone else.

Its a very personal thing. Personally I love throwing parties and firmly believe in catering for adults that I invite to enjoy themselves too. that said, its expensive and I'm the only one of my fiends who does it - their parties are equally as lovely in a different way and the children enjoy themselves no matter what.

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