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Original poster

Did anyone NOT give their DC a 1st birthday party?

107 replies

Mummy2022FT · 05/07/2023 18:57

Money is tight. He'll only be 1 so he won't understand it's even his birthday.

(I am going to do a small 'get together' of family and close friends at home. But not an actual proper party with bubbles and a bouncy castle and whatever else.... )

Anyone else not hold a 'proper' party for their baby?

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GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 05/07/2023 21:10

We didn't, my mum came round and we had cake. Mind you, we had only moved house 2 days before.

Toddler101 · 05/07/2023 21:12

🙋

Invited grandparents for tea and cake for first birthday.
Second birthday much the same, but with an auntie and 2 big cousins as well. We didn't call it a party but my 2yo thanked them for coming to their party when they all left 😆
Third birthday will probably be the same.

I'm holding off on 'actual' birthday parties for as long as I can. And even then, they will be limits on the number of friends invited, none of this entire class malarkey.

Whatthediddlyfeck · 05/07/2023 21:12

We didn’t do a party for ds, we took him swimming to a leisure swimming pool which was his favourite thing to do at that time.
He’s 22 now and unscarred by it 😂

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Original poster
Mummy2022FT · 05/07/2023 21:15

I definitely think it's social media that puts pressure on this type of thing. I see all these 'influencers' go above and beyond

OP posts:
Leapintothelightning · 05/07/2023 21:17

DD's "party" for her first birthday was family all together. Would definitely not do more than that! She's not had any parties yet (3 now) but now she's at nursery I might do a proper party for her 4th birthday.

WeWereInParis · 05/07/2023 21:17

Didn't even cross my mind for either DD.

Placesto · 05/07/2023 21:25

Teapleasebobb · 05/07/2023 19:02

We took dd to the zoo for her 1st birthday. She had her first party for her 3rd birthday.

Snap!

Yfory · 05/07/2023 21:30

We had a birthday tea for each of ours with some home made cake and a candle. No guests, just us at home.

Itsallovernow23 · 05/07/2023 22:04

Of course not. They are one! My mum did come over to congratulate me on getting through the first year and celebrate me getting through my awful labour. Kid had no idea

Original poster
Mummy2022FT · 05/07/2023 22:06

I really will be celebrating getting through the first year believe me lol!

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Cm078 · 05/07/2023 22:06

We didn't. We were still in semi lockdown and only had our "bubble" round for tea. We had a 2nd birthday party though which was much more worth it as he recognised everybody/walking/talking etc

DuchessOfSausage · 05/07/2023 22:08

Didn't cross my mind for either of them.

ShanghaiDiva · 05/07/2023 22:12

We took ds to the zoo and I made a cake. First party when he was 4 and had started at Kindergarten.

shadowchancesassy · 05/07/2023 22:14

I have 5 and none had 1st birthday party's. Just family round and a cake x

Loobydoobies · 05/07/2023 22:18

Nope. 1 was lockdown, and 2 we had a tiny family gathering as we were still in COVID territory. For 3 we just had a load of small kids in our garden for cake and games.

Blanketpolicy · 05/07/2023 23:33

Ds(19) didnt have his first birthday party with nursery/school friends until he was 5.

Before that it was all small gathering and cake with family. It doesn't seem to have had adverse effect on him and he has nice birthday photos with family instead of random kids that noone can remember their names.

Xeren · 05/07/2023 23:39

Me! We just went to the in laws. We bought a cake, some balloons, snacks / drinks and sat out in the patio, played some music and had tea and cake.

It was low key and perfect and full of love!

onthefence23 · 06/07/2023 06:40

That's all we did, close family for a tea party at ours and she was still a bit overwhelmed, she had hand foot and mouth that week as well. Making more of an event next month for 2 becuase she'll really enjoy it

WandaWonder · 06/07/2023 07:05

We had grandparents over that was it, a 1yo has no idea, so saw no reason to have one nothing to do with money

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 06/07/2023 07:14

We did a trip to a kids museum with loads of interactive stuff for 1st birthday and to the zoo for 2nd birthday but no parties.

First birthday party was when DD turned 4 for her and nursery friends.

Fandabedodgy · 06/07/2023 07:15

We didn't do birthday parties till about age 4

TakeMe2Insanity · 06/07/2023 07:18

We did a cake at home with some mums and babies we liked. That’s it.

Whichwhatnow · 06/07/2023 07:23

I don't have DC but have several DNs and lots of friends have small kids and honestly I can't think of a single one who has had a party for a one year old! Actual parties tend to start at four or five, once kids have their own little friends from nursery or reception. At one/two/three most people I know will generally have a picnic in the park if it's nice weather, or maybe a little buffet or tea party at home if not. In both cases just with family (and maybe close friends and their kids). I know some people didn't even do that, especially for the first birthday (by two and three they tend to be getting a bit more interactive and enjoy running around the park etc with their aunties or uncle and the bigger kids).

Not in any way judging people who do have a proper party - do whatever makes you happy - but IMO it's a massive waste of money at that age!

Plentiful · 06/07/2023 07:26

Peony654 · 05/07/2023 19:52

I don’t know anyone who DID have a party for 1st birthday!

Me neither. I don’t think anyone I know had parties before the child turned four.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 06/07/2023 07:32

#1 Just family at home type of tea party

#2 Happened to be born with days of her sibling (different years obviously) so they shared a party for their 1st and 5th birthdays although it was really the 5yos party with her friends dressed up as a joint party. Parties don't need to be be a thing before nursery/school.