Before you know it, your little baby will be a year old and well on the way to childhood. Many moms (and dads alike) get stressed about throwing a first birthday party. Since it is such a momentous occasion, there is a lot of pressure to get everything perfect. However, sometimes it’s best to keep things simple and enjoyable for yourself and everyone else.
For a first birthday, simple is the name of the game. Save parties of 30 people at Chuck-E-Cheese for future birthdays. A few close friends and family and a house party are all a one-year-old needs to enjoy their special day.
Start your planning by making the guest list. In addition to yourself and your spouse, you should include anyone else who is especially important in your child’s life. Grandparents and other caregivers must be invited, of course. Beyond that, it’s up to you how many people you want to include.
You can decide to limit it to just a handful of people or include a few special friends. Since everyone will want to hold and watch the child during the birthday party, keeping things small will allow your child to see everyone without becoming too overwhelmed. Another added benefit of keeping it small is that there is less food to prepare and fewer people to entertain.
The next thing you need to decide is your theme. For a first birthday party, most people like to keep things simple. You can stick to blue if your child is a boy and pink if your child is a girl, and easily get the party supplies cheaply. There’s no need to make your child’s birthday an advertisement for a character they’ll barely recognize. Colored paper plates, napkins, and cups are also much cheaper than the commercial variety!
The timing of your child’s first birthday party is very important. Most one-year-olds take naps twice a day. Plan your party between these two times. Unless your child has an unusual schedule, sometime around lunch should work just fine.
Serve food that your one-year-old likes, and then serve adult versions for everyone else. For example, make fruit skewers for party guests and then serve your child cut-up pieces of fruit. You can serve a sandwich plate with muffins for guests and give your child pieces of different types of food.
Finally, your child’s first birthday wouldn’t be complete without birthday cake. If you want to get great shots of your child digging into the cake, consider baking a smaller, low-sugar cake for them and then having a cake for guests. This way, your child can have a relatively healthy snack, without leaving fingerprints on someone else’s dessert. You can buy a sheet cake at your local bakery or make your own the day before the party.
By keeping things simple, you’ll be able to give your child a first birthday party that’s enjoyable for you and everyone involved.
