Just curious! Still trying to decide if we will have one
If you didn't/won't have one, why not?
Just curious! Still trying to decide if we will have one
If you didn't/won't have one, why not?
57 votes
honeydew / 7687 posts
Yep. We've been moving the past 4 years and right now we live close to all the family on DH's side. If we didn't do something, one of them would - and I'd rather be "in charge"
It's not going to be super fancy, just dinner at the rec center with some decorations. He'll be the only little one - so baby watching will be the main activity.
pineapple / 12566 posts
DS's birthday is at the very end of December, so it's a crazy time for everyone. We had a very small 1st birthday party with just us and my IL's, who were in town for the holidays. I made a cake and he had a few gifts, but that's it. We pretty much did the same thing last year. This year will be crazier still since we will have a newborn for DS's birthday.
I think I might wait until he is 4 or 5 to do a real birthday party with some of his friends, maybe a week or two after his birthday so that people are back from holiday travel.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
Yup! I never had birthday parties growing up so it's really important to me that our kids get a celebration each year. We might just do a small family thing for her 2nd but first was non negotiable for me.
squash / 13764 posts
@scg00387: @locavore_mama: did you/will you invite other kids/mommy friends?
coconut / 8861 posts
Yep. The stress and anxiety around planning it made us keep it smaller. We're going up to my parents' this weekend and having only family there. DH and I have seen huge first birthday parties that have freaked us out. We'll do bigger ones when he gets older.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
HUGE tradition in Korean culture. And DH wants to anyway. We will def be having a party.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@hilsy85: we invited immediate family, a few really close friends and I only have one mommy friend. *wavehi*
So I did invite her and her LO.
So we had 3 kids, my nephew who just turned 1, M turning 1 and baby friend who was turning one in a few days. Then a handful of kids ranging from 2-9 but all family so her cousins. In the future I def plan to invite any school friends if we have a big party!
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
Ours was at my parents home (we were still livig abroad) and we just had close friends and family. It was a Hungry Caterpillar theme.
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
I did and will have one for DS.
When it came close to DD's 1st, I started feeling really emotional.. like wow, we survived a year together! And I felt like it was something I definitely needed to celebrate with friends and family.
honeydew / 7687 posts
@hilsy85: we just moved here in December so honestly don't have any that are close enough we'd consider inviting. It's family only. Maybe next year!
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
Yes. I was a little weirded out by doing so much work for a baby who doesn't know/care.... but in the end I was glad I did it.
honeydew / 7283 posts
We're having a family party (will probably end up being about 25-30 people) at my parents' house. I feel a little awkward because my best "mom friend" is having a friends and kids party and inviting us. I feel bad not reciprocating!
squash / 13764 posts
@cascademom: this is what's making me nervous...if we did it and invited mommy friends, it would be like 50 adults and 15 kids...!!! That doesn't seem lke much fun for LO or me!
@chopsuey: I agree with that! We survived, I guess we should celebrate!
@artbee: ha yes...I also kind of worry that the party wouldn't be fun for him, so I feel bad doing one!
squash / 13764 posts
@MrsF: yes!! Like 5 of the kids we WOULD invite are doing parties and inviting us...so I also feel bad if we had a party but did family only!
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@hilsy85: LO had a TON of fun at her party!!! I don't get why people (not you, but others as a way to justify their reason for not having a party) say one year olds won't have fun at their party. They're one, not a zombie. They're interacting a ton at that point.
I was adamant about planning a menu that would be as stress free as possible day of.
squash / 13764 posts
@locavore_mama: I think it's mainly (for me) because the party would be at a cafe, so it's not like he would have a ton of room to run around, IF he's walking...if he's still crawling, I don't know that having him crawl on teh floor with so many people around is a good idea? Also, he doesn't do soo great with large/loud crowds...so those are my reasons!
if we were having it at a park, I would feel completely differently.
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
@hilsy85: My LO is very shy and didn't like people at all at that age, so I also felt bad. But we opened up the porch and she spent the entire time ignoring everybody and crawling up and down that step to the porch. She loved it! I didn't care that she wasn't paying attention to the guests... it's her party and she can do what she wants to
squash / 13764 posts
@artbee: ha very true! I would just worry that he would fuss/cry, and since we wouldn't be at home, there would be limited places to take him and soothe him...but who knows maybe in two months he'll love crowds!
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
@hilsy85: Oh.... we had our party at home. It was good because she was so exhausted, she went down for a nap in the middle of the party. But if he isn't happy and your out I'm sure you can find a quiet place or just go on a walk. I wouldn't have minded getting away for a bit too!
pomegranate / 3768 posts
yes, we're definitely having a party for LO when she turns one in december. i'm excited to celebrate our first year as a family!
papaya / 10570 posts
I can't wait - and my baby is only 1 month old!! DH and I are already planning our cake smash! It's pretty much unheard of here and we keep suggesting it to friends when their babies turn 1 but they all think it's a ridiculous and messy idea. That's the point!! Cake smash for the win!!!
squash / 13764 posts
@Cherrybee: yes I agree! Regardless of whether we do a party, we'll do a cake smash at home on his actual birthday
coconut / 8861 posts
@hilsy85: Yeah, I just don't want to do that until later. We've sort of told friends in passing that we're keeping it small for his first and maybe few other birthdays.
pomegranate / 3008 posts
Yes but it was only the grandparents and us. It wasn't a big party, more of a luncheon with some presents.
GOLD / papaya / 10166 posts
Yes - I love celebrating birthdays, and I wanted to do something special for DD on her very first one. We had close to 50 people over at one point. It was a lot of fun for everyone, but the next birthdays won't be that big
bananas / 9357 posts
yep, we're going to have one. The plan is to do it at my grandma's house. Hopefully in her backyard. I'm thinking we'll just invite family and close friends with kids. There will probably be like 20-25 people.
papaya / 10473 posts
Yes, we will absolutely do one! It won't be huge though, and no gifts. I would feel weird if friends felt obligated to buy gifts. I already have a theme in mind haha!
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
No question about it, Yes! I can't wait. She is 5 months and I already have a secret pinterest board.
pear / 1895 posts
We'll have one because I like the idea of making birthdays really special. But it will be simple and there probably won't be many people there (we live far away from family). I'd love to make a banner or something that can be reused every year--a special one for each child. And we'll do a couple gifts, like maybe a big set of wooden toys we paint ourselves?
I like the idea of everything we do being intentional and meaningful, and not do something just to do it because everyone else does.
coconut / 8472 posts
DS isn't here yet, but I *highly* doubt it. The first birthday party is really for the parents, and all it'll do is make me miserable with the stress of trying to plan it and coordinate my difficult in-laws. They create lots of complications that I don't want to deal with, and my family lives 3 hours away. And anything involving my in-laws means I have to invite 80 people (half of whom I don't know) and my MIL will freak out and not come because it's all her ex's family. (This just happened last month at the baby shower).
DS' b-day will likely be right around Thanksgiving so we will see family and celebrate, but no big party at our house. Later when he's old enough for a friends party, we'll do that.
pineapple / 12053 posts
yep because we love birthdays around here! even if it's something small, we'll do it!
kiwi / 613 posts
Yes but we did family only...We had it at a restaurant and it would have been very expensive (it still was just having family) to include friends, kids of friends, etc. Plus, I am not so big on birthdays....Honestly, I just did it to shut up everyone who said "but you HAVE" to throw a big first birthday party!!!"
grapefruit / 4862 posts
We have a few friends here and MAY end up planning something, but more likely we'll go out and do something as a family, since all of our relatives live out of state. If I lived near family though I'd totally do a party!
bananas / 9973 posts
For sure we will! It will probably get to big for our house, so we might do a park, as much as I don't want to.
GOLD / cantaloupe / 6581 posts
Yep. Her birthday is July 4th, so we think we will have a family bbq! Everyone will have off work, so I think it will work out well!
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