I feel like I've been getting sooo many invites to birthday parties for one year olds lately. We just got 2 in the mail from dh's cousins kids who we rarely see.
Is it just me or does anyone else find elaborate parties for one year olds to be over the top? It also seems kind of gift grabby and more for the parents?
Am I just being a party pooper?! 
honeydew / 7622 posts
Eh, I go to them a lot. We will have a big 1st birthday for dd but likely won't have a big party again till shes 5. I got 10 Pantone board books for about $7 each for gifts, no need to get something too fancy.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
I did find them a little over the top, until my LO turned one and I realized what a big deal it is for the parents- like, we made it a whole year and everyone is still standing! So while we didn't do a big party or anything, I finally understand why others do. I agree that a small gift is fine, especially when you know it's a bigger party. And you can always say no if your weekends are getting eaten up with parties all the time.
Then again we have only been invited to a few- a consequence of most of our friends living in apartments without space for a big party probably!
cherry / 118 posts
We had a big one, but our goal was certainly not gifts. Our goal was to throw an awesome party for our friends who had hardly seen during the first year.
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
it's cultural for koreans since a lot of babies didn't live until 1 year old in olden times, but the tradition still continues to have a huge 1st birthday party.
the party invites increase from 3+ when the kids are in school though!
pear / 1812 posts
We threw a decently sized one for DD when she turned 1. It wasn't for the gifts and, honest it was more for us than her but it was because we were so excited and proud. We have been invited to a bunch as well.
pear / 1622 posts
Our pediatrician told DH and I to go on a date night when LO turns one to celebrate the first year. We liked that idea but haven't had a chance to do that yet. We had some family over the day before LO's birthday and then on Monday we celebrated with LO (just the 3 of us) but I videotaped it and shared it with friends.
apricot / 322 posts
@Mrs. Bee: Yup. Also tradition in Hawaii. We're talking huge luau type parties with family, friends, church friends, etc. Tons of food, loads of gifts... I guess I'm used to it because of growing up there! But I can see how it can be perceived as over the top.
clementine / 770 posts
I'm planning to do a party for my lo first birthday. Both my husband and I are very laid back about all events, but we want to make it a habit to make an effort for our daughter so she never feels like she missed out. As for gifts my suggestions to anyone who's asked is puzzles or books, so I'm not asking anyone to break the bank. And I have just been mentioning it in a relaxed way to close friends and family so I'm not even expecting everyone to bring a gift!
persimmon / 1188 posts
We go to them for our cousins kids and friends kids fairly regularly. In both our friend and family circles first birthdays are bashes then the other birthdays are smaller. We rented a space and invited around 100 people. We will probably never do that again!
coconut / 8472 posts
In my experience most people seem to have a fairly big first birthday party. We had a big one, which wasn't really my preference, but with DH's family if you invite one you have to invite 30. Add some of my family, our friends and their kids, and we were at about 50. We had also just purchased a larger house a few months before and most people hadn't seen it, so we figured that was a good way to have people over.
But we definitely didn't do it for the gifts. I was honestly a little overwhelmed with what to do with things and how to appropriately space them out.
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
Not many. In fact, I was a little turned off when I didn't receive invites for first bdays of babes that I had gone to their baby showers. TBH, I don't know how big or small those actual parties were I just know they happened b/c of FB.
eggplant / 11287 posts
Most of my friends and family members throw very large first birthday parties--myself included. It's not about the gifts--it's just a big milestone and a chance to celebrate!
papaya / 10343 posts
Everyone I know who has had a baby in the last 5 years has thrown a big 1st birthday party, myself included (by big I mean... our family + local friends at our house and we grilled out). It definitely is for the parents! I told people that we want to celebrate surviving a year of parenthood lol. It wasn't about the gifts at all. I contemplated making it a "no gifts" party but since I knew our family wouldn't abide and didn't want our friends to feel awkward I didn't. I figured they could go get her some $15 thing at target NBD. It was sort of important event to me because we had a ROUGH 1st year and I felt like the clouds were finally parting and I wanted to celebrate the return of enjoying life lol.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
Cultural for us, I'm Korean and my parents would've been sad if we didn't throw a traditional "dohl" party. I also wanted to partake in the tradition. We didn't have a party for his second though because I didn't want to plan another big party!
pomelo / 5258 posts
We went to a lot when our DD was one. All of our friends had babies the same year. We had one too and invited our friends with babies. They were all casual.
My mother's club was really practical about it and threw one play date party for all the babies. My friends' playgroups did not and some of my friends ended up going to 4 huge birthday parties per weekend for several weeks. It seemed nuts (based on my attendance at my friend's kid's party).
grapefruit / 4455 posts
I haven't gone to one in a long time, but we don't live by a lot of the babies we know, so not surprising. Where I'm from it's the cultural norm to have a HUGE first birthday party. A lot of people do it bigger for their kids first bday than their weddings. It's just a "thing." We aren't really doing bday parties until it can be her friends, we just do close family. We didn't do one and my family felt we/dd missed out.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21628 posts
I'd say 90% of my and DH's friends have kids so we've been to lots of birthday parties. I think they are fun. I've never been to any party that I'd consider over the top. I think first birthdays are a celebration for the parents and the child. I'll definitely be having one for my LO.
grapefruit / 4712 posts
We had parties when both my boys turned one. Nothing huge but 3 seperate parties. 1 for my hometown family and friends, 1 for DH's family and our friends, and 1 small home party. We live a distance from my hometown and a distance for DH's family. For us it was about celebrate making it a year still standing and to celebrate my boys and their accomplishments in the first year. Weird as that sounds.
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
We get invited to a lot of birthday parties in general, but I think the 1st year one is HUGE. Some parents are crafty and enjoying planning/throwing parties. We never thought of it as gift grabby, but more of just they want us to help celebrate another year/milestone in their child's life. I'm always down for good food and cake so hey!
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