Recently, my son turned one year old. One!
I can't believe how quickly time has passed and it honestly just seems like yesterday that he was born. As his birthday was beginning to approach, I started brainstorming party ideas. These days, it feels like people go waaaay overboard with parties, and in my opinion it is to the detriment of everyone involved. It sets unrealistic expectations for other parents/family members to "match" insane party ideas, it spoils kids in ways that may not be healthy for them in the long term, and it really take a hit on the wallet.
In today's post, I wanted to share with you my 5 tips to have a very fun, super special first birthday party without spending a bunch of money and going broke in the process.
Potluck for food
A great way to save money for any event, get-together or party, is to turn it into a potluck. Not only does it save you (as the host) time and money, but it's also a fun way to allow yourself and your guests to be exposed to delicious or unique foods they may not otherwise have had! For my son's first birthday, we made homemade mac & cheese (and cupcakes!), my mother-in-law made homemade burgers, my sister-in-law made salad, my mom made punch, and a family friend brought skor bit squares! A potluck also allows family members or friends help you out in a way that generally makes everyone feel good.
Stick with simple, classic decorations
Truly, there is no need to complicate this one. These days, you see so many outrageous birthday decorations that are very unnecessary in my opinion! You don't need to go out and spend $200 at Party City in order to have a great birthday party, especially for a baby or toddler who literally won't remember the event! All we did was hit up the Dollar Store, spend maaaybe $20 and I really have no regrets. Classic birthday party decorations were the name of the game for my son's party so we got some balloons (pastel ones are so pretty!), streamers, a "Happy Birthday" sign, and some candles. You don't need anything else! Don't stress yourself out in an attempt to create a perfect Instagram-worthy party. Focus on what matters: your friends, family, and baby having a good time.
Opt for cheap or free party activities
The best parties that I went to as a kid were simple and fun. Don't you remember what it was like when you were little? Give kids a ball and racket, and they'll have fun for hours (or until someone gets hurt, haha). But seriously! There are so many great, cheap, or free party activities for kids to do. For my son's big day, I bought bubbles from the Dollar Store, chalk that was on clearance, and set up the "water table" outside so the little ones could splash and play! A few parents also brought small indoor/outdoor kids tents & tunnels to set up so there were activities for several age ranges. There were tons of kids, as young as 8 months and as old as 10 years, all having a great time. I think I spent $5-$10 on the bubbles and chalk.
Birthday posters for the win
Now, you don't actually have to feel pressured to make a birthday poster if you don't want to but I do want to emphasize the importance and fun of starting birthday traditions (that are still cheap or free!). Every year for my (and my sisters') birthday, my mom would make us a birthday poster that would be hung on the wall for whenever we woke up on the morning of our birthday. It was on bristol board (Dollar Store), had photos of us printed and glued on the poster from that year, and stickers of things we liked/were interested in. It was always so special to see how my mom decorated the poster and it's of course a tradition I've now started with my son! Also, if you aren't crafty, you can totally buy cheap Etsy pdf downloads for things like this! Tape up your birthday poster for guests to enjoy, look at, and reminisce about the past year.
Lean in to the season
The last tip I wanted to share with you that I truly think can save you a ton of money, is to lean in to the season in which your baby's birthday falls. I'm lucky that my son's birthday falls in August, so we have that "end of summer" vibe and good weather. We leaned in to having an outdoor birthday party, hence the burgers/water table/bubbles/outdoor tents! Summer birthdays are great for pool parties or other outdoor activities, but that doesn't mean you can't have other great parties the rest of the year. My birthday is in October, so when I was growing up my birthdays were always Halloween themed: the kids dressed up in costumes, and my mom would buy little mini pumpkins for us all to decorate. Easy & cheap. Think of what holiday your kids birthday may be close to so that you can jump on that theme.
Well, those are my five tips.
The most important thing to remember is that your kids won't remember how much money you spent on their party or the effort you put into building a huge balloon arch. What they will remember are the memories you made and they way you make them feel! So don't pressure yourself to live up to society's new crazy party standards.
Keep it simple and focus on having fun.
What other tips would you add to this list?
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