Mom Hacks
5 Tips For Nailing Their First Birthday Party
The idea of hosting a first birthday – especially if this is your first baby – can be overwhelming. What to serve? Who to invite? Is alcohol permissible? (hard yes, consensus says). With Olympia’s big day fast approaching, I consulted a few expert hostesses to find out the recipe for the best birthday party yet.
- Written By
- Phoebe de Croisset
Keep The Guest List Small
My mother-in-law has a rule: 1st birthdays call for 1 guest, 2nd birthdays call for 2 guests, and so on… This is a bit extreme, but I do think, especially at this age, a smaller group is more manageable and less overwhelming for both you and baby.
Be Strategic About Timing
At this age, awake times and attentions spans are short, so a 1-hour party should be plenty. Plan for an afternoon, say 4pm, after naptime, but before dinner so you don’t get stuck with producing a meal.
Bake A Cake
Of course, you can buy one ready-made, but the act of baking a cake, and decorating it, are such a fun part of any celebration. Don’t worry about making it perfect. Pile it high with candles and snap a photo to commemorate your work – and her delight at seeing something special made just for her.
Write Your Baby A Letter
I imagine most parents feel the way I do at this milestone: brimming with emotion and pride and love for this tiny human who can’t yet understand the depth of your feelings. So this year, and every year until she’s 18, I’m writing a letter to Olympia to tell her how magical she is at this very moment.
Gear Up With Cute (Unbreakable) Supplies
Don’t worry about broken glasses and dirty dishes. Buy some pretty paper plates, napkins and decorations and let the littles be a part of it all.
My mother-in-law has a rule: 1st birthdays call for 1 guest, 2nd birthdays call for 2 guests, and so on… This is a bit extreme, but I do think, especially at this age, a smaller group is more manageable and less overwhelming for both you and baby.
Be Strategic About Timing
At this age, awake times and attentions spans are short, so a 1-hour party should be plenty. Plan for an afternoon, say 4pm, after naptime, but before dinner so you don’t get stuck with producing a meal.
Bake A Cake
Of course, you can buy one ready-made, but the act of baking a cake, and decorating it, are such a fun part of any celebration. Don’t worry about making it perfect. Pile it high with candles and snap a photo to commemorate your work – and her delight at seeing something special made just for her.
Write Your Baby A Letter
I imagine most parents feel the way I do at this milestone: brimming with emotion and pride and love for this tiny human who can’t yet understand the depth of your feelings. So this year, and every year until she’s 18, I’m writing a letter to Olympia to tell her how magical she is at this very moment.
Gear Up With Cute (Unbreakable) Supplies
Don’t worry about broken glasses and dirty dishes. Buy some pretty paper plates, napkins and decorations and let the littles be a part of it all.