Monday, October 10, 2011
The No-Tears First Birthday Party
Is it possible that it's already been a year since your baby arrived? Your knees and your back don't lie - your baby is almost one year old. And you, naturally, want to throw a big celebration to commemorate the day. But first birthday parties are notorious for producing more tears than smiles, and no one likes a crabby birthday boy (or girl). So here are five ideas for throwing a tear-less first birthday party that everyone will enjoy.
1) Think Photo Op.
A baby's first birthday is essentially an extended photo opportunity. The pivotal event is the moment when the baby stares at the becandled cake, just before plunging his or her hand into it. The rest of the party is just filler. So plan a brief (one hour - tops) celebration with as few distractions as possible.
2) Minimize extra kids.
If your baby has cousins close by that he or she already knows well, by all means include them. But a first birthday party is not an occasion to introduce your baby to bunches of new people. Grandparents or close friends, other family members and maybe a neighbor or two - keeping the guest list short will minimize the stress on the baby and on you. And where kids are concerned, remember that the noise level will affect everyone, so go shorter rather than longer on the invitation list.
1) Think Photo Op.
A baby's first birthday is essentially an extended photo opportunity. The pivotal event is the moment when the baby stares at the becandled cake, just before plunging his or her hand into it. The rest of the party is just filler. So plan a brief (one hour - tops) celebration with as few distractions as possible.
2) Minimize extra kids.
If your baby has cousins close by that he or she already knows well, by all means include them. But a first birthday party is not an occasion to introduce your baby to bunches of new people. Grandparents or close friends, other family members and maybe a neighbor or two - keeping the guest list short will minimize the stress on the baby and on you. And where kids are concerned, remember that the noise level will affect everyone, so go shorter rather than longer on the invitation list.
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