1 Year Old Party

I just want to say thank you for asking this and thank you to all responses. I to am planing my LO 1st so I got some good ideas. Dont stress over it and have fun.

For my daughters 1st birthday party we also had a majority of adults and a few children (I'd say around 30 adults and 5 kids as well give or take). I only made little party favor bags for the children, adults don't need them. Depends on the age of the kids, you can get age appropriate toys at the dollar store or Walmart for each kid.
We did a BBQ and when everyone got there they all visited and had some small appetizers (chips and dip, veggie tray, etc.) while my hubby BBQ'd. After that we went inside and started opening presents and then served cake. Definitely open presents everyone wants to see what they got and how cute it all is! It will all come together =)

B.,

My son's 1st Birthday was pretty basic and sort of a fly by the seat of your pants experience for me...

We did BBQ when the guests arrived, and then let them mingle for a bit while they ate. They we did cake and while the guests ate cake, we started presents and once those were done passed out the favors to the kids who came. I only did 8 bags, and kept the extras for the baby book. It went pretty well, his 2nd birthday I was much more relaxed and so much more fun for everyone!!

Just remember to relax and let yourself have fun, too! Don't stress if it isn't perfect, it's more about marking the milestone then perfection.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

Deanna

FOr favors/goody bags, try: www.orientaltrading.com
They have TONS of fun things for 'bulk' prices. Lots of Moms and teachers, and myself, order from there. It's very handy.

Your party is for 2 hours. I assume, during your baby's NON-nap time? Hopefully.
First, be efficient about it... have the lunch on a buffet table for self serving, let people/kids mingle, at about 1:00, have cake/dessert, then about 1:15, (IF you decide to open presents at the party), open presents. Opening presents takes TIME! So be ready for that....have a note-pad and pen all ready so you can 'log' what each person gifted your baby with as you are opening the gifts...or have someone else help write it all down for you as you go along. AND, take photos as you are opening gifts. But, yes, opening presents can drag on and on. It's tedious.
Then, you want to make sure you keep your baby in mind... and she will probably need to nap after that... or already be tired for one.

Good luck!
Susan

Hi B.,

When we had my daughters 1st birthday last year it was a blast. I only did goodie bags for the children (parents usually don't expect them anyways) and everyone ate cake while we opened presents so no one was sitting awkwardly. It worked out great. Also, instead of games (because the kids were just to young for an organized game) I bought sidewalk chalk and bubbles and they went to town with those between eating and presents/cake. Ours was a pretty relaxed party but it was fun for everyone, even my husband and I :) Have fun!!

Oh, and I got all of my party favors from the dollar spot at Target so I spent less than $10 for all 5 kids and they had age appropriate and really fun favor bags.

I'm sure adults aren't expecting favors. I'd only do them for the kids. Some of the adults may want to see your little one open their gift, but depending on how many gifts there are, your baby will be sick of it. At one they don't really understand it. Since it's such a short party I'd say no to opening gifts. Do they cake around 1:30 so it's they last thing. Your little one will probably be exhausted and need a nap as son as the party is over.

I just did party favors for the kids. And we did open all the presents and there were so many that it took forever. My son did great seating in my lap. My advice on that is torn...it did take a long time and away from visiting and kids playing but everyone enjoyed us opening the gifts since it was his first birthday. Yours is during the day so I would use your best judgement on how your doing on time. If you see have everyone visiting eating then do the fun part cake, and people are starting to filter out just do it on your own. Maybe have your siblings are the grandparents there to watch and take pictures. We had around 35...plus presents that were shipped from out of state. Good luck!

The 1 year old party is almost always really for us, the moms. So do what you want. The usual? 12-1 eating and socializing. 1pm cake -- you can have a small separate one for the baby to put her/his hands in and mess up. Then after that you can open presents -- again, really more for you and a way for people to see you open their thoughtful gifts -- up to you. You can also open presents after they leave. I've always gone to 1 year old parties (if that child is the eldest of the couple) that are all about yummy food and getting to see friends while celebrating the 1 year old. Forgot to say, favors for kids only. G.

Hi B.,

For our son's first birthday, people socialized for a while and then we ate and did cake shortly after--the flow and feel of the party will tell you when it's time to do those things. We did not open gifts during the party--that takes a long time, and since our party was mainly adults too, we didn't want to interrupt people's talking time--besides, most of our guests were interested in holding and/or playing with our son, and not in what he received for gifts. We opened gifts with immediate family after the main "party" was over. (Because of that, we've never opened gifts at any of our son's parties since then--kids would rather play than open gifts during the party itself).

Favors--I bought a box of chocolate bars at Costco and put labels on them that said "Thanks for coming to my party!" with my son's name. The adults loved them just as much as the kids.

One of the best things at our party--we got a jumpy for the handful of kids that were there. That was great--it entertained two year-olds up to twelve year-olds, and the adults got to chat.

I suggest putting sodas, juices, and bottled waters in coolers so that guests can serve themselves. Make the party as self-serve as possible so that you and your husband and the birthday child can enjoy the party and your guests too.

Assign someone to take pictures and someone else to shoot video, if you're interested in having those mementos. My husband and I were too busy playing host and hostess to do much of that. It would have been easier if we would have asked for help.

Have fun!
:-) D.
P.S. After reading Susan's response below--I wanted to add that my son slept through the last half of the party--having a lot of adults around was exhausting for him. Other friends of mine have said this about their kids too. So--do the food and the cake toward the beginning of the party, if the party time is close to your son's naptime.

I would say definitely NO to opening gifts at the party. To me it takes away from the kids enjoying the party. It is better to open the gifts after the party. That way, you can open each gift and write a thank you note to the giver at the same time. If the grandparents wish to see the child open the gift, then maybe they can stay after the party.

Everyone doesn't need favors, just for the little guys! And if presents are taking too long have the other little kids help him open them after you get the customary pictures. Then people won't get too bored! And serve the cake while the present opening is going on--that will give them something to do while a little guy is opening presents!

you should only make favors for the kids. i would open presents while they eat cake. so since your party is 12-2 ill give this suggestion. as people arrive guide them to the place they can set their things then show them where to put the gift and then point them ove to the food so they can start to eat. then i would say about 1 pm sing happy bithday to the birthday boy/girl and let he/she have their peice of cake. then see if your hubby or mil will dish out the cake while you get the gifts ready to be opened. then clean the baby up and call everyone over so you can open gifts and whoever comes to watch comes dont stress about everyone seeing. also if you plan on sending thank you cards have someone write down what the baby got from who. good luck!

One-year-olds are not all that aware of things like party favors. I would say save the money and wait until next year to start with that. Focus on making the adults comfortable and then just pull out blankets and all the toys and throw all the babies out in it and they will have a great time. My daughter just turned one and it was more a grown up party because the babies are, well, babies. Opening presents is nice because when someone spends money on a gift, it feels nice to get to see someone open it and be happy. Do cake when it seems right, don't try and pidgeon-hole it, the right time will show itself. We did the cake when our daughter started to get tired, we figured the sugar would give her a little blast of energy before she fizzled out! Those are just my suggestions, I'm sure the party will be wonderful no matter what you do!

Take a picture of your one year old. Go to a photo center (I used Costco), put a cute border around it and order a print for each guest/family.

Maybe just goodie bags for the kids, little bags with age appropriate trinkets. For a one year old, that's probably the main thing of the party - opening gifts. It's cute watching a one year old trying to open presents. Maybe have a game or two for the kids if they are a little older, like pin the tale on the donkey, etc. If the gifts start taking too long, just stop whenever you want. People usually expect a low key party for a one year old, so don't put too much pressure on yourself!

For my boys parties I only made favor bags for the kids. Cake usually follows everyone eating by 20 minutes or so. We didn't open the presents at the party....but I would suggest asking people if they want your son to try and open them. Usually people leave right after cake, so there isn't a lot of time. Plus your one year old likely won't know how or be interested in opening the gifts. If you do decide to open them I wold do it while people are eating so you get thrue them all. Good luck!

Birthday Parties are soo much fun. Yours is a little unique with all of the adults. Due to the number of Adults it may not be necessary to have favors, if you would like to have a kind of thank you for coming you can have some Thank You cards made up at Walmart with your 1 year olds picture on it, and then make some goodie bags for the kids. Cake should always be served towards the end. That is a good queue to leave. Serve around 1:15 - 1:30 so they can sit, eat and depart. Have fun.