Birthday Parties - Abingdon,MD

I do have some type of celebration every year for my kids. The type and size of celebration varies each year depending on my budget.

We ALWAYS have cake and their favorite dinner ON their birthday. Whatever family is able to come over for that is welcome too. If they don't come, they don't. No hard feelings. I ALWAYS send snacks and drinks to school/daycare on the school day closest to their birthday.

My son was 5 before he had his first friends birthday party.

Don't feel bad for skipping a birthday party for your kids. I gave my son a party for his 1st B-day and spent an outrageous amount of $$$. I skipped parties for his 2nd and 3rd b-day and took took him somewhere special instead. He recently made 4yrs and I had a superhero party for him with all of his preschool friends and he was old enough to know that it was his birthday and had a great time!!!

I don't see any reason at all to bust the budget or stress out over a large party for a kid that young. We had a nice party at a local park for my son's first birthday and invited family and a few friends who knew my son the best. I made a homemade cake. when kids are this young, they mostly like the fact that people are gathered together, showering them attention, and they know that a birthday is a special day. but as they get older they are "taught" that birthdays are supposed to mean expensive cake and many gifts. And they only learn that because parents are happy to teach them that. So take it easy this year and have a nice time that everyone can enjoy, including yourself!!
For his second birthday, we went on a bike ride and then all gathered for pizza at a local pizza shop. It was a great time! We make the day be about "togetherness" and "specialness." I don't plan on having parties for friends until my kids are in grade school.

We have skipped many years of kids parties as they are really too young to remember or appreciate them and at this age tend to get overwhelmed by a lot of kids. I usually invite the grandparents and inlaws and if they choose to come, fine, if not oh well, our little family has a cake and a few presents and the kids would go to daycare or school with a small treat to celebrate with their friends. My daughter did not get a friends party until she was 5. My son is 4 and hasn't had a friends party and really doesn't miss it. Don't feel bad about it. You will be celebrating by having cake with him. that is all the celebrating that is needed at this age. (BTW- at age 4, my son still hasn't realized it was his birthday or the point of any celebrations).

Absolutely nothing wrong with skipping a birthday. It wasn't until recently that people thought every b-day had to be celebrated in a huge way. In both my husbands and my family there was always a cake on birthday and a special breakfast or dinner of the b-day person's choice. I had a large party when I was one (obviously don't remember that one), when I was 13 and then 16. Personally I think it leads to a terrible entitlement mentality if children are given a huge b-day party every year. Besides a great b-day party isn't what makes a great parent. Its the everyday things that kids remember and what make a child truly happy. There are ways to make the b-day child feel special without going into debt for it. And if you do choose to have a party don't feel like you have to invite everyone. Just because he plays with a kid doesn't mean they are necessarily. Personally I think that's why b-day parties have to get so big...someone invites your child so you feel you have to reciprocate and have a big party and invite that child. Also, if I get an invite from someone my son just rarely plays with at school I often turn it down. If i had to buy a present for every party he got invited to I would be broke. I think b-day's are to be celebrated with close family and friends. Have the party not during meal hours so you don't have to serve a meal just maybe cake and ice cream but do specify on the invites what will be served. Good luck with whatever you decide. PS I hope this didn't sound too preachy:-) Totally not my intent.

there's no shame in having a small party. for my son's 2nd party we invited 2 of his "friends" and had a play-date and lunch, with cake. he didn't seem upset about it --- he was 2!

When they are that little I do not care much about inviting school friends, they would not notice that much. I always do a party with family or since there is not much family here in Houston my closest friends that are like family to me.

At this age you do not need to plan much on entertainment, just having people around and getting your baby some gifts is enough (personal opinion I guess)

About food, this year I am getting just pizza from Dominos (using the coupons) at the House since I do not want to cook but if you plan a dish with either pasta and salad or a special rice and salad + cake it would not be too expensive.

I like planning parties and maybe for that reason I would never skip a Birthday celebration but you can plan it as moderately priced as you want, there are always cheap options to do.... just a cake and juice at home with the closest friends will do!

Good luck! and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUR LITTLE ONE!

No biggie to skip a year. Or just do a family party at your house or you/hubby/your kids go somewhere for dinner like Chuck E. Cheese?

I skipped having a birthday party for my son's 2nd birthday in February with no regrets. My thinking was and is that he won't remember his 2nd birthday and if he does, we did have a nice time at home with family and a cake. So we have pictures acknowledging the day, but no big party. My advise is if you can't afford it, please don't beat yourself up about it. I believe that parties matter more when they are older, but the most important thing throughout our children's lives is to teach them the value of love, family and modesty.

Hope that helps.

MT

I always do a party sometimes much smaller than others. You could simply take cupcakes to daycare for a small celebration with them. Then have cake at home for immediate family and your closest friends...nothing fancy.

My son just turned 4 at the end of August...and the way things worked out - I didn't have a 1st B-day party for him!!! There were a few family members in town to visit & spend time, but we didn't have a cake or anything - he had no idea!!! However, for age 2 - we did a big party complete with cake, friends, decorations, presents, etc. Then when his 3rd came around, my budget was just not there, so we just did a home-made cake on the front porch/steps with about 4-5 of his friends...we sang Happy Birthday, let him blow out candles, blow up balloons & open some of the few presents he got. He LOVED it! Now the 4th one that just passed, we did another party, but our budget was still on the low...so I did most of the shopping for stuff @ the Dollar Store and we went to the local park where we had food that we brought along (a few salads, home-make cupcakes & cake -again!- and beverages to share). There was free roller-skating w/music going on at the park and there's a new playground...the children all brought "wheels" (either scooters, rollerskates, bikes, etc) and they had a BLAST! There were actually about 12 children & their parents - but we had just enough of everything. It didn't cost much & everyone had a good time.

Oh...and the children that attended (ranging in ages 2-10...yes, my son has older friends!) all enjoyed the "loot" bags that I had prepared. I did a few for girls too. And again, I got all the stuff from the Dollar Store!

I guess what I'm getting at it is don't feel bad if you skip a year in having a big party...as long as you do some sort of recognition, they'll be ok. And if you want you can do every other year (?)...at this point, that seems like the route I may go...we'll see. It basically depends on the budget & what else is going on.

Hope this helped! Happy B-day (soon) to your little man!

We always have a small party for our kids but don't do a bunch of decorating. I have actually made my own cakes lately (Gotta give credit to Betty Crocker, I'm not that good). It's so much cheaper and actually, I think tastes better. We have a big immediate family so I have to make two cakes (one chocolate and one vanilla) but it's less than $10 for the cake & icing for both cakes.
You can do the party at a time like 3 in the afternoon so people already had lunch and you don't have to provide food. Just put on the invitation that cake and beverages will be provided. That way they know to eat before they come. Maybe get a couple bags of chips or pretzels. I also like to use Evite to send out invitations via email. It's free so I don't have to buy invitations. Plus people can RSVP right when the get the invite so you know who's coming.

Never feel bad about it. If you didn't have the money to do it, you wouldn't anyhow. I've only given my children parties on the big ones. 1, 2, 5, 13, 16, 18 and 21. That way it doesn't teach them that, growing up, they are entitled to always have these things so when they're older and no one does it for them, they're not let down. I also teach them the same way about Christmas. I made sure that they know it's not their birthday, but they get gifts.