- It’s OK to Have a Simple Birthday Celebration for Your Kid.
Does anyone else feel like celebrations have gotten out of hand? From weddings, gender reveals and kid birthday parties, it feels overwhelming to keep up with expectations especially when you are flooded with constant comparisons on social media. Even last winter I had those feelings and opted to simplify how we did Christmas. After throwing a huge blow out party for my daughter’s 1st birthday, this year I stepped back and asking myself, “what does she TRULY want?” The answer- a simple birthday celebration surrounded by her family and closest friends.
The events
M turned 2 this year. We originally planned a simple birthday party at home, however, we thought we’d be in the middle of a house renovation (don’t ask.) Thinking hosting at home was not an option, it forced us to consider a better, even simpler way to celebrate her birthday. This led to a three day birthday celebration with one fun event scheduled each day.
The timeline of events may not seem simple, but it was because I didn’t buy decorations, book a venue, make goodie bags or send invitations. In fact, this year I made an “invitation” in PowerPoint and sent via the family GroupMe. I also got free balloons off my Buy Nothing Group. What a win! We skipped the stressful parts and focused what M likes best- seeing something cool and being with people she loves.
Making it special
To kick off the celebrations, we went to the National Aquarium with my husband’s side of the family. It was sweet how they all came out to see Mae and help encourage her to explore the new exhibits. M found some of them exciting, but she really enjoyed the random lights on the ground that helped light up the walking paths. Toddlers. Afterwards we all got lunch and M promptly fell asleep in her Grandpop’s arms. He was thrilled to get nap trapped, as M typically prefers her Mimi.
The next day (a Sunday) we had a playdate with her best friend. They did a pool day and ran circles around each other. It was low-stress and M had a great time seeing her friend, even if it wasn’t a birthday centered event. We also ate tacos, always a delicious event.
On her actual birthday, I made her favorite breakfast (pancakes with berries and whipped cream) and blew up a bunch of balloons for her to find in the living room when she wakes up. Then we ventured to the National Zoo for a day of looking at animals and exploration. She had a wonderful time pointing at the animals and commenting on their size, color or smell. It was special that the three of us got to just enjoy the day together. And we learned that the pandas will be returning soon!
That night, we finish her birthday with pizza, presents and cake with my side of the family. She was in awe when we turned out the lights and sang her “Happy Birthday.” It’s been several months now and she STILL likes to hold a fake candle and sing “Happy Birthday” to her stuffed animals, cousins and dogs constantly. It is as adorable as it sounds.
The Takeaway
While the initial reason to have a simple birthday was driven primarily to our house addition, we realized it didn’t have to be fancy to be special. You don’t need a $500 balloon arch to make a birthday special. You don’t need to invite 30 kids to your house or a play gym. A birthday celebration can be special by making it centered around your child’s interests and temperament. M got to see new things, spend time with family and friends and most importantly, had cake. Zero regrets.
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