Birthdays - The First One
In this article we're going to discuss probably one of the most
important birthdays you'll celebrate, your first. Ironically,
you won't remember your first birthday. But your parents will.
So this article is more for them than for the birthday boy or
girl. A first birthday for your child is very special. For one
thing, he or she has made it through the first year of life on
earth. That in itself is an accomplishment since during your
first year you're pretty much dependent on your parents for
everything. So this particular birthday celebration should be a
special one.
For starters you (the parents, not the baby) should get really
nice invitations. A front cover of "Baby's First Birthday" is
probably the most common, but don't be afraid to be different.
After all, you want this party to be special, right from the
invitations down to the party itself. Forget the expense. This
is a once in a lifetime event. So invite everyone you know who
you've been or are close to. This includes friends, family, even
people you work with. You want everyone involved in this special
day as possible. Obviously this will mean renting a hall, unless
of course you live in a mansion. Go for it. Find the nicest hall
you can afford. Have the meal catered. This can either be an
early lunch or late dinner. Your best bet is to have a buffet.
That way people can pretty much eat what they like. Have a large
selection of foods both hot and cold. Some suggestions for the
cold buffet would be all sorts of salads like tuna and potato.
Have a variety of cold cuts like bologna, salami, ham, roast
beef and turkey. For the hot portion of the buffet you may want
to have a wide variety so there is something for everyone. Maybe
some chow mein, hot beef, chicken and even fish. Have a nice
selection of hot vegetables like peas, corn, carrots and green
beans.
For dessert you obviously want to have a cake. The best bet is a
large sheet cake that will be enough for all the guests. But
have other desserts as well such as ice cream, brownies and
cookies. It's best to have a table just for desserts.
Your guests are going to have a lot of gifts for your child.
Make sure you've arrived in a vehicle where you'll be able to
transport everything. If you don't own a van or a truck then
bring more than one vehicle or have friends help you bring the
gifts back home. Make sure you keep track of what everyone gave
your child so you can write proper thank you notes afterwards.
This may sound obvious but don't forget about your child on this
day. Make sure you bring baby food, change of diapers, etc. It's
your child's day and you want to make sure that he or she is as
well taken care of as your guests. Finally, make sure you bring
plenty of film and a video camera. This is a day that you are
going to want to remember for a long time, especially when that
one year old is heading off to college.