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1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

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Teach723
Have faith. Believe. Dream.

Member since 8/10

2356 total posts

Name:

1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

The more I stress out about planning this 1st birthday the more I wonder if this is really necessary. I'm not sure if I'll regret not doing it though. DH has a big family so it would end up being at least 75 people. By the time I get invites, decorations, food, rent a place or a restaurant, entertainment, thank yous, etc. it's going to cost so much $$$ and the stress of it is already driving me crazy.
I'm definitely doing a photo shoot and that will capture the memory.
Did you throw a big 1st birthday for DC?

ETA: This was supposed to be a poll but for some reason didn't work out on my ipad.

Message edited 1/5/2013 8:58:22 PM.

Posted 1/5/13 8:56 PM
 
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KennysMommy
Never knew LOVE like it before

Member since 3/10

2640 total posts

Name:
Danielle

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

I threw a huge 1st birthday for DS with 100 people. I didn't do a Christening, so it was my excuse to have all friends and family gather to celebrate. We rented a hall, had entertainment, and catered food. It cost me somewhere in the $1200-1500 range... Well worth it but I didn't stress too much because I hired lots of help to take care of setting up/cleaning up. HTH!

Posted 1/5/13 9:29 PM
 

FergieK
Loving my girls

Member since 7/09

2533 total posts

Name:
Fergie

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

DD will be a yr in June. Our families always do big but for her 1st I think we will be doing a party in the back yard no more than 50 people BBQ style. Its so expensive I would rather save the $$ for her bank account.

Posted 1/5/13 9:38 PM
 

Teach723
Have faith. Believe. Dream.

Member since 8/10

2356 total posts

Name:

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

Posted by FergieK

DD will be a yr in June. Our families always do big but for her 1st I think we will be doing a party in the back yard no more than 50 people BBQ style. Its so expensive I would rather save the $$ for her bank account.



Wish I could do this but I live in a small condo. So it's the big thing or nothing Chat Icon

Posted 1/5/13 9:45 PM
 

Agape08
LIF Adolescent

Member since 10/08

807 total posts

Name:
Kathy

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

Instead of spending the $$ on a bday party we went on vacation for DS1 and celebrated there. We are doing the same for DS2. It is really up to you....some of our friends wouldn't even think about not having a first bday!

Posted 1/5/13 9:46 PM
 

EatingMyVeggies

Member since 1/12

6667 total posts

Name:

1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

I just had grandparents and brother in laws over.

I didn't catch the 1st birthday party bug - I felt it was way too much $ for something the birthday kid would not ever remember, KWIM?

I realized I'd be doing it more for everyone else.

No regrets.

Posted 1/5/13 9:54 PM
 

Beck
LIF Adult

Member since 7/08

1334 total posts

Name:
still can't believe it's mommy

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

We did a backyard party with about 50 people & between all the food, decorations, blah,blah, blah...it was $1,500 & a little stressful.

It was really nice to have the family together & DD had so much fun.
It seemed like she knew it was her dayChat Icon

But I have to say, DD (as well as DH & I) probably would have had just as much fun if it was the 3 of us.

I don't regret having it but I don't think I would have regretted it if I didn't either as long as I had a few nice pictures of her in her pretty dress.

I guess it just depends if you feel like spending all the money, time & effort that goes into a big party.

Posted 1/5/13 10:20 PM
 

Teach723
Have faith. Believe. Dream.

Member since 8/10

2356 total posts

Name:

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

Thanks for the input girls! We did the whole big Christening. It ended up costing us around $3000. Not really sure how I can do it small with little stress involved in planning. Guess I really have to weigh the pros and cons here.

Posted 1/5/13 10:57 PM
 

Bearcat
Love my little girls!!! <3

Member since 6/10

10818 total posts

Name:
E

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

We had about 15 people for apps hero and cake. No regrets!

Posted 1/5/13 11:10 PM
 

alli3131
Peanut is here!!!!!!

Member since 5/09

18388 total posts

Name:
Allison

1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

DS just turned a year. We only had close family over for pizza and cake. I have zero regrets. A bug party is not for the child. They have no clue how many people are there or where the party is.

Posted 1/6/13 8:11 AM
 

BeachGal
LIF Adult

Member since 2/10

2827 total posts

Name:
J

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

Just had close family (around 10 adults). No fuss and no regrets. May do a big BBQ thing next year but I still keep things to a minimum if I think they are frivolous. (No entertainment, no $100 cake, no elaborate decor, etc.) Good food is my only requirement! Kids will entertain themselves.

Posted 1/6/13 8:31 AM
 

dlj97
LIF Adult

Member since 7/10

4399 total posts

Name:

1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

We did a relatively big party and have no regrets. I think turning one is a huge milestone for you and DC and it deserves to be celebrated! We don't have the space to have at our house, so having it out was our only option. I found a nice restaurant that was about $30 pp and hooked up our ipod for entertainment to save money. I also didn't want to stress about setting up, serving and cleaning, so having it out was the right option for me.

Only you can decide what is right for you, but if you look around enough I'm sure you can find a place in your budget. I know my brother and SIL had my nephew's 1st birthday party in her parents backyard and spent as much as we did when you added in the table and chair rentals and all the linens and paper goods.

Posted 1/6/13 8:45 AM
 

2BadSoSad
LIF Adult

Member since 8/12

6791 total posts

Name:

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

If you have DD why not just do a small tea party with the close ladies in your family? Do finger sandwiches, tea, and make it a "girls day" for her birthday? That way you felt like you had a party for her, but made it a special day with all of the important ladies in her life (plus Dad and Grandpa's)?

Posted 1/6/13 8:46 AM
 

lcherian
He is the reason!

Member since 2/06

2512 total posts

Name:

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

We didn't have a big party for my first, no birthday party for my second, and probably something small or no party at all for my last. No regrets at all. First birthdays parties are overrated in my opinion. I'd rather use the money for their college tuition. Chat Icon

Posted 1/6/13 9:12 AM
 

alli3131
Peanut is here!!!!!!

Member since 5/09

18388 total posts

Name:
Allison

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

Posted by BeachGal

Just had close family (around 10 adults). No fuss and no regrets. May do a big BBQ thing next year but I still keep things to a minimum if I think they are frivolous. (No entertainment, no $100 cake, no elaborate decor, etc.) Good food is my only requirement! Kids will entertain themselves.



This is how I think too!!!!

I never had a party growing up with all the bells and whistles and I turned out just fine.

Posted 1/6/13 10:44 AM
 

blue11
LIF Adult

Member since 2/11

1706 total posts

Name:
kat

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

Posted by Agape08

Instead of spending the $$ on a bday party we went on vacation for DS1 and celebrated there. We are doing the same for DS2. It is really up to you....some of our friends wouldn't even think about not having a first bday!




This is what we are doing. For the amount we would have spent on a party we are going on a very nice vacation for a week!!

Posted 1/6/13 12:29 PM
 

SJSM
LIF Adolescent

Member since 1/09

764 total posts

Name:

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

Yes 1st birthdays are a huge milestone and should be celebrated. With that said it does not mean you have to stress yourself out and spend so much $$$.
A cake and singing happy birthday with some family and friends is more than fine..
Enjoy the day!

Posted 1/6/13 12:39 PM
 

Teach723
Have faith. Believe. Dream.

Member since 8/10

2356 total posts

Name:

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

Thanks girls. I think I'm leaning more toward the immediate family going out to dinner or something. That's still 20 of usChat Icon Trying to talk my mom into letting me do something small at her house even.

Posted 1/6/13 1:55 PM
 

cj7305
=)

Member since 8/05

12296 total posts

Name:

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

Nope, for both kids we just did dinner & cake at our house with our parents and siblings. No regrets here and they have no memory of it anyway lol!

Posted 1/6/13 2:14 PM
 

Alexandra17
Keep It Positive

Member since 4/09

6262 total posts

Name:
Alexandra (ali)

1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

I'm not doing the big party. His baptism was helped paid for in in laws back yard and still cost a lot. I'm doing pizza and cake and snacks.

Posted 1/6/13 3:56 PM
 

LotsaLuv
Us

Member since 6/10

4094 total posts

Name:
F

1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

We had a backyard party, I think we had around 50 people. We catered food, got a tent, no entertainment, the kids found things to do. We usually have a big BBQ every year, so it was the same except we had birthday decorations and catered food.
I don't regret it, she is my first daughter/child, and I wanted to celebrate her being 1 with my friends and family.

Posted 1/6/13 4:24 PM
 

MaZz
* Lovin my baby girl!!! *

Member since 2/09

6243 total posts

Name:
Gina

1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

We are not having a first bday party. I see no reason. We are instead going on a trip with the grandparents ... Dd and I have the same bday so its a treat for both of us

Posted 1/6/13 4:30 PM
 

Budjeg11
LIF Adult

Member since 4/11

2644 total posts

Name:

1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

We did sort of a big bday party.. we had family and friends at Nunleys Carousel (about 18 kids and 25 adults) followed by an after party/ lunch at our house with our close family (abouy 20 people inc kids) when DD opened her gifts etc. To be honest, I think it would have been fine if we just skipped the first part and just had family over at our house for lunch. I ended up driving myself nuts over planning and really the first part was over so quickly and was so chaotic!

Posted 2/4/13 1:30 AM
 

Bridex100
Two Under Two Mommy

Member since 3/08

10420 total posts

Name:
Momx100

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

We had a big 1st bday but I don't remember it being that stressful. We had a formal lunch (7 courses). I picked out the menu and hired someone to the decorations. I ordered invitations and handed out pastry favors.

Posted 2/4/13 8:28 AM
 

jlk51496
Mom of 3 - YIKES! =)

Member since 10/09

6758 total posts

Name:
Katie

Re: 1st birthday poll- to party or not to party

we had about 80 people for each of my kids' 1st bdays..it was a lot of work...but I love doing it....but I justify it that it will be the last big party until their Communions....we do it small for all the other birthdays

either way is fun..it is whatever you feel comfortable!...i sometimes think my DH wishes I felt like you! Chat Icon

Message edited 2/4/2013 8:29:52 AM.

Posted 2/4/13 8:29 AM
 
Pages: [1] 2
 

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