Your baby’s first birthday is a major milestone that calls for an extra special celebration. Whether you host a small or large birthday party, the day should be fun and memorable for your family and guests. Here are 10 unusual and adorable celebration and gift ideas to get your creativity flowing.
Play off of the fact that time flies during your baby’s first year with a fun aviation-themed party. You can have a “check-in” for guests to drop off gifts and a “baggage claim” to collect party favors. Vintage luggage makes for great decor.
Image source – Kara’s Party Ideas
This is a great theme because it works for both genders and involves simple decorations. Think maps, globes, and lots of color. You can have your guests write a special message for your child inside the cover of the Dr. Seuss book.
Image source – B Lovely Events
A mermaid theme is perfect for your baby girl with a love for the beach and Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Get creative and label snacks with ocean-inspired names: cheese puffs = cannon balls, jelly beans = jellyfish eggs, pretzel sticks = driftwood, and so on.
Image source – Elevate Everyday
- Milk and Cookie Monster Party
A milk and cookies party makes your food straightforward and hassle-free. Guests won’t be expecting a full meal if you make the theme clear on your invite. Stick to a blue and brown color story for decor and food. Old-fashioned milk bottles are an extra detail that your guests will love! Consider gluten-free or dairy-free options for guests with dietary restrictions.
Image source – Spaceships and Laserbeams
For your baby girl or boy who loves animals and adventure, turn your home into a jungle safari. DIY a jungle cruiser and backdrop for guests to take photos. Tons of stuffed animals, animal crackers, and bananas are just a few ideas to get you started.
Image source – The Wise Baby
Your one-year old probably has plenty of toys, so ask guests to instead bring one meaningful item to place in a time capsule that will be opened on your child’s 18th birthday. Suggest writing a letter with predictions or advice for the future.
Image source – Denver Metro Moms Blog
- Build Your Baby’s First Library
Ask guests to bring a favorite book or two to add to your baby’s library. They’ll be reading and writing before you know it! Share a Google spreadsheet via email so that guests can share the books they plan to bring and avoid duplicates.
Image source – Project Nursery
An elephant themed party is a classic for a reason. The decor is cute and sweet, and can be adjusted to your preferences. Choose one or two colors to make your party cohesive. This theme also works for a girl or boy. Or, swap out elephants for your baby’s favorite animal and center your party around that.
Image source – The Sweetest Occasion
Take a girly pink, red, and lime green color scheme one step further with an all strawberry theme. There are so many great food and drink options – strawberry lemonade, anyone? This is an especially great theme for summer parties.
Your little one is the little star of the party, so you might as well run with that theme. Choose neutral colors accented with plenty of gold of glitter. Cake toppers and star wands are easy to DIY. Showcase photos from your baby’s first year at the party.
Image source – Simply Real Moms
Start planning early and enlist the help of a friend to eliminate unnecessary stress. Take one more task off your plate by scheduling a first year photoshoot with Bella Baby. Our talented photographers will capture this special moment in your child’s life with high-quality, creative images. You can gift a photo as a party favor to relatives who attend the celebration.
