How to make a 1st Birthday special
Apr
10
Written by:
10/04/2013 08:53
Your child’s first birthday is an important event. While there’ll no doubt be plenty of cake and colourful presents to entertain them, it’s worth finding ways to make the event even more special. It’s important they enjoy it, but they won’t remember it forever and so a great birthday idea is to buy gifts they can look back on throughout their lives, as a reminder of the love and care you've always provided for them.
When you’re looking for a gift more meaningful than the standard regiment of toys and clothes, consider buying your child some sort of keepsake to commemorate your first year as a family. You could frame photos of significant moments, or start a personalised keepsake box, preserving items like their first shoes, cut lock of hair and, eventually, their baby teeth.
Continuing this idea, many families use the first birthday as an opportunity to start a new annual tradition. Don’t worry, this doesn't have to be something huge, it could be as simple as visiting a restaurant together, taking a trip to the park or seeing a film. You could even set up something at home, buy your child some birthday paints and inspire them to create something. For their first birthday you could help them with some palm prints, for instance. Ideally start something short and simple, that you’ll be able to carry on even after they grow up and develop their own interests.
Take a photo or write a diary of the day, and starting a family tradition is a wonderful way of making birthdays special. Later in life your child will be able to look back, and trace the experiences they've had with you right back to their birth.
Of course, your friends and family will probably want to celebrate the occasion with you as well, and whether you’re having a small get-together at home or heading out for a larger party, there are always a few members after clues regarding what presents to buy. Flavour-of-the-month toys based on popular franchises are common, though people who will know your child throughout their life may want something a little more forward-looking. They could give them a book to read in the future with a personalised message, or some sort of personalised decoration for the mantelpiece, perhaps. These may not be appropriate for a one-year old, but they’ll appreciate the gesture when they’re old enough.
Naturally, there’ll be plenty of cake and decorations around, and you’ll no doubt give your son or daughter an amazing time. But each of these ideas are special because over time they become ever more valuable as an emotional link to the past. Whatever memories and traditions you try to preserve for your child, you can be sure they’ll thank you for it in the future.
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