Let's Hear Your '1st Birthday' Traditions!

[RJsMum]

DS is coming up on 9 months and his birthday will be here just days before Christmas. I have mentioned a 'cake smash' to my SIL and she just looked at me like I was from a different planet...so I don't know if it's something that only Americans (like myself) do. When I was growing up as well as my siblings, my mom would always give us our own cake when we were babies to just tear into (and then have another for everyone else to eat from).

Is this just not a popular thing in the UK?

So just out of curiosity...I'd like to open this up for anyone to answer. What is something you will make a tradition for birthdays...whether it be just the 1st birthday or ones to come?

 

[eldar]

Wyn's birthday is only 5 days after Christmas on the 30th. So instead of birthday traditions we are going to develop Christmas traditions. This will hopefully make Christmas more about family time and things we do together (decorating tree/ house, making gingerbread house, watching a movie altogether on the day and so on) and less about Christmas presents. This means when her birthday happens so close that the presents she get are still special and she's not all 'present exhausted' by christmas first.

 

[Lara310809]

No suggestions here. I was looking through my friend's photos on Facebook the other day. Her little boy just turned one, and they had two cakes, and he ended up very messy. I didn't really understand that it was a cake smash until you just mentioned it. We don't have them here; I've never heard of the concept

 

[bathbabe]

aww i like the cake smash idea! I may have to adopt that one! Iv never heard of it before xxx

 

[RJsMum]

aww i like the cake smash idea! I may have to adopt that one! Iv never heard of it before xxx

The photos are priceless.

I have friends in the US who also had their LOs 1-year photos done as a cake smash...so it showed all the stages as they looked at the cake, stuck in one hand, and then went crazy.

I know my brother and sister (who are twins) each did a face plant into their cakes.

I do think it's a fun thing to do for a 1st birthday considering there isn't a lot your LO will remember...so at least you know they will have fun getting messy.

 

[Seity]

I've never heard of any 1st birthday traditions.

 

[cleckner04]

I never knew it was called a cake smash but our tradition is rainbow cupcakes. I made a big cupcake for Emma to tear into and I made regular cupcakes for everyone else. Here's a piccie to show off.
https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e255/cleckner04/Emmas%20Scrapbook/EmmasScrapbook_260.jpg

 

[Jchihuahua]

I like that cake smash idea! I've not heard of it before. I'm so excited for Daisy's birthday already !

 

[Lara310809]

I have friends in the US who also had their LOs 1-year photos done...

That's another thing we tend not to do. It's rare to have UK couples doing a maternity or newborn shoot, and I don't think I've seen any of first birthday shoots either. The only shoots you really get in the UK are family group shots, and that's not normally for any particular occasion. I like the idea of commemorating their birthdays though; it must keep the photographers in business

 

[mrsthomas623]

Im from the states, but yes everyone that I know has done a smash cake for LO and a big cake for guest. Its adorable to watch the babies digging at their cake!

 

[Helabela]

what a good idea! I was just going to cut out a giant slice for Sophie and let her dig in and get messy!! then obviously all the guests can have a bit of the rest of it! Im excited for SOphie birthday we are having a giant themed party, theme tbc as it will be along whatever she is 'into' at the time!

 

[Reedy]

I like the cake smash idea x
I want to take the same picture every birthday so i cans ee how much he he changes over the years x So a picture with him blowing out his candle or sat with his cake or something like that x

 

[twinklestar]

i like the cake smash too, il adopt that for his 1st bday!!

we dont have bday traditions but have lots of xmas ones x

 

[MissBroody]

Harrison's ''theme'' is safari/jungle - it's what his room is done out in. So we'll probably have a jungly safari themed party with lanterns, bunting, banners, paper plates and cups and party food with a giant noah's ark (with all the animals) birthday cake with his name iced on that we'll get specially made. He'll probably have a new outfit to wear, and if its a nice day (like it was when he was born) we'll have it in the garden and have close friends family and his little friends over. Not really any 'traditions', we'll do those at Christmas.
xx