How much did you spend on your childs 1st birtday?

TeagansMom609 wrote: Teagan's 1st birthday is March 15th and I really wanted to make a big thing of it. Until I found out it would cost me about $500 to have it in a restaraunt. Everyone I know says they never spent alot on their childs 1st bday. I think were going to end up having it at Shawns parents house. I went to Party City lastnight and bought some invitations and plates, etc. and it cost $45. For plates? My god! No matter what its going to cost me a couple hundred I guess.

Boys r us replied: We spent about 500-600 dollars on Brae's. We had it at our house and with buying the decorations and the food for dinner and also snack type food and plates and drinks and balloons..it all just added up really quickly!

Josie83 replied: Not very much at all. We just had it at our house. We really didn't have any money and she was perfectly happy being at home with us and her family. I'm sure Teagen wil be too! Don't worry about it! I say this, though, and am having the exact same nightmare about Cassie's birthday, which is four days before Teagen's. *Sigh* xx

party-of-six replied: I did not make a huge deal at my kids 1st birthdays....not even their second ones. It was just family at home with cake and ice cream and something simple for dinner. I have a BLOWOUT when they are three and every year after that until they are around 14-15 years old. But I will tell you, even doing it at home, it mounts up very fast.

kimberley replied: it is traditional in our family to make a huge deal at a child's first birthday. for the boys, i rented a hall, family flew in from all over the country and i set up a big spread with lots of desserts and cake. there were games for the kids and music for the adults.

with jade, i was kind of broke, so i just did a modest party here at home. bbq and salads, sweets and cake. it was a nice day and fun because she is my first summer baby!

coasterqueen replied: I can't remember exactly what we spent. We did her first birthday at the local park. Everyone came early to eat a picnic lunch which everyone was responsible for bringing themselves. Then we had cake, ice cream and punch which we provides. We also made everyone a photoshow cd and a hershey chocolate bar that had a wrapper we made for her 1st birthday. Everyone played games and just sat and chatted. Maybe we spent $300 or so, not real for sure.

We also rented space at a St. Louis Cardinals game for her birthday weekend but everyone paid for their own tickets so that cost about $200.

texasp3 replied: I didn't vote because it hasn't happened yet... but I'm betting it will ring in right about $100. We're having a small party here at home - absolutely nothing fancy, and not many people. BUT... there are inviations, there will be balloons and streamers, party plates and cups, food (even just snacks add up fast!) and a big people cake and a little people cake.

For food I'm just doing a fruit tray, a veggie tray and a cheese and cracker tray. I own lots of cookie cutters - like four different sized stars, for example - and I'll cut things into fun shapes to add to the festive mood.

Mostly it's going to be about marking his first year with friends and hopefully NOT about spending a lot of money.

Michael will turn 16 this summer though... and if we can swing it, we're going to one of the finest steak houses in Dallas - just DH, Michael and I - to celebrate. We'll probably spend twice as much on that! But 16 is important, I think. Something about that age...

loveydad replied: Henry was probably 50 bucks. We got a cake and invited freinds over. That was it. Oh and we bought plates and cups and ect.

Vincent and Kel's was this huge big blow out bash. We had probably 50-75 people there and they were so overwhelmed. I probably spent upwards of 200 dollars on food (we had a bbq), goody bags, cups, and all of that. Oh and we had to have four cakes , two for the people there and two for the boys.

With Tracy we decided not to have such a big party. The twins had been so overwhelmed that they both wanted to nap through half of it. I probably spent 100 or a little more. We bought a cake but also had a freind make us one out of watermelon that was a huge hit. She had fun just playing with the other kids. I did do grabbags that year but they were make your own with a bunch of little things and they could pick which ones they wanted (that way both boys and girls were happy with what they got).

Nicky's was tiny. About 10 people came over. We had a bbq and two cakes one for him one for us. No grab bag s or anything. Used leftover plates from a freinds birthday and bought most everything from the dollar store. About 50 bucks was it.

Henry threw Andri's so it was tiny. He made a cake and had cake with freinds and then cake with relatives. He used leftover plates too. Probably 10 bucks.

I'll caculate exactly how much I spend this year if I can on the twin's birthdays. We're having a pretty small celebration. Only about 15 days now!! I gotta get my butt in gear.

paradisemommy replied: we just did a small family gathering at our house but if you add up everything (decorations, food, party favors) i think it was between $100 and $200 which wasn't too bad!

chloe&tysmommy replied: For Chloe's b-day we just had friends and family come over for a bbq...but we did the whole Strawberry Shortcake theme so it cost quite a bit for all the accessories! I would say a couple hundred..but she's worth it

I think with the first birthday it should be something special..which could be a big bash for some people or to have just a little get together.

and I'd like to do a Seasame street theme for Ty's first

Kaitlin'smom replied: probably between all the food decoratins, gifts and thank you' $100-200, biggest coust would hve been ALL the food

Abbie replied: A LOT. THE WAY I SEE IT, SHE'S MY KID AND SHE'S WORTH IT. I WOULD HAVE FELT LIKE A BAD MOTHER IF I HADN'T GIVEN HER A PROPER CELEBRATION.

Boys r us replied:
Wow..I guess I would have felt like a bad mom if I spent more money on my child's birthday party than I could really afford! Especially one that they won't be able to remember.
Sometimes it doesn't have anything to do with the money spent, but instead the time spent and the people who attend! The decorations and fancy decor & food are really for the guests..not the birthday child!

Josie83 replied:
Do you know what Nic . . . ITA . . . xx

MomToMany replied: We spent under $100 for everything. Going "all-out" with a lavish celebration isn't worth it IMHO. They won't remember it. That part is mostly for show and "bragging" rights, mostly to one-up other moms when comparing stuff like this.

I think the time spent together as a family is more important than any silly decorations or gifts.

JessC replied: For my niece's birthday I think we spent about $45 including toys and everything.

Shaykinmom replied: For Peter's 1st birthday we had just the family over. I had deli meat and cake. I spent just over $100.00. But the week berfore we did go to Miami, Fl. All my husband family is down there. And We ended up having three small parties for him there.

Kirstenmumof3 replied: I didn't really spend a lot on any of my kids first birthdays. We just had family over and gave them a few gifts. At this age they really are still more impressed with the wrapping paper. As they got older we spent more.

3forme replied: Well on the party, not much...just a small family gathering. My sister will be coming in from Oklahoma. But the gifts, I have gone overboard as usual. I have already spent about $200. I just keep finding things I want to get him!! LOL! I do that with all my kids. Christmas is fun but their bdays are special. I love having tons of packages for them to tear into!! I also write my kids letters on their bdays and keep them. Kind of a way for me to celebrate their birth myself.