Need Ideas for First Half Birthday

M.,
My daughter is a December baby too. Congrats!

Prior to planning her first birthday, I googled children's birthdays and birthday party themes - things like that. You will find LOTS of ideas there.

If it is a summer event and other children are coming, what about a water park theme? Baby pools, maybe one of those blow up slides, a sprinker to run through - etc?

Good luck!

My girls both have winter birthdays. We have always celebrated with a cake and immediate family together as close to the actual date as possible. I waited until they were older to have a half birthday party (8-1/2 is easy to make from chocolate chip cookie dough). So, no party at 8 yrs., but an outdoor, water-themed party for 8-1/2 yrs. old. At 6 months or 18 months, your child will not know what actual day you have a party on - so if you need to make it in January to wait for a slower time to celebrate with family or friends you should do what works for you. One idea to keep in mind is an indoor swim party at an all suite hotel - plenty of room for the party and it will feel like summertime while they are swimming.

I have this question too! My older daughter's birthday is December 30.

M.,

I was born on Christmas day and am greatful for the half birthday my mom and my family cellebrated. Every June 25th, we'd have a family party and then as I got older, we'd have a party at a park or have friends over for a picnic in the back yard.

It got more muddled the older I got - sometimes my family would make a cake at Christmas, sometimes June 25th was forgotten alltogether. So my family finally made me choose when I was about 25 which day I wanted to cellebrate. I chose the June birthday of course!

I think anything you do for the birthday will be appreciated, so just treat it like a normal birthday.

Good luck to your family!

My daughter and I also have December birthdays. My mom would bake a cake and have a present for me when we were growing up, and that's what we've done too.

You could have everyone over for a BBQ in June, or plan a park day together. That way you could celebrate your baby's birth and life. I'd be careful how you phrased your invitations though, so folks don't feel obligated to buy a gift (then one in December as well). Don't worry, your child will grow stronger in life getting presents for their birthday AND for Christmas. :) But it would be super fun just to have the party side of the celebration without distractions of Christmas Shopping/Holiday Parties/Christmas Bills for everyone.

I hope you have a wonderful time. :)

We do this for our son, who was born New Year's Eve. On his birthday we have a dessert and sing to him, plus we let him use our special birthday plate. Then in June he gets the gifts and another little party (this is when we'll do bigger parties when he's older). We've let extended family know that the gifts will be for June, and everyone seems grateful not to have one more thing to think about in December. I have sent e-mail reminders at the beginning of June... "no pressure, but in case you were planning to do something for T's b-day and forgot..." He's only 3 now, but it seems to be working very well. When I make his scrapbook page for his half b-day I always cut the decorations in half... whatever you can do to make it fun and special! But we've definitely found it's best to keep it very simple in December.

My babysitters threw a "Halfy-Birthday Party" for my daughter at 6 months. They had balloons with 1/2 written on them. They had cupcakes instead of a real cake. It was very cute. They said they celebrate all their little ones "Halfy-Birthday's" (6 months). I hope you have a great party.

here is a really cute web site you can go to. Reasonable prices. And adorable costumes for baby, too.

www.celebrateexpress.com

these are all great ideas and I agree with them all. However when your child is older don't forget to celebrate her birthday at school in dec. I went to college with a girl who always celebrated her 1/2 bday in feb so she could have a school special snack like other kids. so the half idea works in many ways. I would also be sure to make her know it is a 1/2 bday or she will get confused when her day is and how old she is (having to bdays a year is not something any lady wants! ha). Best of luck and most of all just remeber to have fun

My son had Dec. 24th as his birthday. I began by having a birthday cake as part of our Christmas celebration. When he became school age I asked him if he would like an unbirthday party. A party that he and his school friends could have together. He picked February 24th, a very interesting date, since nothing happens but snow in February. So I explained the problem to his teacher each year and that became his unbirthday party uncluding the song Happy unbirthday to you. He still got a cake at Christmas until he was in high school.

Hi M.,
I'm a christmas baby (now 36yo baby). i didn't start having half bdays until i was much older. i wish my parents would have thought of it earlier. suffice to say, i can remember having 1 bday party as a kid, i think i was 7yo.
GREAT IDEA MOM!!!!! i have now replaced my 1/2 bday with a summer kid party. this yr i'm having a funny hat party, they will make and decorate with craft scraps. mine is 3yr and really anything goes. when she was 1yo, we had a cupcake party. i put a big sheet down and let them crawl around and eat cupcakes. it was like they stuck their face in a birthday cake! too cute. the 2yo party, we made hand prints on a bigger (3t-4t) tshirt. she loves to wear it and brag how much bigger she is now. oh and i set up a decorate your own cupcake station. the kids always range from 2-10yo and the older kids love to help the little ones. it's neat to sit back and watch them all be as "self suffient" as they know how at that age.
have fun, make it simple, and most importantly, BE PRESENT! don't make it so you are so hands on you miss your own kids bday party 2x! especially since you miss it during the holidays! let us know how it turns out. anxiously waiting to hear...