Birthdays were simple, yet very special, personal, and fun. Without fail, every year I start my birthday by coming to my room with my whole family and wishing me a happy birthday. They sing birthday wishes, jump on my bed to wake me up, and my mom was always a little gift to me. Then I got to choose not only breakfast but each meal - and I could get everything I wanted! I didn't have to do any work, didn't help with the dishes, and I always found my favorites - Pumpkin Pie and Boyzberry Pie.
But, perhaps the most memorable and important thing about the birthday in my house was that the birthday was a family day. Some of my most favorite memories were just sitting around the dinner table eating and laughing with my parents and siblings. And then, we always gather in the family room and just play games. As I reflect back, perhaps the birthday was very special - not necessarily due to food, gifts, meditation, or even a day off - it was certainly due to The day was there, and I should just be the ones I love the most - my family.
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18th Birthday Party Themes - 18th Birthday Party Ideas
My hope is that the 15 ideas below will serve as ideas for starting a fun and meaningful birthday traditions in your family. As is evident, there are a lot more ideas than these 15 - but this is a start. Regardless of what you execute, it is important to be consistent and ensure that the birthday is special not only for the child who has the birthday, but also that the birthday is a 'family day'.
1) 'Special' plate: Design a plate that will be used only on birthdays. You can buy one or make your own - but make it 'special'.
2) Choose a meal: The person whose birthday he gets to choose what they want for their 'birthday dinner'! It can be one meal - or better yet - all meals that day!
3) 'Morning Surprise': The person whose birthday is, wake him up in bed by singing 'Happy Birthday'. Give them a present in the morning!
4) No work: The birthday child does not have to help with any kind of work, chores or dishes etc. on his birthday. Just a day of relaxation and fun!
5) 'I Love You: Game At dinner, everyone in the family will walk around the table and say one or two things they like about that family member (who has a birthday).
6) Breakfast: in bed Every year, the person who has a birthday gets breakfast in bed.
7) Decorate Room / House: Buy some balloons and decorate the room of the house or child whose birthday it is.
8) Birthday Letter: to your child and give it to them on their birthday. Tell them why you love them, why you are proud of them, write their memories from last year, etc. (copy and save/collect them in case the child loses them :)
9) Birthday Present Scavenger Hunt: Hide all the presents your child has found around your house, yard, etc. Then, create a scavenger hunt for the child to present.
10) Personal Birthday Dinner / Date: If you have children more than once, spend the birthday as a family. But then one more night that week, just go out to dinner with the parents (children) and who has the child's birthday - a 'special' night for them. Maybe one idea is to get the child out of school early and go out to eat (kids always like to get out of school!)
11) Birthday Cake Breakfast: Be creative and take things apart. Mix the ingredients for a chocolate cake and make chocolate waffles. Ice cream, cookies, or brownies - whatever. Hey, it's his birthday ... why not!
12) Annual growth: Install a part of a wall in the house as a 'wall of development'. Each year, mark how tall a child is to show their growth and change (also take a picture of the child each year to show how they change from year to year).
13) Waking up late: Those who have birthdays get to stay up late. They can watch a movie, play with friends, have a party, or just play games with the family (thus, if applicable allow other children to live as well).
14) Birthday Table Cloth: Each child has their own table cloth (needs to be white, to be pulled). Then, on each birthday, Every family member will write something on it every year - why do they love the person who has a birthday, a strange or important memory from the previous year, etc.
15) Birthday days are family: spend the birthday as a family. Have a fun family game night. Play games, watch a movie together, tell stories, share birthday memories, etc. Be creative and think about your ideas and traditions as well. spend time as a family.