12 traditions for creating birthday memories

Some of the best memories I have of my childhood are the amazing birthday parties my mom threw me. Themed parties with fun foods and crafts and games… I remember treasure hunts for a golden birthday, a tea party with teddy bears, spring themed with lots of flowers…

I now have kids of my own: a son that just turned 3 and a baby girl that will be one in a month (eeek!). I love carrying on the tradition of fun and memorable birthday parties. I mean, the days of their births really are the best moments of MY life so I’m going to celebrate!

Here are some ideas for creating birthday memories and traditions:

1. Cake Batter Pancakes! Here’s a breakfast tradition I wish my mom had done 😉 I’ve also seen “ice cream for breakfast” made with waffles for the cone, bananas for the ice cream, and strawberries on top.
2. Birthday Wishes: one balloon for each year with a wish tied to each one.
3. Chair Cover: “My Special Day”
4. Birthday Chair: a special place to sit! Add ballooons, stickers, crepe paper… anything you want!
5. Birthday Countdown: a countdown itself would be fun, but you could add to the excitement with an activity or special moment each day.
6. Birthday Book: instead of a card each year, add a page to a book with a special handwritten note.
7. Balloon avalanche: what a fun surprise when they open the door in the morning! Or you could hang a bunch of balloons from the top of the door at all different lengths.
8. Sky lanterns: send one off every year on their birthday!
9. Years of Memories: have old friends mail a story or memory of the birthday boy or girl. This particular image was for a 60-year-old and his daughter collected the stories for him–love it!
10. Birthday plate: we had a “you are special” plate growing up that came out every birthday–we always looked forward to using it!
11. Birthday Photo: take a simple photo every year and edit in some text about current likes, favorite colors and toys, etc.
12. Birthday Tablecloth: Use the same tablecloth for the special occasion and add hand prints every year–fun way to see your child grow!

Pick a couple of them and continue them each year. You and your children will look forward to these special moments. With Rebecca’s first birthday coming up in a few weeks, I’m getting ready to start her traditions!

Now, you need to preserve all these wonderful memories on DVD! YesVideo even has a custom Birthday Theme and the option for online sharing. You can share your photos and videos of these precious moments with friends and family no matter where they are!

Emily Dickey is a mom of 2 in the Chicago area and has been blogging for over 3 years. She also does social media consulting and freelance work. You can find more of her parenting and family stories at her blog, Baby Dickey, or chat with her on facebook!