How about no theme birthday party for a baby?

Birthday parties become one of the most popular mom group subjects each year a few months before babies’ scheduled birthdays. Don’t get me wrong; we’re talking about THE birthdays. Turning one is exciting and a big deal because it’s simply the first. We want to celebrate our new baby. But we also want to celebrate that life-altering, exhausting, fantastic year when we became parents. We went through a lot, and the party is certainly in order.

Turning two, on the other hand, is the first birthday party that the child might enjoy. He or she is a full-on person now, talking and having (very strong) likes and dislikes. No pressure. And to take some of it off, I have a few reasons for no theme birthday party and ideas to make it happen!

The planning

We check Pinterest. Create an inspiration board. Search for a theme your baby might like. The baby may not have favorites yet. Then we start the shopping. Balloon arches. Table and wall decorations. Outfits. Perfect cake. Custom cookies. Don’t even start me on Etsy: custom straws, cups, goodie bags. The internet is ripe with inspirations and products. The packages keep coming, and the husband keeps huffing and puffing about them. He doesn’t understand it’s a serious project!

Hopefully, the party was terrific, and when it’s over, we have some beautiful memories and pictures to look back on. But it was a lot. We almost drove ourselves crazy for A BABY PARTY, we think, while throwing out all the decorations. Maybe we feel bad about the environment and try to donate some of it by posting on the local groups.

This post does not intend to shame mothers who enjoy having well-planned, intricate, themed birthday parties. I’ve done it. But this time, I plan on doing something else, and I wanted to share why it’s worth considering doing the same.

My son’s first birthday was car-themed. We threw a big, beautiful party in a rented venue spot. We had a professional photographer, a balloon arch, a custom-made cake, and catering. And it was a good time. But It made me feel a bit crazy and stressed about the whole thing. The party felt a bit formal, and it was expensive.

So much waste

In our household, we dutifully recycle like we’re supposed to. I limited my fast fashion purchases a while ago and appreciate environmentally friendly products and companies. But I know I could do better. And seeing how much waste the birthday party produced made me feel terrible. My aunt took the balloon arch to her school and gave them a second life (or rather a minute), but they went to the trash right after. Balloons can take years to decompose and are a serious contributor to plastic pollution; they are challenging to recycle. Paper flowers, chains, or garlands make for a great eco-friendly swap.

baby’s favorite…?

When my son was born, we decided we didn’t want him to be exposed to screen time for various reasons, which I won’t delve into here. I know screen time for kids is a sensitive subject. I’m a believer that everyone should do what works for their family. He was always a relatively easygoing baby (who just hated to sleep), always loved “reading” books, and his independent play skills were growing nicely with time, so we also didn’t feel like there was a need for a screen.

That said, we’re not super rigid about it; we’ll use the phone at the airport to soothe him when things get heated during our long-distance travels or when nothing else keeps him in the doctor’s office. And we certainly used it when a terrible flu knocked us down for a week.

Because of the lack of screen exposure, he has no favorite movie or show characters yet, which are usually popular choices for birthday themes. He’s interested in typical children’s things, like cars, construction vehicles, musical instruments, animals, nature, etc. Sometimes, when my son is enthusiastic about a song, toy, or activity, I ask myself: does he really like it or likes it because I do (or want him to)? And I wanted these first birthdays to be about him, not some random cartoon character.

When he grows up a little and becomes passionate about a subject, I am happy to support him in his interest and throw him a themed birthday party if that is his wish. For now, I am not entirely comfortable supporting large corporations that target children with their marketing.

MAKING TRADITIONS OF OUR OWN

As newer generations of parents, most of us exist in a highly exposed world of social media. The birthday parties in online photographs are heavily curated, detailed, and often over the top. Choosing a theme became a starting point for organizing them around the world. Parental love makes us want to give the world to our child, especially if we feel like our childhood was lacking. So, we might think this is the way things should be done. We don’t want our children to stand out negatively.

I myself tend to be a bit extra, and my firstborn fits the bill. So, I started a half-birthday, low-key summer tradition for him. We invite only a few of our closest friends and family, get an ice cream cake from a local shop, and hang out in the nearby park. We’ve done only two of those, but I realized we had a much better time than on his big first themed birthday party! There wasn’t much prep work, and I used the same decorations I already owned. My focus was on my son enjoying his big day rather than overthinking if everyone else was having fun. As I was thinking of my son’s second birthday party, I knew this was how I wanted to approach the planning this time.

Keeping it simple (and high quality)

Imagine thinking about birthdays as Christmas (or any of your religion’s major holiday). You collect high-quality, beautiful decorations that bring you joy, and use those each year. Maybe your collection includes family heirlooms, or it can become one for your children in the future. Sure, some of it might change each year to spruce it up. But you have your capsule-like curated base to build on.

The no-theme theme is simply about joy and childhood, in any way we want to interpret it. It’s colorful, it’s fun, it’s timeless. The best part is that we can reuse most of the decorations next time. Alongside a custom-themed cake, if our son is obsessed with outer space and our daughter loves Elsa. And when the time comes to throw another birthday, we won’t stress that much because we know we have the birthday box in storage.

And you can spend the saved money on a fun birthday activity or trip instead—like venue tickets or a visit to the petting zoo.

MERI MERI FELT HAPPY BIRTHDAY GARLAND
Thanks to felt material and slight padding, this dimensional garland feels high-quality. And it just makes me happy to pull it out of the storage each time.

CUSTOM MADE BIRTHDAY CROWN
I ordered this customizable crown for my son’s first birthday at the last minute and opted for no name for faster shipping. It’s adorable and classic; I think it will serve us through multiple birthdays (and, hopefully, kids).

MERI MERI LARGE PARTY HATS

THE CAKE

I am by no means a great baker, but I can follow a recipe. While the trend for elaborate, custom-made cakes is thriving, I love making a simple birthday cake at home. That’s why I always look for cute, simple decorating ideas that don’t require professional tools or skills. A parent made it with love, even if it wasn’t perfect. However, making cake at home takes a lot of time and effort, so outsourcing is just as good of an idea.

MERI MERI ACRYLIC NUMBER CAKE TOPPER
The set includes numbers from 0 to 9, so it should last many years.

MERI MERI RAINBOW CANDLES

SMALL IS OK

There is a lot of pressure for children’s parties to be elaborate and big, with a long list of guests. Which probably means expensive. Things might get out of control or stress the parent too much. And the whole meaning of the birthday might get lost somewhere along the way. The tiny little people we want to celebrate are easily overwhelmed and can get scared of novelty and many people around them. They also tend to mirror their parents’ emotions. It, of course, depends on the child’s personality. Still, babies that thrive on routines might be happiest surrounded by familiar faces on their big day. Mainly if they haven’t attended daycare or kindergarten yet.

There is something incredibly nostalgic and heartwarming about sitting together at the table with our closest family and friends in the setting of our coziest place – our home. And I wouldn’t want any parent to feel bad about it or pressured to do otherwise.

GATHRE VEGAN LEATHER BUNTING
Pennant that doubles as an everyday playroom decoration. Easy to clean, versatile, and lasts forever.

MERI MERI RAINBOW HONEYCOMB FAN GARLAND
8 feet of colorful goodness.

MERI MERI BRIGHT CREPE STREAMERS
The most classic birthday accessory and a great sustainable alternative to balloons.

A TABLESCAPE

No theme birthday party doesn’t need to be boring. Colorful table arrangements can bring joy to any occasion. I love how these eclectic decorations are both sophisticated and informal at the same time. And while certain things must be adapted for the safety of little grabby hands, these inspirations prove there is no limit to the creativity at the table. While self-serve counters are so popular and have a purpose at bigger parties, gathering at the common table brings a human experience back to basics in a beautifully meaningful way.

MERI MERI REUSABLE BAMBOO PLATES
These beautiful, lightweight, colorful plates come in 2 sizes, are reusable and dishwasher safe.

TWINE STAINLESS STEEL CAKE STAND
A metal cake/cupcake stand that is perfect for kids’ birthdays because it’s lightweight, durable, and doubles as a snack tray with a dip bowl when reversed. Genius.

MERI MERI GOLD WOODEN CUTLERY
Toddler friendly and gorgeous.

DRESS IT UP

A cotton or linen tablecloth, napkins, and placemats will always elevate a table. There are endless possibilities, and a birthday is perfect for playing with colors and patterns. Classic gingham, check, or stripe patterns can be combined with colorful accents, simple floral arrangements, and fun dinnerware. I am obsessed with this idea of an Amalfi coast-inspired handmade paper/white tablecloth that could be personalized for our guests or even adapted into an activity for kids.

THRESHOLD GINGHAM CHECK COTTON TABLECLOTH
This affordable Target find comes in a happy yellow gingham pattern that is gender-neutral and perfect for birthday celebrations.

MERI MERI COLOR IN TABLECLOTH

While I love the viral Bedthreads Scalloped placemats, they are quite pricey. I found a few alternatives that come with the scalloped edge, napkin size and fun colors as well.

What I love most about many of these items is that they can be used for kids’ parties and many other celebrations and holidays. Sunday morning pancake breakfasts and summer picnics. Choosing a more minimal lifestyle doesn’t mean letting go of fun, color, and maximalist aesthetic.

Choosing no theme for a birthday party can simplify the party organizing process and relieve the mental load that parents experience. This can leave more energy for being in the moment, and that is priceless.