A baby’s first year is a magical experience, especially for new parents who see their helpless newborn turn into a little person (sometimes even walking) for their first birthday. Parents all over the world want to pay tribute and commemorate this special moment in their lives and the lives of their babies. Memories and traditions are symbols of your child’s importance to your family. They are also the ones that help you create a family identity. Traditions also convey to children that some of the most precious possessions a family has do not come with a high price. The true value of memories and traditions lies in the time and love that went into creating them. So if you’re a doting parent, grandparent, or even an aunt or uncle, here are some special first birthday memories and traditions:
Save special costumes – From the outfit you brought the baby home in to a treasured christening gown that has been passed down from generation to generation, saving special outfits can mark important moments in our lives. A creative family snapped a photo of their one-year-old baby along with the outfit he came home in, leaving them with a great photographic reminder of how much he’s grown over the past year.
Find a new use for special outfits – While saving special outfits can be great, you can also find a new use for them. A crafty grandmother collected some of her grandchildren’s outgrown newborn clothes and other outfits worn the first year and turned them into beautiful quilts. Or you can celebrate your baby’s first birthday by donating outgrown clothes to a charity that helps the underprivileged. This way you can mark your celebration by helping someone else.
Let the photos (literally) tell a story – For a special keepsake, why not ask family and friends to bring pictures of your one-year-old son that were taken during his first year of life? You can then have your guests write a short summary of the image; be sure to include their age, and then paste the story and photo into a baby book. Even babies as young as one love to look at photos of themselves and this will be a wonderful memory keeper for years to come.
Chronicle of the months – You can easily make a special keepsake for your baby. Start by posting a photo of a newborn in the center of a page (perhaps with a birth announcement next to it), and then each month surround the image with photos. Your crowning achievement for your collage might be a photo from a year ago of the birthday boy or girl.
Write a letter to your son Although your child’s actual birthday may be too hectic to write a letter, try writing one a few days before or after the celebration. Include your feelings, what happened at the party, and include some highlights from the past year. While your child may be too young to fully appreciate the letters, for years to come they will have a written record of your child’s life and their special place in yours.
Party Scrapbook – Even if you’re not an avid scrapbooker, there are plenty of ways to commemorate your one-year-old’s birthday party. Have a scrapbook page or two where everyone can sign and wish the birthday boy or girl well. You can take a photo of the guest of honor with all the attendees and then send photos. Or maybe have a picture of your little love with a simple matte around it where everyone can sign too. Either way, you’re left with a precious memento of that special first birthday celebration.
