First Birthday Party Ideas

Invitations:
Your invitations can be designed to look like a newspaper with the headline "(child's name) just turned one!"

Decorations:
Balloons and streamers in blue or pink, hats, baby books, photo albums and photos of the birthday child.

Food:
Cake with a big "1" candle on it.
Ice Cream
Punch
Finger foods that your child can enjoy, too

Games:
Baby Book Trivia:
Make up questions from the baby book, such as "When did baby sleep through the night?" or "When did she first crawl?" The person with the most correct answers wins.

Create a Time Capsule for Your Child:
Have your guests write a letter to your child that will be opened at a predetermined age. Have them write the date on the letter, as well as some information about themselves. This gift will be appreciated by your child, especially since some of the friends and relatives participating may not be around when the capsule is opened. Let the guests know about your idea prior to the party so that if they want to, they can write their letter ahead of time and then just deposit it in the capsule. Use a large metal can that you can tape shut. Label it: "Do not open until year XXXX" and include your child's name. Other items to deposit in the capsule: Newspaper clippings, Newsweek magazine, photos, etc.

Who is Who?:
This game works great if your guests are friends rather than relatives. Have all the guests send a baby picture of themselves with their RSVP. Make a photocopied page of all the photos you receive, and label each one with a number. At the party, give your guests the photocopied page, and have them guess "Who is Who".