I am one of those moms who loves to celebrate a birthday. My mom made my birthday a very big deal when I was a child, and now I am so excited to be that mom! As my two babies have grown, I’ve begun a few new family traditions to help celebrate and mark those special birthday milestones. Here are some birthday traditions you may want to try in your family — they’re all quite simple to implement!
Create a special scene to wake up to
Sneak into your child’s room while they’re asleep and fill the floor with balloons. Or, place a special flower arrangement on their nightstand. Drape streamers from the top of their doorway to the floor for them to walk through when they wake in the morning. Any special decorations will immediately set the tone for the child’s magical day!
Try a birthday cake alternative
There’s nothing more traditional than a birthday cake, but we like to really personalize our birthday desserts! In the weeks leading up to a birthday in our house, we talk about options for the special birthday dessert. For one child, brownie and ice cream sundaes might be the pick — complete with whipped cream and sprinkles. Another might opt for a tower of doughnuts for their “cake.” Whether it’s homemade or picked up from a local bakery or grocery store, we love to choose alternatives to the classic birthday cake.
Send a letter to your future (grown-up) child
This is a very sweet annual tradition that will be meaningful to your child as an adult. Around their birthdays, I write letters to my daughters that I will give it to them when they are older. I’ve heard of parents giving the batch of letters to their kids when they are 16 or 18 — or when they become parents themselves.
Some years these letters are short and simple — maybe a paragraph that describes what they are up to or into. Other years the letters are more in depth, where I both explain who they are at the current moment while also sharing what it is like being their mom. I prefer not to sugarcoat these messages — one day, when my daughters are struggling in early motherhood, I want them to be able to read these letters and relate!
These letters could be handwritten or sent as emails to an account set up for each child. I type my letters as Google Docs and then print them to put in a book.
Interview your child
These “interviews” are so fun to look back on as the years progress. You can write your own interview questions or find a template online. Ask your children questions about their favorite foods, their best friends, their most-loved activities, their preferred toys. If your baby can’t talk yet, fill it out for them — my baby’s favorite thing to do is play with her sister’s headbands, and it cracks us up. My guess is that these will be so fun for my daughters to read when they’re older!
Serve birthday meals on a special plate
I know many families have a “you are special” plate to be used on birthdays or during other special moments. I also love the many creative options available on Etsy — they can even be personalized for each child. It’s yet another fun way to let your child know they are loved and honored on this special day!
This article was originally published in 2015 and has been updated for 2024.
