Childs 1st birthday party

Ellsbells

We are going to have a party at home for adults and kids.

Where did you buy your party gear? I will be looking for invites, balloons, plates, cups etc.

Any ideas for entertaining kids? It will be December so won't risk a bouncy castle.

What do you put in party bags? As you can see, I'm a novice

pwurple

Your one year old will be plenty entertained by all the people wanting to play with her/him. What age are the people attending?

We had cake, rice crispie buns and tea at ours. I don't know if the other bits are needed until they are school age.

Ellsbells

Oh it's for entertaining the other kids age 1 to 9.

xzanti

Deals!!!!! Great for party stuff and really cheap.. also great for big disposable aluminium trays for sambos and sausages and stuff if you're having those..

Then anything you can't find in there you'll get in the likes of Partymore in Atlantic Homecare and Heatons..

My Son is a December child too so I feel your pain on the entertainment.. I just got a Pinata.. they got a half hour out of that I'm having it in the local play center this year..

For the party bags I just put in lots of fun sized chocolate bars, little bags of jellies, Bubbles as party favours, lollipops etc.. and any un-eat party food like rice crispy cakes etc went in at the end of the party.. waste not want not

January

I'd just get a pinata or do some party games. My eldest is a December baby too and I'd never chance a bouncy castle, couldn't be doing with the mess if it was raining/snowing... So this year (she's 4) we've booked a magician to come to the house and do a show. It's not cheap but it'd cost around the same as a bouncy castle and it'll keep the kids entertained for an hour. I recently saw him at a wedding so we booked him from seeing him at that, I don't think I'd book one I didn't know.

KGLady

We have a December birthday too, just before Christmas to make it awkward, and a second shortly after the New Year! We've been lucky that they have been content with their wee friends and then Grandparents Aunts & Uncles, but the first one is always a bit nerve wrecking.

Euro shops will have bags balloons and party plates, Tesco do some reasonable budget ones too and little things like mini yo-yos bubbles stickers and such for favours if you want to go that far, but they add up quick in terms of budgeting. Xzanti's tip to try Deals is one I'll yoink for myself in a few months Thanks!

Aldi is good value for mini bars bags of jellies lollipops etc. much cheaper than the big supermarkets, maybe keep an eye for all the discounts on multipacks of bars around halloween and nab a few to stash away in advance (providing the BB dates are far ahead enough on them).

In terms of entertainment, with a 1yr old I'd try to avoid anything TOO noisy, the day tends to be a bit overwhelming for them. There's lots of sites with ideas and printables for kids parties like http://family.go.com/parties/ the Disney one. Also if you are anyway passable with a paint brush or have someone on hand who is, I got a starter kit of facepaints recently for e13 that came with a book on how to do basics for kids (with more on their website) youtube has loads of video tutorials too which are easy to follow.
http://www.snazaroo.com/ are the paints I got from a local craft shop, already that e13 has more than earned its value!