Birthday Traditions.

When my oldest was very young...there was no Pinterest and I don't even think Pottery Barn for kids was even thought of!  I guess from teaching and surrounding myself with creative "moms" from playgroup and birthing classes and reading books...I thought of traditions along the way.  Our family has a bunch of little things we do for Christmas, Valentines even birthdays. 


Most of the little traditions are simple and after doing them for a number of years...I don't think much of it.  However, if I were to stop one of those traditions...my kids would notice!!

Birthdays.  I could forget the cake....maybe even the gifts(well, that might be going a little far!) but I better not forget to decorate their door with a "candy gram" poster, birthday plate set on the table and inflatable birthday cake poofed out with "air" in our kitchen. I remember my husband picked up that inflatable cake years ago at some store going out of business and it graces us with "it's presence" every birthday!  I painted a birthday plate 15 years ago at a pottery-paint party and it's been used for every birthday ever since.



 My girls have even asked me "Who gets the plate when everyone grows up?"--I avoid that question.



Then there is the poster...after doing three posters every year for many years.  I have run out of ideas--I think they get sillier but my kids still love to see them on their bedroom door the morning of their birthday!  I also have to consider allergies and what they like.  There is some great candy out there that would fit great in a candy gram but they won't eat it!  But, that's not really the point... it's not the $100 gift sitting on the table that is needed...it's the .50 poster and  $1.00 candy that is wanted.

I saw a young mom buying birthday gifts for her child and I could tell she was overwhelmed with choices, cost and time.  Our society, our kids peers, the friend on the soccer team and every t.v. commercial and show wants us to believe that we must "lavish" our child with the most expensive gift on the market.  BELIEVE me I have fallen for that and we have done our share here but I wish I would of realized what I know now and REMEMBER it when I get tempted to "go all out".  Make those silly traditions...decorate doors...make signs...write little notes...buy a store bought cupcake and serve it to them in bed in the morning, buy a big blow up cake, make pancakes with sprinkles in it and a candle burning on top of the stack, write a "birthday" letter each year, use some of the same birthday decorations every year like a banner or table cloth, tell the day they were born and how you felt when you first saw them...keep it simple, easy, cheap but just do it...every year!  They are the memories that our kids remember...

Pick a few things and make them a tradition...pick what you CAN DO not what you WISH you could do! 

"Traditions help our kids form their identity, steady, reliable and safe. 

 In a silent way it just says "I love you"."