Your baby’s first birthday party

It’s a magic moment, and one that – a few short months ago – probably seemed a long way off. Here’s to the longest, shortest, happiest, hardest, wildest year of your life.

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M&S Food

You made it! Or you’re about to make it. And too right you’re going to celebrate the blur of magic, delight and madness that was the first year of your child’s life. Like everything, this is a moment to assess how you’d like to celebrate. What feels good for you and your family? Like everything to do with parenting, there is no right way; keep the guest list tight if the idea of throwing a big bash – on top of everything else – fills you with dread. Two guests, a balloon and a bag of Combo Mix is a party!

But if you’ve been dreaming of this event for a long time, and you have help at hand, snap your party hat in place with its elastic and get ready to turn a watermelon into a shark.

The centrepiece

There are no rules for a first birthday party, but a candle for your baby to be simultaneously alarmed and enthralled by does seem essential. Where that candle goes is up to you – it doesn’t have to be in a cake. Planning a day at the seaside? Pack the candle and put it in a portion of chips.

Making your baby’s favourite brunch? Stick a candle in their baby bircher or their potato and kale cakes. Pile up a stack of their favourite pancakes or waffles, and top it with compote, their favourite figurines and some edible flowers.

Or, go all out with our tiered fruit stack, a staggering leaning tower of pina (and other fruits).

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Fruit frenzy

Why stop at a stack? The internet gives and gives when it comes to fruit ideas. Check out the Google image results for “watermelon shark” (a watermelon carved into a shark head, its mouth filled with melon chunks and grapes), “grape caterpillar” (grapes threaded on to a lolly stick and adorned with eyes) and “peanut butter snail” (a celery body filled with peanut butter and topped with an apple segment shell) – there is a whole world to get lost in.

If carving feels a bridge too far, consider a platter of M&S fruit kebabs, or arrange your own fruit rainbow – cut strawberries, satsuma segments, pineapple chunks, halved green grapes, blueberries, and blackberries in a rainbow shape on a plate or board.

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Nostalgia rules

There are limited windows in a person’s life for eating children’s party food, and a new one is opening for you now. For the adults and older children, treat them to salt and vinegar chiplets, Party Rings, pretzels and chocolate cornflake mini bites.

This is a finger food occasion if ever there was one. Consider little submarine rolls filled with egg mayonnaise or M&S breaded lemon sole goujons. Go wild in the frozen party food aisle, or the picnic one, depending on the season.

Or, if this is too frivolous for you (and it may be your last opportunity for keeping it elegant, too), might we suggest a beautiful smoked salmon bagel brunch, complete with pickled bits and bobs, cream cheese, capers, lemons and our game-changing dill and mustard sauce?

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Celebrate you!

Honestly, it is kind of about you. This party should be as much about celebrating the parents as the baby. The first year is hard, and you’ve adapted, adjusted and learned so much, on so little sleep.

Make sure there’s something in the party shop for you, so that when you get five minutes to sit down and take it all in – by yourself, or with your family – you have something nice to do it with. Some suggestions: an M&S rose Negroni spritz, a bottle of M&S Cremant de Bordeaux, an M&S The Big Daddy chocolate bar, or a cup of M&S Luxury Gold tea.

Whatever floats your boat, make sure you say it out loud: we did it!

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The finishing touches

Decorating for baby's first birthday is a joyful way to make the day even more memorable, even if your little one doesn’t doesn't quite get all the fuss yet. This milestone is really for you to celebrate – and to create some sweet memories (as well as the obligatory photos for Instagram) that you'll treasure for years to come.

Choose a theme that reflects your little one's personality or interests, whether it's animals, a favourite character or a colour scheme. Balloons are always a hit and you could make fancy arches or animal shapes but who really has time (or energy) for that? A few bunches of colourful balloons are just as much fun.

To tie everything together, consider centrepieces, tableware and cake toppers that match your chosen theme. And of course, the true star of the day is the birthday baby. Make sure they’re dressed in something both cute and comfortable so they can fully enjoy their big moment.

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Easy party food