I’ve always felt that first birthday parties were more of a celebration for the parents – we made it one full year! – than for the child, who’s not quite old enough to understand that the day is all about them. So for Travis’s first birthday, I kept with a simple theme. The event was low-key, a 2-hour afternoon time to socialize with friends and their children, but with no organized activities or big meal.

Travis latched onto Twinkle Twinkle Little Star as an early favorite song, imitating the hand gestures from about 9 months on, so it was a natural theme to choose. Stars lend themselves perfectly to little decorative touches!

Star toothpicks and a shooting star from Etsy helped make the vegan cupcake display (care of Babycakes) into a twinkling display.

I continued the star theme throughout the menu. Use cookie cutters to make stars out of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches:

And homemade tortilla chips:

Sliced star fruit atop a simple bowl of fruit salad adds a beautifully whimsical touch.

Star bubble wands (also from Etsy) were a great toy for older children at the party, as well as the perfect favor to take home.

The final touch was 12 enlarged photos of Travis, one from each month of his life, arranged in the shape of a 1. A beautiful trip down memory lane!