1 year old birthday party

I am starting to think about DS' birthday party. My original plan was to have a party at home with family on both sides, friends etc it would end up being a reasonable amount of people (and cost).

I have been thinking though, my DS while very social is very much clingy to his inner circle of people he knows and he gets upset when new people are around sometimes. I think he would be really overwhelmed with a party with lots of people.

Im wondering if it might be better to keep it small and simple like a lunch at home with just his closest family, so he wouldn't feel too overwhelmed and it would be a bit more intimate instead of him being passed around etc.

What do you guys think/what did you do? I feel this on the one hand but also would like to give him a special birthday on the other hand and want to make it the best occasion I can :) and the idea of a party is exciting but Im not sure how it will work at this age.

Any ideas/thoughts appreciated

I believe first birthday's are as much for the parents as the child as they're not going to remember it.

Having said that we've won a Birthday Party at a Farm Park for DD the good part about it is the prize is limited to 8 children which means I have a good excuse for keeping the numbers down.

Best part is I don't have to clean up. I will make a nice cake and provide party food and of course little party bags these seem to be standard for kids parties. Not sure what to put in them for a bunch of 1 year olds.

My opinion is that the kiddy is never going to remember their first birthday, so the party is as much for the parents as it is for them.

We just had a small family thing - I made a cake and invited DH's and my families. That suited us, and we had a lot of fun. But there's nothing wrong with a bigger party if that's what you feel like your'd prefer. It's really up to you.

We just had family at DS's birthday and did a BBQ lunch, it was very relaxed. I think it was from around 11am - 2pm and we probably had about 20 people.
I wouldn't have wanted anything more. At that age DS had no idea what it was all about or anything, it was more an excuse to get all the family together again.

I remember my SIL threw a huge affair for her sons 1st birthday, there must have been 20 children and their family, plus another 10 adult guests without children, it was huge and my nephew was just totally overwhelmed by it all and spent most of the day upset or in bed asleep.

Would a 1 year old enjoy the zoo, or am I being a bit naive in thinking my boy would enjoy a trip to Orana Park or Willowbank for his 1st birthday?

I had about 6 babies and their parents, plus my nephew (4 at the time) and a couple of preschoolers plus my parents and a few of my childless friends for DD's first birthday. It was just an afternoon tea which worked well for us. I think I put 2 - 3.30pm on the invite which was a good length of time. DD was a clingy baby and doesn't like large groups normally but they were all people she had had a lot to do with and she enjoyed playing with her little friends so much she didn't really notice how many people were there. The only small issue I had was that she freaked when everyone sang happy birthday and clung to me. Mostly because everyone was looking at her I think. She did the same at her 2nd birthday party - she doesn't like everyone looking at her at once but is happy enough when they are in the same space as her.

Because it was afternoon tea and mostly for the kids it didn't cost me too much. I just kept it simple - chips, little cookies, sausage rolls cheerios, lollies etc plus the cake.

I wouldn't do loot bags for a one year old. Of all the birthday parties we have been too, there has only been one where she has got a loot bag. You could just do a blown up balloon for each kid, they always go down well.