Simple and Magical Birthday Celebrations

This week’s theme over on Instagram is creating simple and magical birthday traditions!

Keeping Birthday Celebrations Simple

Preparations

• Invite only the number of guests as the age the child is turning. (eg. 3 years old, 3 guests)
• Cakes can be as simple or elaborate as desired. Aesthetics are usually driven by parental expectations not children’s
• A few meaningful presents is all that is needed to foster joy and gratitude. Less is more.
  
  

Day Before 

• Plan for a family game or meal on the special day: birthday child’s choice!
• Lay out clothes the night before, prep meals and sportscast the next day for a smoother morning.
• Say a birthday verse the night before

On the Day

• Recount for the child their birth story and how you welcomed them into the world.
• Prepare a special meal and let your child choose what’s on the menu
• All feelings are valid. A lot of anticipation, attention & focus on young children. They are not ungrateful just overwhelmed.

I also shared a beautiful Waldorf-inspired Birthday Verse to say the night before the child’s birthday:

When I am tucked into bed tonight
And I turn off my nightlight
I’ll be ____ years old.

And in the morning when I rise
There will be a sweet birthday surprise
______ kisses when I wake
______ candles on my cake!

Below are some simple open-ended birthday gift ideas. If you’re looking for more ideas and product recommendations head to my Open-Ended Toys Amazon List to take the stress out of planning!
Check our family’s favourite cake recipes made with simple, real-food ingredients.

The Cake

We like to bake a very simple cake and add sweet icing as a treat. Our tried and true cake is our simple lemon vanilla cake with vanilla butter frosting. We decorate with edible flowers to keep things natural and simple but beautiful. You could replace the spelt flour with an all-purpose gluten-free flour is desired. If you have allergies or sensitivities, I highly recommend searching MamaNatural.com for dairy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free options.

Simple Birthday Cake with Butter Frosting

Ingredients
2 cups spelt flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda (bi-carb)
1 cup of cane sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
zest from 1 lemon

Icing-
3 tbs butter
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
dash of milk

Let’s Begin
Preheat Oven to 180 C (350 F)
Mix first four dry ingredients together
Mix wet ingredients together in a separate bowl
Add wet to dry and mix well
Pout into greased and lined pan

Bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven and let it cool completely before removing from pan or icing

Beat icing ingredients all together until fluffy and smooth and ice cake when it has completely cooled

I hope these ideas give you the freedom and calm you deserve when planning those special celebrations.

Happy Birthday to those celebrating!

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