Super sweet birthday traditions to start with your family

This super-fun idea went mega-viral on TikTok, with tons of parents commenting that they were definitely going to do this (or that they’d been doing it for years)! Based upon feedback in the comments, we’re going to recommend setting this up right before your birthday kid wakes up to avoid spoiling the surprise thanks to a middle-of-the-night potty run.

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Supplies you’ll need:

• Balloons (opt for multiple colors)
• A balloon pump
• Colorful paper crepe streamers
• Painter’s tape or wall-safe sticky tack putty

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How to create:

• Close your birthday kid’s bedroom door after they’re asleep.
• Loosely tape (or adhere with putty) pieces of streamers in a zigzag pattern across the door frame with room for balloons to sandwich in between the streamers and door, but without too many gaps so the balloons don’t fall out.
• Watch as your kid opens the door and an avalanche of balloons greets them on their birthday!

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Put those precious photos to good use with a heartwarming photo birthday banner. Simply print a bunch of photos of your birthday kid, cut them out so just their adorable face shows, and then make some little hats and accessories to adorn them. Voilà, you have a charming birthday tradition keepsake you can add to every year!

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Supplies you’ll need:

• Photos of your child
• Glue
• Lace, other trimmings
• Fabric (calico and burlap are especially lovely) or patterned paper
• Glitter
• Ribbons
• Scissors

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How to create:

• Gather an assortment of photos where your child’s face is the star, then cut the photos so only their face/head is showing.
• Cut out party hats from your fabric or paper and glue to the photos.
• Decorate your party hats with lace, fringe, glitter, ribbons and other trimmings.
• Glue (or tape if you prefer) the photos to two long ribbons to turn them into a banner.
• Hang your banner up and enjoy!

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If a balloon avalanche isn’t your thing, but a grand entrance into a new age is, this dazzling foil fringe curtain birthday door is perfect (and easy…SOOOO easy)!

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Supplies you’ll need:

• Shiny tinsel foil fringe curtains
• Painter’s tape (optional, but good if you’re concerned that the adhesive on the curtains will damage your doorframe)
• A banner with your child’s name on it or Happy Birthday

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How to create:

• Hang the tinsel foil fringe curtain over your child’s bedroom door before they wake up on their birthday.
• Hang the name or birthday banner at the top of the curtain. That’s it!

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They’re only going to turn (whatever they’re turning) once, so hype up their new age with a creative wall decoration celebrating their milestone! It’s cute, easy, inexpensive and temporary so your wall can return to its original state post-birthday.

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Supplies you’ll need:

• Circle puncher
• Colored paper
• Wall-safe sticky tack putty for posters
• Large cutout of the number (or a numbered birthday candle with a flashlight to cast a shadow of the shape on the wall
• Painter’s tape

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How to create:

• Create the number outline on the wall using painter’s tape.
• Surround the area around the outside of the number (or inside!) with lots of paper circles made using your circle puncher and colored paper. Scatter more outside of the main outline so it looks like a burst of confetti.
• Peel off the painter’s tape and you’re done!

Sometimes, the best and sweetest traditions can also be the easiest. Case in point: Putting party hats on stuffed animals before your birthday kid wakes up on their big day. It’s so easy, it’s almost silly to put directions on this, but we’re gonna do it anyway!

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Supplies you’ll need:

• Party hats (preferably, a variety of them)
• Your child’s favorite stuffed animals
• Some balloons for flair

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How to create:

• Put hats on your child’s stuffed animals, set them up on a couch and surround them with balloons on the floor. See, traditions really can be simple!