Making Birthdays Special For Both Twins

Twin birthday party. Photo courtesy of Karla Blanco via Flickr.

Written by: Nancy Arnold

Throwing a birthday celebration for twins can be quite the challenge. You’ll need to plan a celebration that makes each child feel special. Your kids will need to share the spotlight, while also feeling like their personal interests and hopes are being fulfilled. Planning a celebration that meets each child’s unique aspirations and personality can be daunting, but fear not! We have all the tips and tricks you’ll need to plan a perfect celebration for your twins’ birthday party!

10 of the Best 1st Birthday Party Themes for Twins

Written By: Maryannw Williams of Share a Nanny

A child’s first birthday party is a big deal, and doubly so when you have twins. You’ve made it through the first year, which is always the toughest, as you are becoming more accustomed to parenthood and meeting the needs of not one but two babies. Twins can be a handful, but they can also make things more fun just because there are two of them. Here are some exciting themes to consider for your twins’ first birthday party. They may not remember the party or the theme, but they will make for great photos and memories of your own.

Happy Birthday

Eight years ago today, my body decided that my twins needed a birthday. The same birthday as my husband. Can’t say I don’t give good gifts!

(Warning: This is a very FRANK and RAW description of the day of my twins birth. Please read the WHOLE story if you are going to read any of it.)

At 12:30am on 12/16/04 my doctors came in and decided that my body could no longer tolerate being pregnant. Pre-eclampsia had set in and my body had enough. I was induced within moments and what I thought would be a long, drawn out process began.

My Mom and Mother In Law waiting for the big moment.

My husband was there, my mother, my sister and my mother in law decided to stay the night and wait out the twins arrival. The labor and delivery room at Mt. Sinai was REALLY small and only my husband was able to stay in the room and keep me company.

Considering that I was only 34 weeks pregnant, on the day, I had visits from a neonatologist, Dr. Holtzman, and other specialists that were giving me a play by play of what to expect after the twins were welcomed into the world. 

Separate Presents, simple etiquette when attending parties for multiples

Written by Susanne Budofsky

“Birthday parties. My kids live for them, and as a mother of triplets, I dread them. Now I’m not talking about the demands of throwing a bash for your multiples and 50 of their closest friends and classmates. The bigger drama in our house is other kids’ parties.

Depending on what child (or children) the party is for and what activities or classes we know them from, one, two, or all three of our kids could be on the invite list. Jack has been to three parties this month, for instance, but no invites for my daughter. Besides the potential scheduling and emotional dilemmas, there is the big question of how many gifts we should bring. Party invites, gift giving, and receiving always seem to be topics of discussion among my multiples friends and me. While we’ve found no official rulebook, the following are a few guidelines that we’ve adopted in regards to party etiquette for parents of multiples.

Whether multiples, singletons, or two or more children of different ages are involved, the etiquette shouldn’t change. Each child is an individual and should be treated as such. Somehow though, the lines get a little blurred for families of multiples. If all of your multiples are invited to a child’s birthday party, technically each should bring a gift for the birthday child. However, finding three unique and fun presents for one child can be tough for a busy parent squeezing a trip to the toy store in between a hundred other chores, and not to mention the expense. I often opt for one larger and more expensive gift, instead of two or three less expensive ones. Sometimes I’ll also include smaller token gifts from each of my kids to accompany the nicer group gift so that each of my kids can hand their friend a present.

The Dash to Planning the Perfect Birthday Bash

Planning for all the reoccurring holidays during the year is hard enough for multiple parents. Throw into the mix the highly anticipated double (or triple) birthday of your twins/triplets, and your head is bound to start spinning with ideas. What should we get them? Should we get them separate yet similar gifts, or something to share? How much will this cost? Should we plan a party? Who should we invite? And the list goes on.

With so many options, the possibilities are endless. But before making any rash decisions, consider what you hope your multiples will get out of this annual celebration, and what you feel they will appreciate, for years to come.