Brazilian Children’s Birthday Parties

Crazy Brazilian Kid’s Parties

Brazilians are great at throwing parties, but one thing that I’ve always found odd is how we regard the first birthday (primeiro aniversário) as this monumental occasion that needs to be extravagantly documented. I mean, why set the bar to such an incredibly high standard right out of the gate – when your kid is turning 1? Remember that this is your child’s first year of life, which means that you are probably condemned to a future of finding ways to top yourself every subsequent year throughout their childhood.

Also, given the fact that a child who is one year old does not have the slightest chance of remembering even the most epic birthday party ever, one has to assume that the party is really for the mother to show people how well she can decorate (or at least how much she can pay to have someone else decorate).

While the first birthday is super huge in Brazil, parties for toddlers are often just as extravagant. When planning a children’s party in Brazil (in Portuguese called a festa infantil), there are many considerations and decisions to be made. I will list them below.

Festa Infantil Checklist

• Escolher o tema da festa (choose the party’s theme).
• O local, data e horário (the location, date and time). Many people choose to rent a salão de festas (party reception hall), a restaurante - restaurant or have a festa domiciliar (party at home).
• Lista de convidados (the invitation list).
• Lembranças (souveniers / goodie bags).
• Locação de mesas e cadeiras (table and chair rental).
• Piscina de bolinhas (ball pool).
• Decoração com Balões (the balloon decorations alone can cost a small fortune).
• Pula-pula (com cama elástica) – trampoline (with mesh safety netting).
• Comida e lanches (food and snacks).
• Mesas tematicas (themed tables).
• Barraquinhas de alimentação / bufê (food serving stations / buffet).
• Animação e brincadeiras (entertainment and games).
• Painéis (pannels and banners for decoration).
• Fotos, vídeos, filmagens e telões (photos, videos, footage and screens).
• Roupa da aniversariante (what the birthday child is going to wear).
• O bolo (the cake).

• Salgados (mini-sized pasteis, coxinhas or other types of bolinhos)
• Brigadeiro (small truffles that are quintessential at Brazilian kid’s parties)
• Algodão doce (cotton candy)
• Pipoca (popcorn)

brigadeiro

Piscina de bolinhas

Also, learn how to sing the happy birthday song in Brazilian Portuguese.