Joy Corrigan flaunted her svelte model figure in a patterned hot pink bikini this week..

Make every member of the family feel special with these Family Birthday Celebrations. Creative ideas and family traditions for celebrating every year of life!

If you love almond croissants you are going to love this almond blondie! Think of it as an almond croissant meets chewy cookie. It has a blondie base which is loaded with brown butter flavor and a chewy textue and it has the most luscious almond cream baked on top. When I was developing this recipe I would eat these da

Festive balloons and joyous celebrations fill these 36 Happy Birthday coloring pages, free to print and download! This collection captures the spirit of birthdays, showcasing scenes of cake, presents, party hats, and cheerful gatherings!

Is your dog a member of your family? If you answered yes, then we are totally twinning, because same.

Explore a whimsy collection of Winnie Pooh birthday quotes. Celebrate this special day with timeless quotes from the Hundred Acre Wood.

A child’s birthday is a time of hope, a time of looking forward to a new year filled with fresh milestones and experiences. Celebrating another trip around the sun for a child is an opportunity for reflection and a chance to bring beauty, meaning, and a smattering of magic into their lives. In Waldorf tradition, birthdays are always a cause for celebration, as traditions and rituals help ground children, allowing them to experience the rhythms of a year. Celebrating a birthday in the Waldorf way provides an opportunity to not only mark this special day but to honor the child’s place in your family and their world. According to The Birthday Book, an indispensable guide to Waldorf birthdays and celebrations in general, there are three essentials needed for every birthday. The cake which represents sustenance and “the totality of life of which we are all a part.” The upright candle which represents the individual, and “helpers on the path” who are there to support and celebrate your child. If you have all of these three things, you are well on your way! We have compiled some answers to the most common questions about what makes a Waldorf birthday celebration unique and how to get started, as well as offer some ideas about creating your own traditions and rituals that fit your family. Remember, there is no one right way to create a meaningful celebration. The key is to find the parts that feel like a fit for you and your family and to have fun celebrating your child! Why celebrate birthdays in the Waldorf Tradition? Waldorf traditions and rituals help children mark the passing of a year and celebrating a child’s birth honors their presence in our lives, the child’s place in the family and in the world at large. Rituals and traditions allow children to experience the “rhythm of the year.” With a Waldorf birthday, the emphasis is more on the child’s life and experiences than presents and structured party themes. While the child’s interests certainly play a big part in the day, the rituals and special moments begin several days before the actual birthday and then are carried out throughout the entire day. There is a big emphasis on creating handmade gifts and adorning a table with beautiful objects that represent the child and their place in the natural world and seasons. What are some special Waldorf birthday traditions? Celebration Spiral Countdown: This tradition uses the Grimm's Wooden Celebration Spiral. You can do this countdown a few ways using the holes in the spiral to represent each day leading up to the birthday. Some families use a peg person that travels closer to a candle at the end of the spiral each day. Others will light a candle each day and then move the candle forward one more day. The empty holes can be filled with beautiful treasures, like rocks and shells that the child gathers, or Celebration Ring Decorations that represent special moments or meaningful aspects of their personalities. Beeswax Countdown Candle: We love this simple rolled beeswax candle adorned with 7 figures in decorating beeswax. Children can roll a candle in the color of their choice and help add the designs. Then, each day leading up to their birthday, light the candle and let it burn until one more design disappears. While the candle is burning, discuss something special the child achieved or learned during the year. By the last day, the child is filled with anticipation and excitement! Roll The Beeswax Candles: In Waldorf education, it is important to have the children play an active role in helping with all of the celebrations. Rolling their own beeswax candles before the birthday is a lovely way to prepare for the big day. Make sure to roll enough candles to represent the age of your child. Most Waldorf birthdays do not include the one to grow on candle, but if that is special to you, certainly add that in! Birthday Eve Traditions Special Pre-Birthday Verse At bedtime on the evening before your child's birthday, light a candle and share this special verse: When I have said my evening prayer, And my clothes are folded on the chair, And mother switches off the light, I’ll still be four years old tonight. But from the very break of day, Before the children rise and play, Before the darkness turns to gold, Tomorrow, I’ll be five years old. Five kisses when I wake, Five candles on my cake. The Magical Path: Once your child has shared the special birthday verse, and you have tucked them into bed, you can spend time creating a path to the birthday table where the birthday ring and other seasonal and natural decorations will be set. This pathway can be created from natural elements like flower petals, small seashells, or you can cut out paper or felt hearts or other designs that connect to the birthday child. You can even use play silks or other fabric elements to add to the magical pathway! Use a rainbow playsilk at the end, right before they get to the table for a special touch. Day Of Birthday Traditions Birthday Crown & Cape: After your child follows the magical path to the celebration area and birthday table, ceremoniously place a felted birthday crown (see our tutorial & template for how to make one here) on your child’s head, and a silk birthday cape on their shoulders. Birthday Ring: This is one of the most distinctive Waldorf Birthday traditions and has its origins in Germany. The wooden birthday ring usually has 12-16 holes around the circle. If your child is turning 6, you will fill 6 of the holes with beeswax candles (make sure to put a brass ring in the hole first for safety) and the rest of the holes can be filled with wooden decorations, such as a wooden 6 and wooden figures that represent the child and the season they were born in. For example, if it is spring, you might put in wooden flowers, birds, rainbow, or baby animals. Wooden peg dolls as well as stones and other natural elements can be used to fill the holes. Birthday Table: The birthday ring is set on the special birthday table which can be decorated with playsilks, felt ornaments, flowers, artwork, and photos of the birthday child. In many Waldorf traditions, a felt star wand is placed on this table whether mixed in with flowers or in its own special spot. Birthday Story: The birthday story is one of the more creative parts of the birthday celebration. You can start the story with each candle that you light on the birthday ring and share memories of each corresponding year as you light each candle. Or you can tell the story after all the candles are lit on the birthday ring. This story will include what their birth was like, what the day they were born was like, and 3-4 milestones from each year that has passed. Traditional Waldorf birthdays incorporate some version of the Rainbow Bridge story where your child is looking down on the earth from above, seeing their parents and choosing to cross the 'Rainbow Bridge' to join their family on the earth. Another version of this story can be found in the book Beyond The Rainbow Bridge by Barbara Patterson. The picture book Little Angel's Journey offers another version of the story with beautiful illustrations by Dzvinka Hayda. To find more examples and templates for birthday stories, see below. Birthday Chair: A chair of honor for the birthday child is set up at the birthday table. This special chair is wrapped with ribbons and fabric, and then decorated with leaves, flowers, and perhaps balloons. What are some classic Waldorf birthday party decorations? Decorations for a Waldorf Birthday tend to focus on natural materials that are soothing to the senses of the birthday child. Flowers and seasonal elements are important parts of the decoration. Families can make felted letters of the birthday child’s name to hang along with fabric streamers or crepe paper streamers, and fabric garlands that can be reused every year. Play silks are used to wrap presents and to decorate tables. What are some special songs, verses, and books to incorporate into the birthday celebration? The Birthday Book by Ann Druitt, Christine Fynes-Clinton, and Marije Rowling has wonderful ideas for bringing meaning in the Waldorf tradition to your child’s special day including ideas for games and activities, recipes, decorations and much more. Here are a few Waldorf Verses suited to birthday celebrations: In heaven shines a golden star An angel led you from afar From heaven high unto the earth And brought you to your house of birth And the angel led you Across the rainbow bridge saying: “Joy and laughter you may bring To everyone and everything” And on the Earth you were born And we looked at you and said: “Look at this precious gift from the heavens. We shall name her/him _____________.” Birthday Verse The light of the world Came down to Earth To shine for all mankind I carry that light Within myself In my will, In my heart, And in my mind. The Earth Goes Round The Sun During the song, the guest of honor walks in a large circle, with a candle (symbolizing the sun) at the center. You can have guests on the periphery hold symbols of the seasons in order (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) around the circle. The guest of honor can begin near the symbols of the season in which they were born, then walk around the circle slowly enough to arrive back where they started by the end of each verse. (To the tune of The Farmer In The Dell) The Earth goes ‘round the sun The Earth goes ‘round the sun It takes a year, your birthday’s here And then you’re one! The Earth goes ‘round the sun, The Earth goes ‘round the sun, It takes a year, your birthday’s here And then you’re two! (Continue for as many verses as the child’s age.) We hope this Q & A has answered some of your questions about the traditions that make up a Waldorf Birthday and that it has encouraged you to add some special new components to your family celebrations. As we said in the beginning, there is no “right” way to have a Waldorf-inspired birthday. The beauty of traditions is that they are pulled from different cultures and family backgrounds to create a unique blend of festivity. Perhaps you will add the birthday ring and the birthday chair and one verse for the night before or you may choose to make a felted crown and cape and stick to your families' cultural traditions. Whatever you choose, we hope that your celebrations feel authentic to you and your children and that they are filled with love, light, and laughter! Be sure to share your special Waldorf birthday traditions, and any new ones you add that you found in this blog post with us on Instagram @bellalunatoys and use the hashtag #bellalunatoys. Thank you to Heather for sharing this beautiful birthday table she created for her daughter's 5th birthday. You can see more from Heather about homeschooling and her Waldorf home on Instagram @daughtersandthings

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Throwing an awesome Lankybox birthday party? These free printable Lankybox birthday party invitations are a great way to let all your friends know about the birthday celebration.

Celebrate the extra special Leap Day birthdays with our exclusive Leap Day shirt and sweatshirt! Specially designed for those born on February 29th, this unique design adds a touch of joy to their once-in-four-year celebration! *** SEE THE SIZE CHART MEASUREMENTS FOR ALL ITEMS Bella+Canvas Adult Unisex T-shirt. *Our relaxed fit tee (Bella + Canvas) is a unisex style that runs a touch small for men, and about half a size large for women. It's a relaxed fit and is soft and cozy. 3001 Youth Short Sleeve T-Shirt: * Our custom youth short-sleeve tee is a lightweight side-seamed shirt that maximizes comfort all day long. 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton. Extra light fabric. Retail fit. Tear-away label. Toddler Short Sleeve T-shirt: *Our custom toddlers Bella Canvas short-sleeve tee is a 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton jersey with a tear-away label for extra comfort. Extra light fabric. Gildan 18000 Crewneck Sweatshirt *Unisex crewneck sweatshirt is ideal for any situation, a heavy blend crewneck sweatshirt is pure comfort. These garments are made from polyester and cotton. The collar is ribbed knit, so it retains its shape even after washing. There are no itchy side seams on these sweaters. *50% cotton, 50% polyester *Medium-heavy fabric *Loose fit *Sewn-in label Gildan 18500 Hooded Sweatshirt *Unisex heavy blend hooded sweatshirt is relaxation itself. Made with a thick blend of cotton and polyester, it feels plush, soft and warm, a perfect choice for any cold day. In the front, the spacious kangaroo pocket adds daily practicality while the hood's drawstring is the same color as the base sweater for extra style points. *50% cotton, 50% polyester * Medium-heavy fabric (8.0 oz/yd² (271 g/m²)) * Classic fit *Tear-away label *Color may vary slightly from what appears on your screen, the image you view on your monitor has been digitally enhanced to fit your screen and will never be exactly as shown due to brightness/resolutions. *All our items are made to order just for you because of this we’re unable to accept returns or exchanges but don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns about your order. Thanks for supporting our small business!

Editable varsity patch letter birthday posters! Celebrate student birthdays by adding their names on the posters via PowerPoint. This resource is editable. You can edit the file by inserting the student birthdays. This product also comes with a letter header that says "birthdays." Please see the vid...

PHOTO CREDITS: All rights for the photos shared below belong to the original blogger that created these ideas. I have linked to the recipe for each one underneath the photo: no recipes or written

See the light with this fun DIY Princess Week Project inspired by Disney's beloved film Tangled. Make your own lantern!

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I have been waiting for months to do Crafty Shark Week! I wanted to time it to coincide with Discovery Channel’s annual celebration of Shark Week. My friend Jeanette had a shark-themed party a few months ago and created some fun crafts for the party. These shark jaw decorations are made from paper plates, and […]