Adoption Celebrations?

[cranium]

What are some ways that you celebrate the day that the adoption became final? Do you have a party? A special gift? What are some ways that you can celebrate this day with your child? Thanks for your responses!

[BelovedsMama]

We haven't finalized yet, but we'd like to establish some kind of tradition for our family to honor this day.

I'm not sure what that tradition might be, maybe just making a family day doing something special that day every year? It's not quite a birthday party kind of day, and I don't want it to be celebrated the same way, but I want to celebrate it somehow. I'm interested in other's ideas, too!

[chick128]

I went WELL above and beyond what any normal and sane person would do.

My son has been with me for 2 years - he just turned 8. He's had a pretty cruddy life up until now...

On the day that his adoption (just last week) was finalized we met at my Gmas to go to court with my aunt, cousin, and cousin's GF and when we went outside a limo was there to surprise my son and take us to the court house (45 minute drive each way.) On the way home the radio station congratulated my son on his big day and said his name 2 times.

We got dropped back off at Gmas and went to lunch at a place my son has always wanted to go. (One of those chinese places where they cook in front of you and flip the food onto your plate and such.)

A couple days later (this weekend) we had an official party - decorations, cake, gifts (he was registered at Target), food, family, and friends.... and lots of balloons.

It was so much fun and so great. AND we're going to Disneyland next week.

LET me add on - his Bday was around this time also so some of it was a combo Bday/adoption deal.

I don't think ANY sane person would do all this - BUT since it was TWO big days, AND since my son has been through so much hard times, and this is my first child and I'm a single mom... and.. well there were so many reasons why I justified it

We'll never forget it for SO many reasons

[Crick]

We really don't celebrate the finalization all that much. We do remember the day the kids moved in and we became a family, but we don't make a big deal out of it. It's not necessarily a completely happy day for dd, and the boys don't think it's that big of a deal. "we are family everyday, right?"

However, I do remember it and we do a quiet, low key rememberance I guess. And it's open to change, so if the kids want to celebrate it in a bigger fashion, then we'd likely do that.

Guess overall we just feel that the adoption was a one time event, which we did indeed celebrate at that time, but now...it's about celebrating being a family everyday.

[azlady13]

With my oldest 3 adopted kids, that came to me as small babies, I just remember the day they came to me, quietly by myself. My oldest son has sent me flowers on that day a few times. But mostly, they've just been family.

With my younger children, the court date was the day after Easter, so they remember the date well. And because the younger 3 were old enough to know what was going on we rented a van to hold all 3, gramps, their adult sister, and me to go to court. My daughter wore her biological mom's first communion dress to court. (Her mom was also my adopted daughter). Then we went to Red Lobster to celebrate. J ordered snow crab legs and we had a wonderful time watching him try to eat it, and of course, the waiter spoiled our fun by showing him how to do it. Now, every year, we go out to dinner. Usually Red Lobster, but always a nice place. And we all have a good time with the memories of that wonderful day.

[biogirl81]

Usually in our family, that has 7 adopted children, my parents will take the child out to dinner someplace. It is a special treat to get our parents to yourself when there are 9 kids in the family! It is simple that way and is exciting because you get some great quality time. One of my sisters collects music boxes, and we like to get her a special one every year to celebrate her adoption day. We do something special like that for each kiddo. It's fun!

[Patti]

What are some ways that you celebrate the day that the adoption became final? Do you have a party? A special gift? What are some ways that you can celebrate this day with your child? Thanks for your responses!

My daughter came home on my husband's birthday. We have always purchased a gift for her on that day.

[imike24]

I would buy a gift to commemorate the event.
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[msafe]

I think celebrating the adoption anniversary is a nice idea. One year, I don't remember which, my parents bought me a game boy as an adoption anniversary gift. It was cool to get it, but it was kind of strange because we had never celebrated that day before. There was no party or anything, they just gave it to me. Maybe they just used the adoption as an excuse to give me something they didn't give me for my birthday? I'm not sure.

I think if it's to be done, it should always be done. I like the idea of it because it shows that the adoption is something positive and special, while remembering it's not the same as being born into a family.