Creative mom throws adorable McDonald’s-themed first birthday party for son nicknamed ‘Big Mac’ after he was born

A creative mom from America has taken the internet by storm after throwing the most adorable McDonald s-themed first birthday party for her baby boy – and the reason behind it will melt your heart.

Alison Havens knew exactly what theme she wanted for her son’s big day the moment she nicknamed him “Big Mac.” Little John “Mac” Havens, who celebrated his first birthday on 17 July, earned his McDonald s-inspired nickname in the sweetest way possible.

Born weighing an impressive 9 pounds and 7 ounces, Mac was significantly larger than his two older siblings at birth. What really surprised his parents was how he stayed in the 99th percentile for size throughout his entire first year of life.

“Mac is our third baby, and he was born very, very big, and he just stayed that way for the first full year,” Alison explained to reporters. “He was born 9 lbs., seven oz., which was very shocking to us because our first two were not that big.”

The lightbulb moment came just weeks after Mac’s birth when Alison was going through a McDonald’s drive-through. Looking up at the menu, she suddenly noticed the Big Mac was listed as the number one item – the same number as Mac’s upcoming first birthday.

“It hit me, and I was like, ‘Wait a second, what number is the Big Mac?’ Moreover, sure enough, it was the number one, and immediately, then I knew his first birthday was going to be this,” she shared. “It was fun just anticipating it.”

The busy mom spent almost an entire year planning the perfect McDonald’s celebration, though the final preparations came together in a whirlwind. Just weeks before the party, the family had been on a two-week vacation followed by moving to a new house.

“We had only been in the house about a week and a half before we had the party,” Alison revealed. “I had to throw everything together pretty fast.”

Despite the time crunch, Alison went all out with homemade decorations. Using her Cricut machine, she created miniature aprons, hats, and name tags for the older children to use in a pretend McDonald’s play area. The kids could act like McDonald’s workers, adding an interactive element that kept them entertained throughout the celebration.

The timing could not have been more perfect. During the week of Mac’s birthday party, the actual Happy Meal toys happened to be McDonald’s themed, giving Alison the ideal party favours for all the young guests.

“It ended up being perfect because the Happy Meal toys were actually McDonald’s themed the week of his birthday party, so they were just the perfect little goodie bag for all the kids,” she said excitedly.

Staying true to family tradition, Alison hand-painted a brown paper poster banner – something she creates for each of her children’s birthdays. She focused on keeping the decorations special but achievable, mixing DIY creativity with store-bought elements.

The celebration served double duty as both a first birthday party and a housewarming for the family’s new home. Over 50 family members and friends gathered to celebrate little Mac’s milestone, and everyone absolutely loved the creative theme.

True to the McDonald’s spirit, the family actually catered real McDonald’s food for all their guests. The timing worked out even better when McDonald’s brought back their popular Snack Wrap during the same week as the party.

“It was perfect. We catered to McDonald’s, and everybody loved that. It also ended up being the week that the Snack Wrap came back, so it was fun to get to add that to the party as well,” Alison shared. “Everybody was excited to get a Snack Wrap up there.”

What made the theme even more special was how naturally it had developed. Many family members and friends had already been calling the baby “Big Mac” because of his size, without even making the McDonald’s connection until the party.

“It was really fun to use his nickname and play off of that. Everybody was loving it,” Alison explained.

The family was shocked when videos and photos from the party started going viral on social media. Instagram Reels showcasing the creative details reached thousands of people who could not get enough of the adorable theme.

“I think they enjoyed the play on his nickname, and then it was just cute,” Alison reflected on the viral success. “I think it was fun to see all the colour and see it come to life in a very… it was not simple because there were many decorations, but I think it was nice to see that it wasn’t so over the top where people couldn’t achieve that type of party themselves.”

For Alison, creating these special moments represents her favourite part of motherhood. Even though Mac will not remember his first birthday, she knows the photos and videos will show him how much love went into his special day.

“I love making things extra special. I love doing it myself, DIYing it, because even though he is now only one year old, he will not remember it, but he will be able to look back at the pictures, the videos, and see how much love went into it,” she explained.

The celebration also created lasting memories for Mac’s older siblings, especially his sister, who actively helped with the planning and setup. Alison believes these family traditions teach her children about putting love and effort into celebrating the people they care about.

“I think it’s one of the best parts of being a mom, getting to celebrate your babies and do special things for them,” she concluded.

Mac’s McDonald’s birthday party proves that sometimes the best party themes come from the most unexpected places – and that a small quantity of creativity can turn a sweet family nickname into an unforgettable celebration.