Christmas birthday

[guinnessguzzler]

Hi everybody

Not sure if this is the right place for this but hoping some of you can help me. Does anyone have a Christmas birthday and have good or bad experiences to share? Or have any ideas about how to make it special for the birthday boy without ruining Christmas for his brother? I know it's a while off and more thinking about the future as the first year he won't really know what's happening anyway but just trying to think about how to manage my Christmas baby's birthdays in future.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

[dementedpixie]

Do you mean around Christmas or on Christmas day?

[guinnessguzzler]

I mean on Christmas Day, Pixie, but I imagine ideas and tips that work for those around Christmas would probably be helpful too.

We've had a few suggestions so far (eg celebrate half birthday, make Christmas morning the birthday and the afternoon Christmas) so just looking to see what works / doesn't and any other good suggestions. I want my youngest to be able to feel special on his birthday but I also want my eldest to still be able to have a Christmas that isn't only about his brother. I know it's not the biggest problem in the world but just trying to think how it will affect them both over the years.

[EdYouKateShaun]

I have a child with a birthday very near Christmas and it's rubbish. Friends and family are too busy to make a fuss of her at the time and she gets all toys at one time in the year. That a long time to wait for the next 'big' thing if they grow out of a bike or discover a new interest or a new craze takes hold. From now on we will be having a half birthday celebration.

You don't say how old he is but if he's very young I'd be tempted to just do birthday cake and singing and leave the rest till his half birthday. It'll be all he'll ever have known and it's not as if the day won't be special in other ways.

[dementedpixie]

My nephew has a Christmas Eve birthday and my sister always has a wee get together for him on that day. His friends' mums always seem quite happy to get rid of their kids for a couple of hours on Christmas Eve. Could you organise a birthday party prior to Christmas Day so he gets a proper celebration?

[guinnessguzzler]

Thanks both, good ideas, will definitely give a Christmas Eve party some thought, can see quite a few people would be glad to have their kids out of the house for a bit then!

[RosaBee]

My little boy is December 28. For the first few years I felt it ran into Christmas a bit and he didn't notice he'd had one. This year we had a family celebration on the day but he had his party the first weekend they were back at school. That worked well and he noticed it was a separate event x

[guinnessguzzler]

Thanks, Rosa, yes, that's part of what I'm worried about. Lots of good suggestions here so will think it over and might try a few different ways in the first few years to see what works best for us.

[hels71]

My friend has a birthday on Christmas day. When she was younger it was Christmas right up till pudding after Christmas dinner (which they had mid day). Pudding was birthday cake and then it became her birthday.

[Bryna]

My DSs birthday is the 23rd, we have the front room as Christmas, and the dining room as'Birthday' , he's just turned 2, so haven't done parties yet. Trouble is both siblings birthdays are in the summer, so we may well do a 1/2 Birthday as he gets older

[guinnessguzzler]

Yes, I've heard of people doing Christmas for part of the day and birthday the rest so could work. I like the idea of having different rooms for the two things, just need to get a big enough house for that first!

[OzzieFem]

I agree with hels71 post. Have gift giving for Xmas in the morning, that way older brother does not have to wait for his Xmas presents, while brother gets all the attention. It becomes brothers day after lunch, when all the excitement/anticipation of Xmas day is starting to wear off.

Nice that OP is concerned enough to make a post. My sister was born on 17th Dec and even now in late adulthood, bemoans the fact that she had to wait an entire 12 months for celebrations, and often got a "combined" Xmas/birthday present from outside immediate family, while I born in Sept got two separate presents.

[DinosaursRoar]

We do Christmas until Lunch, then after lunch it's birthday - so party tea, happy birthday banner goes up, second dump of gifts (not in christmas paper!), cake with candles etc. we used to do a party half way through the year, but from 4 onwards, he wanted a party near his birthday like all his friends, so we have done the weekend ebfore and after christmas, having done both, I wuld say that week between christmas and new year is the best for throwing a party - everyone's "done" with Christmas by 27th, and it tends to drag a bit - anyone who's not got skiing or still visiting family is happy to have something to take the DCs to that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, so you get a good turn out! (weekend before christmas is more likely to have 'festive things' going on in it, so less people accept invites)

[Dafspunk]

No experience but I love the idea of a half birthday in summer. Please do that!

[nickdrakeslovechild]

My DD is 23rd Dec, as a self confirmed Christmas nut its fantastic time for a birthday. We always put up birthday decorations on the day and from day 1 we told family not to do joint presents.
We have also had an extra special day out on the day or as near to it so going to the panto ect, there is always so much on its easy to pick something really good to do.

I have found that its honestly an ok time as long as you put in a little more effort and not stress but embrace the fab time of year.
This year we had a party with a visit from santa the verdict from the kids was it was the best party ever!

[guinnessguzzler]

Thanks so much everyone. I was worrying about it so I will definitely try to take the advice to not stress and make the best of it. Really useful to hear everyone's experiences, thanks!

[jamtartandcustard]

I'm in the same predicament as dc4 was born on Boxing Day. That's ok it's a seperate day to Christmas except I have a step-child and we celebrate Christmas Day with her on Boxing Day. So I've no idea how we are going to play it. How can we make ds's birthday special and non-Christmas (seeing as that has been celebrated the day before with everyone else) whilst keeping it special and Christmasy for dsd?

[jamtartandcustard]

Oh and I don't want to do half birthdays as my other 3 children are January and February babies so that wouldn't be fair on them

[PeaceLoveAndMincePies]

My birthday is a few days after Christmas. My mother says she was so concerned with my first Christmas that she forgot about my first birthday! Here are some basics:

• don't wrap birthday presents in Christmas paper
• don't put birthday presents under the Christmas tree
• don't do joint presents, unless they ask for one
• don't put leftover Christmas crackers on the table for their birthday party
• do pre-book venues and restaurants because they get fully booked so quickly at Christmas time with work parties

My DS was due on 25/12 but came mercifully early, so I have a rule that we don't put Christmas decorations up until after his birthday. If he wants to do it differently when he's older, that's fine, but this is what we do now to create a distinction.

[guinnessguzzler]

Yes, Jam, these are the concerns I have. Great tips, Peace, thanks for all that. Good to know the dos and don'ts!