Is your birthday the most popular in the UK?

The most popular date to be born over the last two decades is – once again – 26 September, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The average number of births that take place on this day is close to 2,000 – whereas the average daily births totalled 1,800 – and in fact, eight of the top 10 birth dates fall in September. Conversely, six of the 10 least popular birth dates fell in the Christmas and New Year period.

More babies are conceived at Christmas than at any other time of the year, but, far from being the result of Christmas indulgence, many parents try to conceive so that their child's birth coincides with the start of the school year. 26 September is 39 weeks and two days after Christmas day, which means it's likely that a good proportion of these 2,000 babies were conceived on the day itself. Er, no sherry for us thanks – we're trying to conceive.

Is your child's birthday on 26 September?

It doesn't matter to them that their birthday falls on the most common day to be born in the UK. But you could make it extra special by:

• Forgetting about rushing home from school and going on a conker hunt
• Throwing a brilliant party
• Give them a night off their usual routine and call it a family movie night
• Taking them to soft play on a weekday (yes, you read that right)
• Making a fun and easy cake together
• Going out for a meal at a kid-friendly restaurant