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Original poster

Were you born on or around Christmas day?

104 replies

OHthatbanana · 13/03/2021 20:07

So a totally light hearted question.

Dh and I are about to start ttc number 2. Obviously it may not happen right away but if it did happen in the next few months then there is a chance dc2 would be born around Christmas.

Doesn't really worry me but wondered how other people feel about being born around Christmas. Does it overshadow your birthday? Is it actually nicer having a festive birthday? How do parents make sure their dc still feel special on a Christmas birthday?

Again, I don't actually mind. I will feel so lucky if we are able to have another no matter when it arrives. But I'm bored so thought I'd ask Grin

OP posts:
OrangeBananaFish · 13/03/2021 23:23

We didn't really think about it until I got pregnant with DD1. Turns out she was due Christmas day. I spent 9 months saying it's fine no-one is born on their due date. Well she was. We probably go more out for her birthday than DS or DD2. She gets a special birthday tea on Christmas eve and thats when she gets her presents. Birthday presents are always wrapped in birthday wrapping paper. Shes not old enough for nights out yet, but so far shes not complained. She says shes not bothered, but she might just be trying to be nice though at 13 so a hormonal teenager I dont think so.

Foldinthecheese · 13/03/2021 23:25

My DD was born on Christmas Eve, but she’s only two so we don’t have much experience with it yet. We did change some things, so whereas before we opened Christmas pyjamas and books on Christmas Eve, now we do that on 1 December to keep the focus on her birthday.

One frustration is that she gets all her gifts in one go, so it’s annoying when we realise in the summer that she could really do with a new bike or scooter or whatever and it’s hard to justify giving it without a clear occasion. I think we’ll probably celebrate a June unbirthday when she gets older so she can have a party and we can spread out the gifts a little more. So far people have been great about making sure she gets separate gifts for Christmas and her birthday.

JustAddCoffee91 · 13/03/2021 23:36

My oldest son (2) his birthday is on December 23rd and my youngest (1) he was born on Christmas Day, I love it it makes the month feel more special than it is already and I look forward to it all year!
But!... it does get expensive, and just imagine 1 pile of Christmas gifts on the floor I essentially have 4 so trying to find places to store everything is a bit of a nightmare, and I HATE it when some friends try and combine Christmas/birthday gifts or wrap their birthday gifts in Christmas wrapping paper
Probably a little petty and I am grateful honestly but it still annoys me
My nephews birthday is also on the 23rd December so lots of Christmas babies in my family

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Original poster
OHthatbanana · 13/03/2021 23:42

@FromDespairToHere 🤣 That's it, you won the thread 😆 pulls on chastity belt for the next few months

OP posts:
ThatsNotTheTeaHunty · 13/03/2021 23:43

My nephew is a week before Christmas and never has combined Christmas and birthday presents. I don't think it's fair if you can afford to split the two. If you can't then I get that. My nephew has always quite enjoyed having them close together.

A woman I know doesn't buy for her children who were born in Jan & Feb because 'they just had Christmas' I think that's a shitty thing to do.

sickofthisyear · 13/03/2021 23:46

Is it me or is the problem not the December birthday but actually the not so good friends and family?
Surely you remind your friends in Nov, it's my birthday in dec, we are doing x, save up? Maybe won't be party to end all parties but surely can do drinks in the pub?I have a school friend with a December birthday- we celebrated (inexpensively) with her most years. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ploughingthrough · 13/03/2021 23:49

Me, I'm very near xmas. It's not ideal but it's hardly ruined my life!

Caramelsmadfuzzytail · 13/03/2021 23:51

My uncle was born on Xmas day. He was my dads cousin and my gran fostered him. She decided that he should share my dads birthday.
My dad resented it. So don't have an Xmas baby and if you do, don't ever share a siblings birthday.

CausingChaos2 · 13/03/2021 23:54

I have a festive birthday. We are TTC and avoiding a December due date.

AmelieTaylor · 13/03/2021 23:56

Keep 'practising' until Easter. February is a great month to have a birthday and ot too long until Easter!

Yellowbowlbanana · 14/03/2021 00:00

Mine is Dec 29th. I hated it as a kids as parents were always knackered from Christmas and prepping for new year (we had a restaurant). I never had parties or saw my friends. It was generally rubbish.
As an adult I love it. My family and friends are all off work and I have a great time.
My DC birthdays are at the end of November which is a rubbish time. Everywhere is always prepping for Christmas so it's hard to find anywhere to have a party.

whydoesitalwayshappentome · 14/03/2021 00:02

My birthday is on the 19th December. I think the main downside over the years has been people not coming to parties (my 30th was particularly poorly attended) but I love having the Christmas tree up and all the pre Christmas excitement combined with my birthday makes it quite a fun/special time. I even love having birthday presents in Christmas paper, it makes me laugh.

FlickeringHugs · 14/03/2021 00:12

My nephew was born 26th and hates it. He is 32 now but we had this discussion recently oddly, about down sides of Christmas birthday. Some reasons I remember were...

  1. people wrapped his birthday gifts in christmas paper. this greatly offended him which surprised me!
  2. he got "combined" gifts that were not actually 2 gifts.
  3. nobody was ever free to come to his parties.
  4. if he did have a party it had to be indoors as it was freezing. and hardly anywhere took kids party bookings near christmas.
  5. when he got older all bars/restaurants were heaving when he had december birthday drinks.
  6. whole 12 months to wait before christmas/birthday again
  7. he vividly remembers grandparents coming over to celebrate his birthday on 26th and give him birthday gifts...and using the day to give and watch his siblings open their christmas gifts. so the day was never truly about him.
  8. he never had a birthday in school. so the class ever sang to him and he didnt get to give out sweets.
FromDespairToHere · 14/03/2021 00:22

FlickeringHugs I was 45 in December and still now I will kick up a fuss if I'm given a birthday present in Christmas wrapping paper. People can manage to buy birthday wrapping paper for a June birthday so why can't I have the same consideration?

Also don't get me started on the worst five words in the English language: "joint birthday and Christmas present." Just no.

WhipperSnapperSteve · 14/03/2021 00:23

Boxing Day, missed Christmas Day by a couple of hours Grin

Presents were split but of less value than my brother received for his autumnal birthday.

My relationship with parents was negligent and abusive and I was always told it was my fault I ruined Xmas. As an adult I don't really mind it and my close family do things in January (yet separate from DS whose birthday is Jan), yet the asinine comments still smart. No wonder I'm as low contact as I can be.

Guess the festive buildup was quite nice, although that was plainly Christmas, no birthday banners/balloons, even for my 18th/21st.

ElephantBabies · 14/03/2021 00:27

Husband born Xmas eve and loves this birthday.

Cousin born Xmas day and hates it!

FlickeringHugs · 14/03/2021 00:29

@FromDespairToHere i can fully understand why and im happy to say i never did this to him. it just surprised me that a young boy would even pick up on something like that. when home from university as a 20/21 year old he had form for drunkenly wrapping family gifts at 2am in tin foil in the kitchen, hours before they were due....so i didnt think he had that kind of level to detail Grin

peak2021 · 14/03/2021 07:20

Mum born just before Christmas, her birthday was as much an event as if in the summer.

Dad born early in the New Year, often had joint Christmas/birthday presents when growing up, sensitive about it being remembered.

Champagneforeveryone · 14/03/2021 07:30

It was a frenzy of excitement at the time as a kid, followed by 11 1/2 long, dull months.

We never put cards or the tree up till after my birthday, but while I see why DM did it I didn't appreciate it because I desperately wanted the tree up when everyone else had theirs.

I did get the dreaded joint presents which was always shit. It was also difficult to arrange a party as people always had other commitments. I used to have my party in January, again I understand why but I bitterly resented having to wait.

As an adult it makes no difference Wink

CeeceeBloomingdale · 14/03/2021 07:32

It gets totally overshadowed. I know it's not an exact science but I'd avoid it if possible.

Pompom2367 · 14/03/2021 07:39

Born a few days after Christmas I love it❤️

felulageller · 14/03/2021 07:39

Don't plan to have a baby from early December to mid January if you can help it.

ladymary86 · 14/03/2021 07:48

DP is Christmas Day. I think he pretty much used to it now but MIL talks of having to split Christmas Day in half when he was younger. Only found our recently that his Dsis really always resented never having a full Christmas Day as part of it was always given over to celebrating DPs birthday.

On a selfish note, trying to buy meaningful gifts for both Christmas and birthday is really difficult and I always feel a bit guilty that he sort of misses out a bit. He makes such an effort for my bday and Christmas but I never feel able to match his efforts as it all falls on the same day for him.

nameisnotimportant · 14/03/2021 08:01

I would absolutely hate it. I didn't want that for my kids either so I purposely didn't dtd on the month that meant a Christmas birthday. Obviously you can't control for premature births etc but I started ttc in may to make sure I avoided the December/January birthday. The weather is miserable, everyone's with their family or work party and then someone's birthday on top is just annoying.

ElectricMistofelees · 14/03/2021 08:17

My little girl is just before Xmas. It didn’t cross my mind when we were trying, and I really don’t think it’s worth worrying about or changing plans for! It is what you make it. We go big for her birthday and Xmas - we decorated the kitchen in non-xmassy birthday items for her last party. We also gave her a small bike in June because she was ready, but had been too small at her birthday for one and it was a bit of a wait til the next one. It seemed silly to have to wait to the same point every year for all of you gifts if you’re ready. The only downsides were that Xmas/birthday week was quite tiring but we got over it! But there’s a couple of extra days off and lots of family time so we just went for it.