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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:
BrutusMcDogface · 14/03/2021 08:21

My birthday is 3 days before Christmas, I love it. Everyone is in a good celebratory mood and up for a party! The whole period is special and I used to get a shout out at the pantomime 😂.

I’m glad you’ve said this, as it’s my dc’s birthday and you’ve described it as I’ve always hoped it is for her!

To the op; not me but my daughter. So far she absolutely loves her birthday!

Deathraystare · 14/03/2021 08:23

Not exactly around Christmas - Jan 2nd, but mum always moaned about there being not much in the way of birthday cards then... Well, the date doesn't change so could have got it before Christmas! No on wants to go out either.

Original poster
OHthatbanana · 14/03/2021 08:53

Wow some horrible families out there! Imagine not celebrating your child's birthday at all!

I think PP are right, it's what you make of it if you have dc in December. I think you have to put in extra effort but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

OP posts:

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Families
saffire · 14/03/2021 09:22

My ex was born in early January. People would still give him a "joint" present!
It will make for a very expensive month! I'd rather delay by a few months - but I have a June baby which means presents every six months!

BigGlasses · 14/03/2021 09:22

January isn’t great either to be honest. Young children it’s a pain as they get a deluge of gifts and then 11 months until any more gifts. Adults it’s a pain as everyone is dieting detoxing or skint so doesn’t want to do anything. And the weather is always terrible and it’s always dark.
I think December birthdays might be better than January as at least people are in the celebrating mood.

drspouse · 14/03/2021 09:29

My mum and my DS are the same day, just after Christmas. My DM hated having joint presents so we never do that for DS, and it's nice having a birthday do just before they go back to school.

Do what you want but Mother Nature may have other plans.

saracorona · 14/03/2021 09:48

Christmas eve but I thought it was Christmas day until I went to school and was informed otherwise. This mystifies me a bit, because Xmas presents were rare. I too wanted a summer un birthday but no would cooperate.

skeggycaggy · 14/03/2021 09:52

Early Dec here, love it.

Mammyofasuperbaby · 14/03/2021 10:01

December 21st here and it's awful.
My dm always tried to make my birthday special but from others I'd get;
Multi pack Christmas cards as birthday cards,
Christmas wrapping paper on my gifts,
Festive themed gifts,
People not coming to My parties as they had family dinners/ gatherings (as a child)
People are skint so can't afford to go out,
People just forget about me due to Christmas,
Joint Christmas and birthday presents.
Plus we have 5 December birthdays in our family (would have been 6 if our 3rd had survived) so it's ridiculous
If I could change my birthday, I would.

Shocked202 · 14/03/2021 10:03

I have an Xmas eve bday as a child I loved it and would always get double presents and used to go to the panto on Xmas eve every year. Nobody ever gave me joint presents and my parents always made my bday special.

As some PPs have said now I’m older my friends don’t really see it the same. I feel it often gets over shadowed and it’s very hard to organise to do anything as people are always busy with Xmas or don’t have the money because of Xmas.

That being said people are generally in good spirits because of Xmas and there is always things going on around my bday.

Thereshegoesagain · 14/03/2021 10:08

I have spent most of my life hating my Christmas time birthday.
People WILL give you a joint present - oooo shall I open it now and not have anything to open on Christmas day or shall I keep it for Christmas day and have nothing now???

  • your birthday cards get lost in the all Christmas cards so you don't bother putting them up.
  • your DH gets stressed ( and occasionally irrationally resentful) at having to come up with 2 presents in a month.
  • Noone has time or money to come to a birthday party/dinner/night out - most people don't have a free weekend in December ever.
I would say I'd rather have a Dec birthday than a Jan one though....
Dallowgill · 14/03/2021 10:19

My birthday is the 27th December. I have not celebrated it since I was a teenager because it was always rubbish. Everyone knackered from the run up to Christmas and Christmas and Boxing Day. Joint Christmas/ birthday presents. I’m now in my fifties and even my mother and husband know not to mention it.

ipswichwitch · 14/03/2021 10:29

DS2sis 13th December which is awkward enough. Class birthday parties have been done last weekend in November as once you get into December everyone’s too busy with santa visits and all that. It makes it a long year of getting my nothing then having both birthday and Christmas in the space of two weeks then it’s over again for another year. We’ve taken to spending less money on both DC (DS1 also a winter baby)for their birthdays and having a sort of half birthday at Easter. Means they have something to look forward to through the year, and helps DS2 cope better - he has asd and struggles waiting for anything so you can imagine how fun that is once Christmas is over and he has to wait another 11.5 months for anything 🙄

NanooCov · 14/03/2021 10:50

My eldest's birthday is 27 Dec. He's 6 and it doesn't seem to bother him currently. We never have combined Christmas and birthday presents, always separate. We always wait until January for his party (though still celebrate as a family on the day). He gets two cakes so he's fine with that!

thebabessavedme · 14/03/2021 11:08

I'm december and I love it, as a child I always felt sorry for people who didnt have xmas decs up for their birthdays, I always felt so special as I got to have decorations, everyone in a party mood etc. My dbs are also december, we never had 'joint' presents, my dps were very good in making sure we had separate celebrations.

Now I'm even more lucky, my son-in-law, who I love dearly is a christmas superfan who loves to drive us somewhere magical for my birthday to look at lights and shops and go somewhere special for dinner and cocktails with open fires and posh food, couldnt really get any better than that Grin

thebabessavedme · 14/03/2021 11:13

one thing my parents did do was to let us choose a gift in the summer for playing outside with, its a bit rubbish to be given a bike or swing or slide in the depths of winter so summer holidays we were taken out to a toy shop and allowed a bit of a free rein.

tiredmum2468 · 14/03/2021 11:14

My friends daughter has a Christmas birthday so she always has a summer bbq party mid year and get ms birthday presents then 💝

artquejtion · 14/03/2021 11:16

yes, born just after Christmas day, as a kid never had a birthday party on, or even near, my actual birthday. Joint gifts and even the family birthday celebration was always a bit 'meh' as everyone was already sick of overindulging.

BogRollBOGOF · 14/03/2021 12:00

DS is about a week before Christmas and enjoys the festive vibe. He tends to get the fun end of term or start of the holidays. He likes the decorations up in advance. Parties have always had a healthy attendance.

Other DS is April and often falls around Easter which is an odd one. One year we had to cancel a party because only one set of people could actually come. Two years later the entire class came to his party. It makes celebrations very inconsistent (add in two years of lockdown...)

I often get things like bikes/ scooters for them both for the spring birthday because it's the start of the season to use them. Nicer for Christmas DS as it paces nice things through the year, and they both get to do the same thing at the same time together.

They both seem happy about their birthdays but neither is overlooked and lumped in with the other occasion.

4Minions2CallMyOwn · 14/03/2021 16:05

Thanks for this post OP, DH and I are in the same position as you TTC and are having the same discussions atm. It’s been helpful to read this thread Smile

tigger1001 · 14/03/2021 16:37

My birthday is a week before Christmas and I hate it.

As a kid, birthday parties were impossible and often got joint presents, which was given for Christmas. As a young adult, it meant fiends were often busy with work parties etc.

I pretty much now ignore my birthday. I get cards etc from my kids and that's enough birthday for me.

cptartapp · 14/03/2021 16:45

Early Jan.
Everyone's skint, no one remembers or wants to go out. It's cold, dark and miserable, a real non event.
I planned both pregnancies to avoid Xmas/Jan and summer births. But then I'm an over planner.

BashfulClam · 14/03/2021 17:01

Three good friends born near Christmas absolutely hate it. Nothing special mid-year, Christmas overshadows everything and obviously it’s hard to get 2 dried are gifts for them....bloody expensive as I have 3 extra nights out and three extra presents to buy!

stargirl1701 · 14/03/2021 17:03

DH and I always took March 'off' to avoid this.

Crunchymum · 14/03/2021 17:15

January is even worse (I have two mid January children and they aren't twins!!)