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Original poster

A half birthday party?

52 replies

LinkedinLovely · 15/06/2026 21:39

I've got a daughter with a birthday right before Christmas and she has suddenly asked for a "half birthday," which is in June. Half of me feels sorry for the poor kid because her birthday is a pain and is often overshadowed by the big C event. On the other hand I really can't be arsed to organise a party in the next couple of weeks. I think I'd need a bit more of a run-up. Does anyone do half birthdays?

OP posts:
Quiteworriedtoday · 16/06/2026 01:58

How old is your DD? Mine are both December (15 and 24) and no matter how much I try to put them in the spotlight they just get overshadowed. Mine are young and the oldest is quite materialistic, which I don’t want to encourage but I’ve always thought it is a bit disappointing to get all of the year’s presents in one go. So the past few years I’ve let them choose a “half bday gift,” a reasonably nice thing that’s sort of tied to the summer season (youngest got a mud kitchen, oldest got a pair of binoculars) and we also have a 1-2-1 mummy day where we go to a cafe for lunch and to the cinema or a museum.

TappyGilmore · 16/06/2026 02:03

I celebrate my cat’s actual birthday and her adoption anniversary, it’s kind of the same thing.

DD has a friend whose birthday is in very early January, so the party is always later in the month once school has gone back. The family still celebrate on the actual day though. I think that’s what I’d do too if anyone in the family had a birthday that was very close to Christmas. There’s no reason why you can’t have the party anytime you like!

APinkAndSpottyGiraffey · 16/06/2026 03:29

We did them too when DD was small (she’ll be 20 this Christmas!) and we always made clear it was a half or ‘unbirthday’ as we called it and no presents were needed but because of her birth date parties weren’t practical actually on or around the date. It was very well received and all the kids loved a soft play or a garden party. It doesn’t have to be huge @LinkedinLovely but if my child was actually asking I’d definitely do it.

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Events & celebrations
ClayPotaLot · 16/06/2026 04:10

I have a niece born on Christmas Day. She has a half birthday party and it seems to work really well. Before she did that her birthday really was overshadowed. But I would baulk at organizing one in two weeks too! How old is she? Did you manage to make her birthday special last year? And could you put it off to a date you can be bothered to do it?

Original poster
LinkedinLovely · 16/06/2026 07:25

Okay drip feed about last year but actually I have been really unwell and was having chemo for last birthday and Christmas. Maybe I could pull something together or maybe for the end of term. Thanks guys

OP posts:
SquigglePigs · 16/06/2026 07:27

One of DD's friends has a birthday on January 2nd and they always do a party at the start of July instead. It works for them, and far more party options for a small child in the summer than the depths of winter.

Having said that, I also know families will birthday's on 22nd, 27th and 29th of December who don't do anything like that.

TrinAndLin · 16/06/2026 07:45

I think it's better to really celebrate and make special her actual birthday so she doesn't develop a complex about her birthday. 21st is not too close to Christmas and she can have a lovely cosy festive time with family. Her party with friends could be in first or second week of January, something for everyone to look forward to Christmas and New Year's.

Enko · 16/06/2026 07:53

We used to do half birthday parties for ds (who is now mid 20s) when he was young as he has a late December birthday. In truth they were great as we could be outside with then. We didnt then do anything with friends for his actual birthday. When he was 9 he asked to just have it on his birthday so we moved it there.

I dont see how it is a spoilt child its a child having a birthday party. As long as you dont expect 2 birthday gifta you are fine IMO
Back then his friends parents used to say it was a great idea when they were young.

13RidgmontRoad · 16/06/2026 07:57

Mixed feelings.

We have a friend with a Boxing Day bday child and at first I was on board with the mid-summer parties "instead", except now it has turned into two full-scale birthday parties each year (summer and December) and I find it a bit much, but like pp I sometimes find them quite indulgent parents overall.

I think if I were in their shoes I'd make it clear that presents weren't expected for both, and perhaps make one smaller / a family activity or something. Or invite her close friends for the "extra" bday and call it Cake Day.

On the other hand, any excuse for joy, fun?

TheLette · 16/06/2026 08:08

My daughter has a friend born around Christmas time (very very close to it I think, not on e.g. December 10th). She celebrates her birthday with a party in June, same date every year, and treats that as her birthday. It's lovely and makes sense that she gets a little party / special time for herself when her friends are actually available. Also June is better as she can have a party at home in the garden. She doesn't have another party with friends in December. Currently a primary age child. Do what works for you.

Original poster
LinkedinLovely · 16/06/2026 08:11

She is 10

OP posts:
AgnesMcDoo · 16/06/2026 08:12

My DD’s birthday is in the middle of the summer school holidays so we’ve always done her party after school goes back - otherwise half her friends can’t make it

home your DD’s at end November or start of December or in January to keep it away from Xmas.

a half birthday will just look grabby

Dontcallmescarface · 16/06/2026 08:42

My birthday is December 25th. I remember my mum deciding that I should have a June half birthday party 1 year. TBH it all felt a bit "unbirthday". All the trappings of an actual proper birthday party were missing ( presents, "happy birthday" being sung that sort of thing), so the following years it was reframed as "Scar's garden party", which was better. It was still "my" day but with none of the faux birthday stuff.

RockinCara · 16/06/2026 08:47

We did it for my stepson once. His birthday is Xmas eve. We had a camp out in the garden with games, treasure hunts and camp fires. It was lovely. It baffled the parents of the invited children because they weren’t sure whether to bring presents or not - my fault for not being clear. I was a pretty inexperienced stepmother in those days!

Larrythecatforpm · 16/06/2026 08:48

Half birthdays aren’t a thing. Party, maybe but don’t make it a birthday party.

Mumtobabyhavoc · 16/06/2026 08:51

I do!
Half birthday is a nice day out, a cake from a nice cake shop and a gift. i did do some decos for my older dc's half a few months ago as well, so will do that for my Christmas baby's half coming up.

SleepingisanArt · 16/06/2026 08:52

We used to do them because everywhere was shut for Christmas or very Christmasy so it didn't feel like their birthday. It worked. Now they're adults we see them for dinner or lunch out as close to the date of their actual birthday depending on their work and other plans. I know quite a few people who've done the same.

PatsFishTank · 16/06/2026 08:53

I have a DC with a birthday close to Christmas. We always differentiated between Christmas and his birthday very clearly with separate presents and a birthday party.

We also did a half birthday thing in the summer with a small gift/treat but didn't do a half birthday party. It does set a precedent though if you've got other DC.

Okdokeyartichoke · 16/06/2026 09:08

We’ve always done it, because DS1 was born on Christmas Day and DS2 was born on New Year’s Day.

But we’re strict about the rules - they don’t get to have two birthday parties and two lots of presents! Family celebrates with them on the actual day and they get family gifts then, friends celebrate on their half birthday (so 25 June and 1 July) and they get parties on the closest weekends to those.

Leopardprintbikini · 16/06/2026 09:32

My OH's birthday is 25th December. He never got birthday cards from anyone, not even his parents. "That's your Christmas and birthday present". His sister's birthday is in May so she'd always have a birthday cake and parties. He doesn't have a good relationship with his family at all now. They still forget his birthday but always remind him it's his sister's. It really hurts.

Anyway, for the last 10 years since we've been together, I've organised a midsummer party for him, and everyone knows it's a half birthday. This year, because it's his 40th, I've bought him one of those big green egg bbqs.

I suppose the point of this post is make a thing of her birthday, insist that family buy her birthday cards, none of this "and happy birthday to X" as an afterthought in a Christmas card, for example, and wrap her birthday gift in birthday paper. If she's asking for a half birthday, its because she feels that she being overshadowed.

INeedaDietcoke · 16/06/2026 09:37

DH's bday is Christmas Day, and he used to have a summer party combined with FIL who has an early June bday. But I think he always got presents and cake on Christmas Day, and that's what we do now he's an adult.

DS2 has an early December bday. He turned 1 last year and we got a good turnout for a party at home. If anything we invited too many people and were quite glad some dropped out due to Noro as we vastly overestimated how many people could fit inside comfortably. I think we'll keep doing Dec parties for him as long as he's happy. DS1 is a May baby and has had a big garden party the last couple of years so I will wait to see if DS2 feels sad about the fact he doesn't, and if he wants a summer party then we'll do one.

mindutopia · 16/06/2026 09:42

So oddly we are going to be sort of doing one this year, but no way I’m calling it a ‘half birthday’ (except maybe a bit ironically!). I have cancer and was too ill in the winter to do birthday parties for either of mine. One of dc’s friends also has cancer and was in the middle of treatment and couldn’t do big venues either because he was immunocompromised. Now all of us are much improved, I was finally going to plan the party.

If you do it though, I think it has to be late rather than early. Next summer or say February for a December birthday. Not 6 months before when everyone has already done a round of presents a few months ago.

Lifeomars · 16/06/2026 18:17

My child was a late December birthday so I used to do a half birthday in July, a trip out and a small gift. Never did a party,

LlynTegid · 16/06/2026 18:27

OP, are you Peruvian or with heritage from Peru? Do you have an aunt Lucy?

Cioccoholic · 16/06/2026 18:30

How about a sleepover, take away pizza, rent a movie, and buy them each a little pamper kit?

Bonus point if the sleepover is in a tent in the garden.

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