Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To give my son two birthdays?

78 replies

GirlWiththeLionHeart · 02/04/2013 12:15

My son was born on Christmas Day :) was lovely and special for us and our families, but I do feel sorry for the little bugger as he won't ever have a party on his actual birthday with school friends when he's older. Plus he will probably only get one present a year from people.

Me and dh were discussing giving him another birthday in June so he can have a party and presents etc but we would still do something as a family for him on Christmas Day. Would this be doable?

OP posts:
Sirzy · 02/04/2013 12:17

I would rather give someone a present on their birthday than 6 months later!

Original poster
GirlWiththeLionHeart · 02/04/2013 12:18

It's just he won't have any other day to look forward to, other than Christmas Day. Am I being pfb here Blush

OP posts:
DoingTheBestICan · 02/04/2013 12:19

I wouldn't be happy giving someone 2 presents but if you wanted to do a party with no gifts I don't see why not.

FriedPotatoes · 02/04/2013 12:19

I would move birthday celebrations to mid January.

HumphreyCobbler · 02/04/2013 12:19

I would do this in your situation. I would have a big non-birthday party in the middle of summer for his friends. It is a great arrangement imo

NotALondoner · 02/04/2013 12:19

Do it, I have always wished I did this with mine (very early January).

sweetkitty · 02/04/2013 12:20

A friends DD has a Christmas Day birthday, they have a half birthday on the 25th of June, they have a BBQ/picnic and she gets a summer type toy like a bike or swings, don't know what relatives do re presents

Original poster
GirlWiththeLionHeart · 02/04/2013 12:21

No I wouldn't expect people to get him two presents. His real birthday would be celebrated by the family, the other he can have a party with friends from school etc

OP posts:
Original poster
GirlWiththeLionHeart · 02/04/2013 12:22

Ah nice to hear others do it. Problem is my birthday is June 25th but that would've been perfect Grin

OP posts:
DoingTheBestICan · 02/04/2013 12:22

Don't count on all his friends being available in the summer a lot go on holidays then.

Shinyshoes1 · 02/04/2013 12:23

Do it !!

Omnishambolic · 02/04/2013 12:24

DD had a pair of twins as friends with a Christmas birthday, they did this. We all knew it was their real birthday six months previously but they had a summer party and we brought presents to that party. Seemed perfectly sensible. My cousin on the other hand has a Boxing Day birthday and as far as I know never did anything in the summer. We would go over on Boxing Day and hand over the (separate) birthday present that day, over the Christmas cake and with the tree in the corner.

Catchingmockingbirds · 02/04/2013 12:25

I think this is a great idea, it will be difficult having a birthday party so close to Christmas as he gets older, if he has a party in the summer then his school friends could come. For family at Christmas you could have a set time on Christmas Day, say between 12pm and 3pm where everyone fusses over DS and can give him his presents then so he's not forgotten.

DaisyBD · 02/04/2013 12:27

I've done this with my birthday (early january, soon after new year when everyone, EVERYONE is broke and hungover and doesn't want to go out). Since 2000 I've simply cancelled my january birthday and I celebrate six months later instead - which of course has the added benefit of making me six months younger. Grin

It does feel a bit weird on the day that would have been my birthday when it's just not mentioned (if I remember, which I don't always), and some people still insist on sending me a card/present then, even though I've asked them not to. And some people think I'm trying to score two birthdays, and refuse to acknowledge the new one. Sometimes it feels that I haven't got any birthdays any more.

I think if you do it (and it's a good idea), do it wholeheartedly and ignore the Christmas birthday - he'll have something to look forward to anyway then, and it will help make the summer birthday feel special.

Lueji · 02/04/2013 12:28

You could have a party in early January.

I rarely have a party for DS on his actual birthday.

But I do feel the need to splash out a bit around June/July, so that he doesn't have all the presents around Christmas/January, and I mostly give him toys that follow his development.
I suppose you can take advantage of Easter to give some presents too and spread it a bit more throughout the year.

HappyJoyful · 02/04/2013 12:29

DD is 23rd Dec and everyone seems Christmas obsessed / busy then so we shifted it.. She's only 2 but we had both 'parties' a month later on the 26th Jan. I can see we'll probably continue this as she get's older too, not sure I'd make it 6 months later though, but I'd never say never!

Catchingmockingbirds · 02/04/2013 12:32

My birthday is right before Christmas and dp's is right after new year, we've fantasised about summer birthdays too as most people are either busy with work night outs or are too skint to do anything, and we 're both adults so our birthdays aren't supposed to be special anymore :o

Original poster
GirlWiththeLionHeart · 02/04/2013 12:33

I like the idea of a set time on Christmas Day :) my step mum suggested setting off a few fireworks in the evening as he was born 6pm and a little cake then too.

I was thinking about Boxing Day but people probably won't have enough money to buy him 2 gifts so close together. I think we're going to go for it :)

I had the idea of, on Christmas Day, giving ds a calendar and letting him choose a day for the following year, but that could get complicated!

Now to choose the date..

OP posts:
MushroomSoup · 02/04/2013 12:44

I had a Xmas day baby! She's now 12. She completely disagreed with a summer party (what on earth would it say on my card? Congratulations now you are six and a half?!) and we have always done a split day which works well with my 4 other DCs.
Wake up with cheap tat stockings on the beds and then come downstairs together to the dining room which has birthday balloons and banners (tradition in our house). All birthday cards/pressies are ready on the table and we have dedicated 'birthday time' and breakfast, as we do for all birthdays.
Then we leg it into the sitting room for Christmas!
Christmas dinner and birthday cake, complete with singing. Family phone calls just to DD to say happy birthday. All works well and DD loves it!

Original poster
GirlWiththeLionHeart · 02/04/2013 12:51

That sounds lovely Mushroom :) ill show your post to dh

OP posts:
Doodyanna · 02/04/2013 12:52

January seems a good idea, my friends xmas day DD has up until 12 o clock on the day for birthday celebrations, cake etc then after 12pm its xmas day and that seems to work for them although she hates that her DD only gets one present per year that covers b'day and xmas!

5eggstremelychocaletymadeggs · 02/04/2013 12:57

My nephew is an xmas day baby, we will prob send him an outdoors type prrsent in the summer :)

Anifrangapani · 02/04/2013 12:57

A friends ds has 2 birthdays. His queens birthday is one of the years social highlights.

insanityscratching · 02/04/2013 13:00

My birthday is Christmas Day and when I was a child that's exactly what my parents did. I had my birthday with my family on Christmas day and then I had my party and celebrated with friends in the middle of the year. I'm really glad we did it like that because now as an adult and a parent my birthday really is a non event.

StanleyLambchop · 02/04/2013 13:00

My DC's almost never have parites on their actual b'days, they are both born near bank holidays so people are often away during this time. We usually move the parties a week or so before or after to avoid this problem. But six months later? I am not sure if it would feel particularly special so long afterwards. I also have a summer birthday and it more often than not it rains on the day, so you can't rely on the better weather for outdoor parties!!