To think half birthdays are lame

[Blablabla1984]

My little one has a birthday on 18th of Dec and a friend of mine suggested doing a half birthday in summer so he doesn't have to deal with joint presents and the whole Christmas malarkey.

AIBU to disagree? I don't feel the whole summer birthday vibe as he popped out on the 18th on December and not in June. Plus last year people did a really great job about separating his bday from Christmas and he did get two lots of presents. Her 2 boys are born in January and she throws them summer bday parties.

What do you think?

[StrawbRhi]

My DD is a Christmas Day baby and although we toyed with the idea of a 'Summer Un-Birthday' party it just hasn't happened. We held her first real birthday party (she's 5) on Dec 4th last year so it seemed grabby to do another 6 months later and mean to make her skip this Dec one, just so she can have one in the summer iyswim?

She loves her 'Birthmas'! We do Christmas until after lunch then a birthday supper in the evening with cake and balloons and everything. Friends and family are invited to drop in from 6pm.

If you're going to do a half birthday, do it from birth!

[LunaLoveg00d]

My brother did this as a child as his birthday is 25th December. He has never had a birthday party on his real birthday, ever. We used to do a 25th June party for him instead - he would get presents from family on his real bitrthday and not again in June, but every kid wants the party with their friends.

[MiaowJario]

DH and I have the same birthday, so we have a half birthday as well. We get one another a token gift, usually something funny, and have a night out.

So if two siblings had the same birthday, or a child had a Christmas birthday and never saw their friends etc on their birthday, I would do it.

[featherpillow]

My friend does a summer party for a Dec bday and I think is odd.
I cant get my had round celebrating a bday 6 months after its happened.
I would rather do a party at the start of Dec when people still have a bit of spare time.

[LilacInn]

It's a form of fantasy thinking that is quite eyeroll inducing. "Let's all pretend" that facts are not facts so that Conner or Imogene can be properly feted instead of, god forbid, understand that the world has other concerns besides celebrating their existence.

[MeAndMy3LovelyBoys]

Just ruins the whole concept of birthdays
Just like the presents for siblings idea.

[SouperSal]

We're having DH's half birthday celebration this weekend. Having a new year birthday always sucked for him, so we have half birthdays for significant birthdays.

[ReallyTired]

Ds has a birthday New Year's Eve. He wanted to paint balling and none of his friends were up for the idea in December/ January so he had a summer birthday party recently. We didn't have a birthday cake or expect presents. Ds had a lovely time.

I don't really care if anyone thinks that moving a paintball party to summer is lame.

[Cosmo111]

I think it's grabby and werid.I speak as someone who has a birthday two weeks after Christmas.

[Bragadocia]

I wouldn't celebrate it, but when DS was born we thought we might adopt a policy of giving him a smaller gift at Christmas/birthday time, as he gets stuff from other people too, and get him a big something at the 6 month point. When the child starts to need a new bike, or wants a special toy, and you say, "wait until…" this could mean waiting ages and ages, if their b'day and Xmas are in the same week.

Having said that, the half birthday point slipped by last month without us even noticing...

[Susieqt]

I Celebrate them but not in a big way, it's just us and we go out for a treat or buy cakes, or sow thing a bit extraordinary. A few of my friends know I do this and have offer half birthday wishes or made little cards, but I'd feel weird about doing anything more public, but that's because we celebrate on her birthday, if it was explained as a later birthday party because of xmas/winter I'd understand it and wouldn't think it's odd

[carrotcakecupcake]

My DS is nearly a Christmas baby and to date we have simply marked his birthday by doing something special with him as a family - totally unrelated to Christmas. I think once he starts school a half-birthday party might be an easier way for him to get his friends together to celebrate, but we'll probably play it by ear as and when he gets to that age. If we do throw a half-Birthday party we'll probably still stick to doing something (like a day out) on his actually Birthday to mark the day, but no more presents. Due to various family visits/visiting last Christmas he received presents on a daily basis for about a week - all very confusing for a toddler (who obviously loved it).

[Gingersdohavesouls]

I was born on Xmas day and the only person who ever did the half birthday think for me what my Gran, who would take me out shopping on 25th June, and I really loved it but I just saw it as a day out with my Gran.

I agree with maybe doing it when your child is young, maybe up to 6/7 but after that no.

Anyway, having a December birthday and dealing with double presents is just all part of it lol
Life isn't always fair and I learned that lesson early on bcoz of being a Christmas baby x

[Crunchymum]

I know one person with an Xmas eve birthday and 2 people with a 28th Dec birthday. None of whom celebrate half birthdays as an adult but one did have a birthday party between ages 5-11 on 28th of June and said they felt stupid about it and stopped it as soon as they were old enough for their mum to listen!!

[UmbongoUnchained]

Me and my brothers used to have a birthday party in the summer as we were born very end of November and my parents couldn't afford to buy three lots of presents 2 months in a row.

[WilLiAmHerschel]

Yanbu. I know people who did this for their first child when she was six months old. It seemed like a waste of time to me. Fair enough if the child's older and wants a party but not before they're at school.

[DramaAlpaca]

DS's best friend's birthday is on Christmas Day.

He's grown up now, but as a child he used to have a half birthday party at the end of June. He loved it & his friends really enjoyed the daftness of celebrating his half birthday too.

It was a bit of fun, no harm in it.

[NayaDeles]

Maybe there's an untapped market here for greeting cards. Along with the usual 'Happy 5th Birthday' and 'Today You're 7!' we could have 'Happy 5th and a half Birthday' and 'Today You're 7 1/2!'

I'm already surprised not to see many 'Happy Birthday during this Christmas Season' cards and I'd like to find a 'Happy Birthday on Fathers Day' card for my dad. But I suppose the personalised greeting card market takes care of the combined occasion dilemma.

Where I live greeting cards can be oddly specific. I've seen a Valentine's Day card emblazoned 'To The One I Live With'.

[diddl]

I have bday near Christmas it's never been an issue & I love it!

If you want to throw a party for your kids in Summer, just do it, but don't attach it so an even 6months hence!

[MollyTwo]

Yanbu, it's not their birthday at the 'half' date so sounds so stupid to celebrate something that doesn't exist.

[Birdsgottafly]

My children are all 'Christmas season' Birthdays, because of that, we tended to make a big deal out of Easter.

I used to have my house full of other people's childrens, so I'd sometimes organise a summer party.

I was widowed and money was tight, so days out in the following year, would be given as Birthday presents and we'd treat it as a celebration day.

[Celticlassie]

I think it's pretty greedy. As most people have said 'we have a small celebration with ...' So basically it's just two birthdays. Maybe if one was totally ignored and not acknowledged at all it'd be fair enough but that's not going to happen. Before you know it there'll be 'half birthday' cards and everyone will be expected to turn out for both. Anything commercial in this country grows arms and legs rapidly. (Valentine's Day, Halloween, etc). This will be the next thing.

[Ticklethosetoes]

Ive thought about doing a summer party for my eldest as her birthday is the beginning of January and it makes parties really really difficult to arrange, its also hugely limiting because of the weather. I would say no presents and have it as a non birthday party.

But the one thing that put me off is i know a mum who does this but with presents, cake and everything. Im talking play station type presents and he's an autumn (and 6 month spring!) birthday so theres no real reason.

[Blablabla1984]

I'd say everyone decides for themselves.

We didn't put the Christmas decorations up until after his birthday so apart from having a few Christmas cards in the kitchen it didn't feel like the birthday was swallowed by Christmas.