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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to tell you why having a December birthday is shit (lighthearted)

195 replies

cjt110 · 20/11/2017 11:06

My birthday is on the 22nd of December. This year I will have suffered 31 of the blasted seasonal things.

Its rubbish because:

This year it's on a Friday. People will, as they usually are, be finishing ogg their last minute Christmas bits/going on Christmas do's etc and so won't be available for a get together.

Even if they were, the places will be packed as it will be "Mad Friday"

Because I want to buy all sorts of stuff, as I do every year, but can't incase they get bought for me for Christmas/Birthday. This time of year I usually end up wanting to buy duvet sets. pjs etc for myself but have to hold off til after Christmas to get hem incase someone has got me some for Christmas.

As they're so close together, I never know what to say when people ask for gift ideas.

....Add in your suggestions to counter to above, or reasons why your December birthday is rubbish.

OP posts:
Ducketsmead · 20/11/2017 11:12

i feel your pain, DP's birthday is at beginning of December with our anniversary a week later. we've come to a agreement where we do present after xmas so save doubling up on things. Even then its hard buying for someone who had everything. Angry

iveburntthetoast · 20/11/2017 11:12

My birthday is December 11th. I used to hate the way it got lost in the run up to Christmas. However, I quite like it now as asking for a birthday/Christmas present from DH enables me to justify asking for more expensive stuff.

I think that those with birthdays in very early January have it harder as people aren’t as interested in celebrating because they have no money left. Early January just seems to be a time when people are a bit miserable after the build up to Christmas. At least people are merry in December.

IWannaSeeHowItEnds · 20/11/2017 11:13

I am Dec too (29th). It's true that no one wants to go out. But I have something nice to look forward to between Christmas and New Year. I get to spend birthday money in the sales. Always had my birthday off work (used to teach, so it fell in the school holidays).
Think yours is harder OP because it is just before Christmas.

Original poster
cjt110 · 20/11/2017 11:14

iveburntthetoast Yes my Aunt's is the 8th of January and she has always said it's rubbish.

I think if mine was earlier in December I might feel differently. I can't really even get into the Christmas spirit until after my birthday which makes me look a bit Scrooge-y

OP posts:
Original poster
cjt110 · 20/11/2017 11:15

IWannaSeeHowItEnds Yep. Definitely harder. It just gets lost in the build up.

Can I by proxy change it I wonder?

OP posts:
bilbodog · 20/11/2017 11:20

I feel your pain OP - my DS is 1st, mine 7th and my DD 2nd jan!!!! I swore i would not have my childrens birthdays close to christmas - was always crap at maths!!!!!!

QuopQuop · 20/11/2017 11:21

My birthday is mid December and I love it!!

Receipts and extended returns dates are available at Christmas so no problem with doubling up as you scan return.

I am getting married December next year too, my favourite month by far!!

PantPlot · 20/11/2017 11:21

Mine is 27th December aka The Day After Boxing Day.

You know, that day when everyone really wants to go out and party. Or perhaps a nice meal, who isn't up for that Hmm

Actually I don't mind too much, I still like having a Xmas Birthday.

Wooders09 · 20/11/2017 11:21

My birthday is the 25th Dec! It is rubbish!

FortyFacedFuckers · 20/11/2017 11:22

My Ds was born on Christmas Day it is shit!

IWannaSeeHowItEnds · 20/11/2017 11:22

You could be like the queen and have two. A nice summer one, to break things up a bit.

Original poster
cjt110 · 20/11/2017 11:23

How do those with Xmas Day birthdays do it?

Iwanna I could.... would I just veto the december one?

OP posts:
DueNov · 20/11/2017 11:23

Yep 6th December birthday and have been let down by friends for drinks every damn year

AnarchyKitty · 20/11/2017 11:23

Mine is the 16th. Last year it was a mandatory works party as it was a Friday. This year, it's the same as it's a Saturday. All my life I get asked if I want my present for Christmas or Birthday. I want both!!! It's two different days. I can never book a restaurant with DP as it's full of works parties. My friends are always busy as it's their work's parties.
It's shite.
Bah humbug Grin

RavenLG · 20/11/2017 11:25

DMums Birthday is 24th December and I always feel awful for her. She’s always running around getting Christmas bits sorted and never really takes a moment to relax. As a teenager I would never help her either and my DDad is as much use as a chocolate teapot. As I got older I tried to make her relax and sort things out but she would never let me.

She doesn’t really mind, she’s hates a fuss anyway. She really hates if people buy her a birthday present and wrap it in Xmas paper though.

JT05 · 20/11/2017 11:25

Mine is just after New Year and I agree a rubbish time. Even my own mother couldn’t be bothered to remember it!
No one wanted to go out, no one had any money, the sales were full of rubbish if you did get money.
However, DH always tries to arrange nice days out or away for significant birthdays, difficult as most places are cold or still celebrating New Year.
Lovely work colleagues did a surprise birthday breakfast one year for a milestone birthday. They pretended it was a very serious early morning meeting!

inlectorecumbit · 20/11/2017 11:25

DH DS and l have all birthdays in December.
DS is on 31st December and no one wanted to come to a party on that day due to Hogmanay preparations until he turned 18 and had a house party over the bells lasting well into the new year!!! He was very popular that year for some reason Grin and DH and l were not invited.

WhooooAmI24601 · 20/11/2017 11:26

DS2's birthday is 12th night and he says he wants a summer birthday like mine as he's not keen on his. He was due on Christmas Day, though, so we got off lightly, really.

EdmundCleverClogs · 20/11/2017 11:26

I have 3 family members with December birthdays and one baby due a week after the day. The ones earlier in the month weren’t too bad, bar making the whole month horribly expensive for me. We had a rule of keeping Christmas to a minimum until the birthdays were out of the way - no decorations up until a week after so all the birthday cards had a chance to be up. However, I feel your pain, once it gets to the second half of the month, Xmas takes over everything, then when NY rolls around, everyone had just about enough energy left for New Year’s Eve, before the January Blues set in. I know a few people with a late December/early January birthday, and it just seems so shit to be essentially forgotten.

Second worse is an August birthday, as a child your mates are all away or doing something, and you always seem to be ‘the youngest’ even as you all grow. I’m glad my birthday falls in a relatively balanced time of year!

Original poster
cjt110 · 20/11/2017 11:26

This year it'll be our last working day. Most people will have booked it as a holiday dickhead here forgot and it'll just feel shit.

OP posts:
whiskyowl · 20/11/2017 11:26

My friend's birthday is the 24th! I feel incredibly guilty if I have family obligations that mean I can't be in the city to do both (both parents and PIL live miles away). YANBU! Can you have second birthday in summer, like the Queen?!

Original poster
cjt110 · 20/11/2017 11:27

EdmundCleverClogs That's us fucked then as DS' is 11/08 Hmm

OP posts:
Original poster
cjt110 · 20/11/2017 11:28

whiskyowl I could... But then that's a bit rubbish. I mean, who has a birthday in the summer?! That's like those weird Aussies celebrating Christmas day on the beach! Grin

OP posts:
isthismummy · 20/11/2017 11:29

My birthday is on Boxing Day. It is totally shit.

Everywhere is closed. People are all busy with their families.

I absolutely hate itSad

BananaSandwichesEveryDay · 20/11/2017 11:29

I feel for you. Within our family we have a lot of December birthdays, including 22nd, 24th, 25th, 26th and 31st. It's hard to know what to do from the pov of someone buying presents so, I have a couple of self-imposed rules : I always buy separate gifts unless I have genuinely spent both birthday and Christmas budget to get something really special. Even then, I always give a small second gift as a token acknowledgement of both occasions. When I buy two gifts, I try to make one something 'summery', so for example a beach wrap or pretty lightweight clothing. For children I've previously bought a garden toy (and given it when they can actually use it) for birthday and then something more suited to the winter for Christmas.

I think the issue of not buying anything for yourself applies to us all in the period leading up to birthdays and Christmas - I suppose you only have to worry about that once a year though, the rest of us face the same dilemma twice. And yes, I get the frustration about not being able to celebrate on your birthday. A relative has a Christmas Day birthday and has only once been able to persuade people to go out for a celebratory meal on her actual birthday. It was lovely, but I wouldn't want to do it every year. It also cost a fortune.