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

[cjt110]

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.

I think the impact is most keenly felt as a child, you see other people's birthdays, see them having their own special day but your own is overlooked or tagged on to something else. It must impact on sense of self and self worth.

I'm December 25th. It sucks for all the reasons mentioned upthread. The thing I hate the most is the afterthought "happy birthday" in the Christmas card. It has actually upset me to the point of tears before when family members have done it. I would rather not have any cards at all, Xmas or birthday.

I'm at the start of December & unfortunately I can't agree with you. I love my birthday, never had an issue with getting friends to celebrate & usually get great gifts as the shops are full of lovely stuff. I find December as a whole really fantastic-sorry not sorry

I have two December-born friends: 21st and 26th December. I alwats send/give a birthday card, Christmas card, birthday present in birthday paper and Christmas present in Christmas paper. Just because they are 45yo and 48yo, i can imagine their birthdays have been lost in the Christmas craziness several times.

I actually buy their gifts in August

I’m the 22nd and after years of spending my birthday prepping for Xmas and only getting gifts when I see family over Xmas and Boxing Day I have rebelled.

I now book a pantomime with the kids on my birthday and have a nice meal out in a restaurant that isn’t doing a festive menu.

It’s still crap though and my mum is 12th of jan. everyone is skint by then!

Mine is the 23rd and I love it! Think I may be in the minority though...

Mine is 3rd Jan. It's the day everyone goes back to work. No one ever wants to come and celebrate with me. Even if I plan something towards the end of January. They're on a diet/dry January/skint. I had a 40th birthday party at the end of Jan and of the 65 people who'd said yes, 18 turned up. Everyone else cancelled on the night, after 7pm. Or just didn't show up. It was very upsetting! I had ummed and ahhed about a party for this very reason but was assured by my friends they'd definitely make it 😐

and for everyone who’s had a shit birthday! I’m going away this year so won’t have to face it.

Wish that not really having a birthday meant you didn’t actually age but sadly it’s not like that!

Is there any good aspects?

*are

Mine is New Year’s day and it’s really really shit! At least I have a twin to commiserate with!

My poor Mum’s is the 21st Dec and my Brother’s is the 27th. It’s an expensive month!

DS birthday is mid December, inevitably it is the busiest week at school, plays, presentations Christmas Fair etc, people are always too busy for birthday parties, so he decided that if it's good enough for the queen then it's good enough for him and he now has an 'official' party in June, most people don't even notice it's not his actual birthday even though we put it on the invites so he still gets presents and cards.

YABU if you think you have it worse than January birthdays :)

January 2nd - ive given up on parties and go on holiday every year.

Im secretely really pleased my kids were born in summer.

Mine is 6th. I actually quite liked it as a child, until someone introduced St Nicolas's Day to our family, and then it was hijacked by some awful "have you been GOOD????" ceremony, involving shoes and birches. It's a very big day in Germany, it seems.

I know a vicar's family where three of the birthdays are in late December. It's a busy time of year for them!

And I really don't envy those with January birthdays.

Are there any born on 29th February here?

Burns Night birthday here. I have never really done parties, being a classic introvert, but maybe it wasn't a great time of year for them anyway. I liked having something to look forward to as a child, after the post-Christmas blues.

I have been known to quietly downgrade friends who pull the 'combined present' trick for my December DD.

NYE here and everyone always has their own plans. On a plus I always get 2 presents.

Ds is mid Jan and I think that's worse

My DD (now coming up for 11) was due in February but was born on 23rd December Sayyouwill.

She absolutely loves the run-up to Christmas and that she is a "Christmas baby". We do her birthday cake and family presents on her birthday and normally go out to the pantomime as her birthday treat. However, we made a decision early on that we would always have a half-birthday party for her around midsummer. I am glad that we have stuck with this as trying to have a birthday party for her and her friends in December would be really hard - everyone is focused on Christmas and, as a PP has mentioned, a lot of the birthday party venues are closed, and we are all busy trying to get organised for Christmas too. Even getting her present, card and birthday organised for December takes quite a bit of organisation because there is so much else on the go. We don't put our Christmas cards up till Christmas Eve so that her cards from family have a day to be on view (even though the selection of birthday cards available in December is quite poor).

However, the half-birthday works really well - she has a good time with her friends, the weather is more amenable (generally), and everything is more relaxed. We don't give her family presents in June as she gets hers in December - we are basically just having the party for her friends on a different date - but I must say that I enjoy the half-birthday arrangement.

DS has his birthday on 3rd December but that is early enough in December not to be a problem, at least so far....

Blueberry you've just put my mind at ease
He's not even 1 yet so he still doesn't know what a birthday is yet so still got a couple of years before he really clicks on

I love having a December birthday with all the festive things going on but I was really worried when our youngest came on Christmas Day as to how it would affect both him and his older brother. Still early days but so far sibling just sees it as really special and littley doesn't fully understand (will be two this Christmas). Love getting tips from everyone who shares this potential misery on how to make it better for them and the useful reminder that how you handle this stuff does matter, especially when growing up.

Rule number one: say Happy Birthday before Merry Christmas that morning!

DH is the 11th, I'm the 17th, Dad is the 19th and my niece is the 21st.

This year we are away for mine. The amount of people moaning I won't go to their Christmas get togethers is unbelievable!