Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

Half birthdays a thing now?

114 replies

Dancingmonkey87 · 09/04/2018 13:41

Ds is born on February the 8th and without fail every year Sil makes abig song and dance about her dd celebrating her “half birthday” on ds birthday. (she also celebrates her dd birthday on the original date) Aibu to think she’s batshit to hijack her DN birthday?

OP posts:

TakeMe2Insanity · 09/04/2018 14:06

DC born very close to Christmas. His birthdays are an excuse list from various people regarding Christmas related clashes. So we will be having a party in the summer. This year it works out to him being X and a half but thats more because its a saturday and the only weekend free. It won’t be called his half birthday instead “DC is having a party”.

But yes your SIL is bonkers to muscle in on someone else’s birthday. My aunt used to do this with my cousin on my birthday and it used to annoy me as my cousin would insist on getting EXACTLY the same presents.

PinkCalluna · 09/04/2018 14:06

Yes but Dancing it’s not harming you or your child is it? It doesn’t take anything away from your child’s party or celebrations?

It’s just a few photos on Facebook.

And to be honest (and I really don’t want to be harsh) everyone expect doting Grandparents will pretty much scroll past a collage of a kids‘s birthday party on FB giving it a token like on the way.

She a bit silly but she isn’t taking any attention away from you.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 09/04/2018 14:08

My birthday in the overshadowed by Christmas part of the year too so that might explain my attitude to half birthdays..

Original poster

Dancingmonkey87 · 09/04/2018 14:09

Dn birthday isn’t on an awkward month of the year to celebrate on an alternate day. I think she’s pretty insecure it’s not something I would try to do to over shadow a child’s birthday especially one in the family. She does have form for things like this like demanding we buy from a present list and dictating how much we spend.

OP posts:

CircleofWillis · 09/04/2018 14:11

When I was growing up a family friend had a child with a life limiting illness. I remember celebrating half birthdays with him and we all knew it was because he wouldn’t have as many celebrations as the rest of us. He died when he was about five and I was eight and even now I remember how much he enjoyed having those extra celebration days.

Goosegrass · 09/04/2018 14:11

Surely your son has her birthday as a half birthday then? Do it back to her.

Feb 8th = August 8th as a half birthday surely?

squoosh · 09/04/2018 14:13

They don't live near you though so it doesn't impinge on your child's birthday and can hardly be described as 'hijacking'.

givemesteel · 09/04/2018 14:15

Agree that it shouldn't be a 'thing', in the same way as I haven't enjoyed the creep of presents as well as eggs on Easter, it's just too much.

That said,both my dc have Jan/Feb birthdays and I always think how much easier it would be to do parties in the summer, as we've got a pretty reasonable sized garden.

Do people think it's unreasonable to do a summer birthday party for a winter birthday, meaning effectively it is a half birthday as they would get presents etc (reluctant to just have a party as we shell out for all these other kid's birthday party presents so feel it's fair for them to reciprocate)?

GnotherGnu · 09/04/2018 14:17

Goodness, I hope not. Due to sheer inefficiency on our part, our DC's birthdays are quite close together and we have a month of stress dealing with three celebrations. I couldn't cope with that twice a year.

amusedbush · 09/04/2018 14:17

I jokingly mention that it's my half birthday to DH but I don't actually believe it's a "thing"!

PinkCalluna · 09/04/2018 14:18

She does have form for things like this like demanding we buy from a present list and dictating how much we spend.

A present list can be helpful but she can’t force you to use it or dictate how much you spend. Buy him what you like.

Trinity66 · 09/04/2018 14:19

I never heard of this before, I really hope it doesn't become a thing for fucks sake

PyongyangKipperbang · 09/04/2018 14:21

Good point about your DS's "half birthday" being on DN's birthday. I agree, do it back and see how she likes them apples

MonkeyPoke · 09/04/2018 14:21

I couldn’t even tell you when my dcs “half birthdays” are.

6 months after their actual birthday?

MrsHathaway · 09/04/2018 14:22

We do half birthdays.

BUT

We don't hijack anyone else's day. That's unforgiveable.

We don't do presents. That's batshit.

We do a half cake (bake one Victoria sponge size cake, then cut it into two semicircles and sandwich them). And that's it.

It's a long time from one birthday to the next when you're small, and being able to say you're three and a half is a big deal.

SnookieSnooks · 09/04/2018 14:22

my DD, who is 13, has been joking for years that she wants half a cake on her half birthday. Her older sister promises to make her one every year but in the event we all forget about it. I thought it was just my DD!

I never knew there were actual adults out there who took this seriously!

paddlingwhenIshouldbeworking · 09/04/2018 14:22

Ok it sounds like you don't see each other and you don't have to attend anything or buy a present. So basically you see on social media that she's taken her DD out.

Urm this is not a 'thing', this is you not liking someone.

CaptainBrickbeard · 09/04/2018 14:23

DS has a Christmas birthday. We have a little party for him when we’re on our summer holiday (it’s not exactly six months, more like seven and a bit so not technically a half birthday). We’d never do it on someone else’s birthday!

paddlingwhenIshouldbeworking · 09/04/2018 14:24

And given that they don't live near and your DC are small children and therefore not following social media, I don't think it's hijacking your DS's birthday. Its just celebrating something else at the same time. A bit OTT for some (certainly not anything we do) but not harming anyone it seems.

NickMarlow · 09/04/2018 14:26

Dd has an early January birthday, so we do a day trip around her half birthday. It's a nice reason to do something fun as a family in the summer and means we can take her somewhere that wouldn't work in January weather. No presents or anything though.

Original poster

Dancingmonkey87 · 09/04/2018 14:27

MonkeyPoke Obviously monkey but I’m not going to workout each half birthday for every one of my dc. I could understand doing it for a child with a life threatening illness that’s really sweet but it’s not the case here. The rest of the family think she’s batshit and seems to do on purpose because it’s ds birthday. She never celebrated it before he was born

OP posts:

AgentHannahWells · 09/04/2018 14:27

The only part birthday our family celebrated was when the Harry Potter fan was 9 and 3/4s. She had a surprise Happy Platform Day

PyongyangKipperbang · 09/04/2018 14:29

She never celebrated it before he was born

No surprise there.

Are her kids the eldest GC by any chance?

MrsHathaway · 09/04/2018 14:30

The only part birthday our family celebrated was when the Harry Potter fan was 9 and 3/4s. She had a surprise Happy Platform Day

You get a Very Good Parent badge for that.

And I'm secretly annoyed that my 9yo didn't enjoy HP&tPS so didn't continue with the series and wouldn't have appreciated a Happy Platform Day even if I'd realised.

TittyGolightly · 09/04/2018 14:30

It’s DD’s half birthday this week. Have always marked it (being able to say “and a half” matters when you’re 4,5,6,7) but usually just by buying DD a doughnut or something.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5