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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tell me about your January birthdays?

145 replies

Exceptionallyeccentric · 29/12/2018 17:05

I’ve seen lots of complaining on here recently about people with December birthdays/their dc have December birthdays. And everything that is crap about it.
And I get it.
But Aibu to think January is an even worse time?
Dc2 is due the end of next month.
I had a conversation today with a shop assistant about how much she hates January and what a dreary and miserable time of year it is and it’s got me thinking.

At least a December birthday people are generally happy and jolly.
Everyone seems to hate January, and I get that this is a first world problem, but I feel like this child will be much less likely to get a happy, jolly celebration as everyone will be skint/dieting/freezing. Sad

Dc1 is summer born and always has a lovely celebration.

I’m hormonal and probably overthinking this somewhat.
But if you/your dc has a January birthday how is it for you?

OP posts:
Sallygoroundthemoon · 29/12/2018 17:48

Early Jan and I hate it. Dry January, no one wants to join me for a drink, everyone is skint, crap presents that are regifted from Christmas or bad because people have run out of ideas. I know on MN it's considered terrible to bother about your birthday after about the age of 16 but yes, it sucks and it would be nice to be made a fuss of for a change like my friends who have later birthdays.

MrsFoxPlus4 · 29/12/2018 17:48

We had cakes made, we’ve made cake & we’ve bought supermarket and he’s never bothered by it. So that’s something we don’t splash out on

SingingSands · 29/12/2018 17:50

It's my birthday near the end of January. Unfortunately it's just before most people get paid so there have been plenty of quiet birthdays in the past.

This year it's the big 4-0. I'm having a party and family are coming to stay at a nearby hotel. But because of the payday issue I'm having it in February.

Still, DH is taking advantage of cheap deals to whisk me away for a romantic night at my favourite hotel. Er, I hope... HmmGrin

Yura · 29/12/2018 17:51

Youngest is (very) early february. great time for birthday for a child as loads of toys in sale/ still loads of duplicate christmas presents. hardly anybody has other plans as well, so liads of people come to birthday parties

sickmumma · 29/12/2018 17:51

DD birthday is 25th Jan - we've just been into town today and I've got most of her presents half the price so cheaper for me! We still make as big a thing about it as everyone else's - the boys are sept and October birthday so weather isnt always reliable anyway so we are used to indoor parties! DS due end of Feb so we really haven't timed them we'll expense wise haha!

Original poster
Exceptionallyeccentric · 29/12/2018 17:55

I don’t think splashing out on cake is important either mrsfox usually ds1 gets a home made cake or a supermarket one and he’s more than happy. One year I just did cupcakes and that was enough.
But I think it would sting to be given a boozy/festive spiced fruit cake passed off as a birthday cake in January as a child!
A chocolate cake can be bought for a couple of quid and used for birthday, it just doesn’t seem necessary to use a festive cake.

Well happy birthday to all of you celebrating your birthdays/your January babies birthdays now/soon Smile

OP posts:
GiBlues · 29/12/2018 17:58

Dd’s Is on 3rd jan and we struggle with birthday parties because invites have to go out at the end of dec term, they get lost with all the Christmas cards and all the stuff that comes home from school.
People are skint and can’t be bothered because they’re partied out from Christmas and new year.

However we make sure she has a good time
And she’s never moaned or complained about when her birthday is so it can’t be that bad!

bellinisurge · 29/12/2018 17:59

January birthdays are great. I've had over 50 of them and was too busy enjoying them to notice if it's a drag for other people. Don't expect expensive presents or things like that. Never have. Never will. It's kind of a private "I'm happy so sod ye" feeling.
The only time I've hated it was the first one I had after my mum had died. But I was sad because I unexpectedly felt the severed connection for the first time and would've felt the same if it had been any other month of the year.

AnyFarrahFowler · 29/12/2018 18:01

DS is end of January and DD is November, so we have a busy (and expensive!) 3 months, then nothing for ages.
We’ve decided to give them a joint treat in the summer - eg outside toys for the garden or, when they’re older, a trip to a theme park or something similar that can be done outside in the (hopefully!) nice weather.
It’s a shame neither of them will be able to have a nice birthday BBQ, but I’ll just have to be a bit creative with what we can do indoors!

mummyhaschangedhername · 29/12/2018 18:02

Another 5th of Jan birthday here and I agree it's totally crap. I also lost a baby (miscarriage) on my birthday so it's all just a bit pants really.

EnglishRose13 · 29/12/2018 18:04

Mine is the 13th. No one ever wants to do anything. Fuck you, Dry January!

On my 21st birthday, one of my brothers refused to come home for it in case it snowed. This would have been fine, except my other brother worked in the same building and commuted everyday, so was literally doing the same journey.

There was no snow.

FuckingYuleLog · 29/12/2018 18:10

I have a summer birthday but tend to go out for a meal with my dh or he will cook for me. Could be done any time of year.

OnBail · 29/12/2018 18:32

DD’s birthday is New Years Day, she has a great time because we make it that way, presents, balloons, cakes etc. But she s only 6 so maybe that’s why she is not bothered by the date.

Might change as she gets older, but as my son was born mid December we have always made sure they have a birthday, presents etc and not merge it into Christmas.

Suomynona · 29/12/2018 18:45

My Fiancè's birthday is 2nd January, and it's invariably totally rubbish, despite my best efforts to make it otherwise. After reading this thread I may adopt the idea of giving him a half birthday on 2nd July.

Manycatsandallthegin · 29/12/2018 18:45

My brothers birthday is february (and like a pp said, its a miserable cold month with a half term stuck in the middle that people are either skint for or away) so he always had a small indoor party with a few people plus a “half birthday party” in the summer with bouncy castles and games when young, or booze and bbq when older. He loved getting 2 parties a year

Purplestorm83 · 29/12/2018 18:49

Mine is 5th January, I love it! At least I can assume the weather will be shit and plan to do something indoors, my dd’s July birthday is a pain because she always wants a picnic lunch and we always have to have an indoor back up plan. Also, on 5th Jan the tree is still up so it’s nice and festive, I love Xmas anyway so having my birthday right afterwards prolongs the festive season.

Jayfee · 29/12/2018 18:52

My son's birthday is New Year's Eve. Anyone have any experience of this birthday?? He is 30 now, and I have never asked him if he feels like he is missing out.

PoutySprout · 29/12/2018 19:07

My Fiancè's birthday is 2nd January, and it's invariably totally rubbish, despite my best efforts to make it otherwise. After reading this thread I may adopt the idea of giving him a half birthday on 2nd July.

We’ve done that on 0 and 5 years. And try to be away somewhere for the actual birthday. He spent his 40th scuba diving between 2 continents in -7 air temp. Grin

BramRang · 29/12/2018 19:15

My cousins (birthdays in Jan and June) has a joint party EVERY year in June AND Jan. Jan was usually a cinema trip, June was in the garden. My aunt would go all out with decorations that said "X is 5 and Y is 6 1/2 - let's celebrate!" Etc.

Worked for them!

DanielRicciardosSmile · 29/12/2018 19:16

Mine is the last week of January and I like having a birthday then - definitely a bright spot after Christmas and New Year when you're feeling a bit flat.

Always had well-attended parties as a child and only very few joint Christmas/Birthday presents (I'm looking at you, godfather). My mum's only issue was that the weather always meant a house full of squealing girls rather than being able to put us out in the garden, but as house parties are less popular now it's not so much of an issue I'd say.

Beebumble2 · 29/12/2018 19:29

Mine is very early January and was always awful, little or no celebration when I was a child.
The worst was, as an adult DH had a new job in a city where we knew no one. Our house buyer insisted we completed straight after New Year. So we moved on my birthday, to a rented house, in a strange city with all our furniture in storage.
I now take charge and tell DH what we are doing for the day - theatre, visit somewhere, dinner at my choice restaurant. He books and pays!

Thewifipasswordis · 29/12/2018 19:31

Mine is early January, 10 days after Christmas. 4 days after NYE. No one can be fucked to do anything. At the end of the month it'd be a bit better.

My Sons is the middle of the year on Payday. He will have the best birthdays 😂

Zoflorabore · 29/12/2018 19:38

Mine is on the 18th and I hate it!
This year was my 40th, everyone was skint and was waiting for payday after being paid early in December.
It was one of my worst birthdays.

I remember my 21st and getting a cheque from my dad and him asking me not to put it in the bank until the 27th Jan Grin

I've even had people moan at me that my birthday is inconvenient, like I can help when I was born...

Original poster
Exceptionallyeccentric · 29/12/2018 19:48

Zoflora so sorry about your 40th.
It seems so unfair, after all your birthday would hardly be sprung on close friends and family.

OP posts:
cadburyegg · 29/12/2018 19:50

DS1 is early February and I like having something to look forward to after Christmas Smile We don’t shower him with things during the year obviously but I often get him something in the summer otherwise he’d be waiting 10 months for anything.

One downside is no outdoor parties. He’s 4 this year and having a soft play party, joy!

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