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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think there are right & wrong times for birthdays?

152 replies

BramStoker · 15/06/2021 22:18

Light hearted - I obviously realise that individuals have zero control over their date of birth!

BUT hear me out

Jan - mid Feb WRONG (too soon after xmas, we're all too skint and knackered)

Late Feb - mid June RIGHT (birthday season #2)

Mid June - end of first week in Sept WRONG (summer holiday season, birthdays are superfluous)

7th Sept - 20th Dec RIGHT (birthday season #1 AKA the best time to have a birthday)

21st-31st Dec WRONG (gets lost amongst all the Xmas shit)

AIBU?

OP posts:
ipswichwitch · 16/06/2021 11:01

DS2 is mid December which makes it difficult to organise a party - most weekends in December are taken up by Santa visits and other Christmassy stuff. Last party we did for him (pre-pandemic) was the last weekend in November and all his friends could come, so I guess that’s the way forward. He’s autistic though and kept telling anyone who’d listen that’s it’s not his birthday and he didn’t understand why they’d sang happy birthday to him 😂

Bubblemonkey · 16/06/2021 12:09

It’s my birthday on Friday & id say my mum evicted me at a decent time.

TheFuckingDogs · 16/06/2021 12:26

Week before Christmas amazing birthday time! Everyone’s in party mode and excited!
Christmas Eve through to February really crappy birthday time.
March - June great birthday times and agree ones through the summer can be a pain for kids if everyone is away although still good weather to do stuff

Winniewonka · 16/06/2021 12:52

All you fellow first week of January people, I hear your pain! New Year slump, majority returning to work, school. I can count on one hand as a Northerner, the number of times that it hasn't snowed on my birthday. This year it was freezing fog.
No one's in the mood or can afford to party but I have been lucky enough to be able to go to the theatre in Manchester at the nearest weekend for the past few years. Not without its hazards, a couple of years ago there was black ice everywhere in the city centre and people were falling like skittles!

Socksey · 16/06/2021 14:21

February is rubbish... everyone is broke, weather is crap and it's too far away from Christmas for people to even be thinking about that. Basically nobody wants to know and they all pretend it doesn't exist.... even my own parents used to forget.... my sister has an early December birthday so that can get mixed in with Christmas and as a child sometimes would get a joint birthday and Christmas present, which age 7 us not great.... but at least they remembered...
My DS birthday is in October half term every year .... which may be OK when he's older with Halloween parties etc.... however as a small child it's meant nobody turning up to parties... saying they'll come and then on the day 3 people out of the class show up 🙄

NinaMimi · 16/06/2021 14:23

Week before Christmas amazing birthday time! Everyone’s in party mode and excited

Excited and busy with Christmas though. I’ve never met anyone who liked their birthday so close to Christmas but good if you do. To me as a child it wasn’t separated from Christmas and just felt like a little mini taster of Christmas.

shivawn · 16/06/2021 14:28

I'm up for a party any day of the year to be honest, don't think there's any wrong time.

Maryis · 16/06/2021 14:43

My birthday is the beginning of October, I've never found it the best time apart from when I was at uni as I always had big birthday celebrations - everyone just back, looking to get together, still have money for a meal and some drinks, admittedly it was more of an excuse to get together but i always found everyone i asked came

PasstheBucket89 · 16/06/2021 14:47

Im mid December, definitely wrong time of year!

tattiehat · 16/06/2021 14:51

December 19th is a terrible day for a birthday, people usually have Christmas parties going on, generally a busy Christmas preparation time so no time for celebrating a birthday 🥳😥😥

Rememberallball · 16/06/2021 15:20

@ForkedIt

In what world would the 20th December be seen as a desirable birthday?! YABVVU
Exactly - and I say that after 49 of them!!

You’re never able to book restaurants and it not be ‘Christmas’ themed - music, decorations, even menu’s are all Christmas oriented. Either have to have set menu’s or Christmas dates. Some places even make you book their party nights alongside lots of companies. That’s if you can organise something because all your friends are committed to Xmas do’s and don’t want to go through party burnout - or can’t afford yet another night out!!

You get half arsed ‘hope you had a good b’day’ scrawled at the bottom of Christmas cards, get smaller birthday gifts (if anything) as everyone is strapped for cash because they’ve gone overboard on Christmas - or they tell you they’ve bought you ‘joint’ Christmas/birthday presents.

SpudleyLass · 16/06/2021 15:36

YANBU.

I quite like my mid October birthday. The only thing really that I dislike about it is that the weather is usually dismal - but I've had sunshine before so its a bit a gamble. For my 30th next year, I plan on having a big blow out in June.

I'd hate to be born in December/January for obvious reasons.

My DH is early March which is ok but half my mother's family were also born in March so I'm basically broke each March.

My DD was born late July, which I think is perfect. She'll never be at school on her birthday, no exams, weather should be good etc.

If we have a second child, we'll aim for a May/June due date.

CallmeHendricks · 16/06/2021 18:15

I can highly recommend June 21st.
until Boris hijacked it
Slap bang in the middle of the year so you can space out your wish list.

MrsJuliaGulia · 16/06/2021 18:18

YANBU, i am my entire family would agree with you 🤣

JustDanceAddict · 16/06/2021 18:22

School summer hols is shite. No-one is here for your bday when you’re a kid or when you have your own kids and if you want to go away for your bday as an adult without kids it’s the height of the season!
Was ok between 19-30-odd after school & before people started to have children. I also hated being young for the year - I was premature and should’ve been born first week of Sept which would’ve been a lot better.
My kids have better dates & they weren’t planned - DD’s is summer but before schools finish & ds’s is spring which is usually tail end of term - occasionally in the Easter hols.
I think Feb-Early July is fine. Then Sept-beg Dec.

AnUnoriginalUsername · 16/06/2021 18:25

Birthday season #2 beats #1. Spring is better than autumn, it feels warm and fresh, nature is coming back to life, days are getting longer. It's just a happy time.

JustDanceAddict · 16/06/2021 18:25

@awaketoosoon

May-June is exam period and rubbish for birthdays

Have they moved? I have an early May birthday & never had an exam in May.

June yes.

GCSEs and a levels are mid-May to mid-june
irregularegular · 16/06/2021 18:32

I think unless you are a school aged child (or possibly if you and all your friends who you might want to have your birthday with have school aged children) then summer is a good time for a birthday! Even as a school child it is good right up until the school holidays. Much nicer to celebrate in good weather.

I think after about 10th Dec there are too many Christmas activities. And by late Jan people are ready for a birthday.

So I agree with the principle, but don't think you have it quite right.

RunningFromInsanity · 16/06/2021 18:34

Agree that March-Sept are the only times for birthdays

Crunchymum · 16/06/2021 18:38

DC1 is a month before Xmas and DC2 and DC3 are a month after Xmas (they aren't twins either, just both have mid January birthdays!)

Mine is Mid June which has always been nice.

I think the worst birthday I know is a friend who is 4th January. No-one ever really wants to do anything and she often ends up disappointed by lack of effort. Even for the big birthdays (30th / 40th) she hasn't been able to have a big do as people just aren't interested 😕

trappedsincesundaymorn · 16/06/2021 18:43

December 25th...worst day ever to have a birthday I am obliged to buy presents for other people to give to them on MY BIRTHDAY...and do any of those tight fuckers get me one on theirs? No, no they don't, and don't get me started on having to give my date of birth to companies that request it... after 50+ years on this planet I'm well aware of what day my birthday falls on, so there is no need to tell me every.single.time.

XiXiXi · 16/06/2021 18:45

@BramStoker

I did dither a bit over when in December is acceptable for a birthday. Perhaps I should have drawn the line a week early on 13th?

Its all up for debate 😁

As someone who has a dec Birthday, somewhere up to the 13th - it's a big fat no from me. Far too near Christmas. Everyone skint from shopping and the nights out always clash with someone's works do.

MasterBeth · 16/06/2021 18:58

None of December is any good. My late July birthday is OK, but only because it’s just before school breaks up. Otherwise, a reasonable post.

LavendulaAngustifolia · 16/06/2021 19:03

I love my Feb birthday. No-one wants to go out and that is absolutely fine by me.

AngeloMysterioso · 16/06/2021 19:11

Mid June - end of first week in Sept WRONG (summer holiday season, birthdays are superfluous)

I’m in this group and my birthdays were always a bit crap. I’ve now got a November DS and expecting an early December baby and it’s tough because it means their birthdays will always have to be indoors, and we don’t have the space to host anything at home so there will inevitably be an added expense there, whereas summer children can have picnic parties in the park or garden (weather dependent obvs).