Christmas Birthdays?

[PieMistress]

Hi,

I was just wondering if anybody else's DCs had a birthday on Christmas Day (or thereabouts) and what you did with regards to celebrating/presents etc?

DS is a Christmas day baby and will be 2 this year. Last year he was too young to fully understand what was going on but he is a lot more aware this year. It's also difficult thinking of presents for him as everybody is asking what birthday and Christmas presents to get him! Last year we kept some of his presents aside until the summer so that they were spread over the year and will probably do the same this time around.

We were going to do his birthday in the morning and Christmas in the afternoon but I think that's a bit full on and will be a total present-fest for him and would rather spread the excitement out a bit.

Sorry for the ramble! I was just wondering what other peeps did with Christmas birthdays?

Thanks
Pie

If he's only 2, it won't matter when he gets his gifts. I still spread DS's (6) out and save some for after chistmas because he's so overwhelmed by stuff

My birthday is the 20th so close but at least a different day. Not sure how best to split celebrations but am sure it'll be a very lovely day.

DD will be 4 on Christmas Day. We are having a birthday party for her nursery friends in early December, it will be the first time she has had a birthday party. Before we have celebrated on 25 Dec. When they are very young they do not understand that B'day and Christmas 'should' be separate - it is just an exciting, special day with presents.
We stagger present opening - she has a few when we see each set of relatives, and a lot stays under the tree to be opened over the next few days.
Also we try to have a barbecue in the summer and she will get a present then to make up for any overlap - usually outdoor toys that she has grown into since Christmas. We had thought that we would celebrate her birthday in the summer totally instead, but it just hasn't seemed to work out like that.
So more ramblings. I would love to hear from people with older children though.

Hi, I don't have any DC's with Xmas birthdays but we have 3 Xmas birthdays in the family. My mum's birthday is Xmas eve, we always do presents in the morning and a special meal out at lunch time for as long as I can remember. My sister's birthday is the 27th dec. When we were children my mum and dad did the family get together on her birthday so it was like a party as friends were never available due to the seasonal commitments. Then leading up to the summer holidays they would give my sister a school friends birthday party, so it was a bit like the queen really. Maybe that would work for your LO as they get to school age. My DSIL birthday is boxing day. DH says they always did a family party for her, now she is older she actually often does her own thing now. 2 is still quite small so maybe your LO won't really realise that there are 2 occasions being celebrated if you do it on the same day? Maybe celebrate the birthday with a few little friends a week before so he can play etc. Good luck I am sure he will love whatever you arrange

Snap Grockle i am 20th too. Cousin 21st, aunty 22nd, mother 24th!

It isn't the best time really is it? I would think about Boxing Day for the future, as he grows up. There are things open, cinema, ice skating, football matches so youncan all do a nice birthday activity then.

Even on the 20th it was hard to have a party, kids off school, going away, places booked up.

You need a separate day and celebration, he'll be excited enough on the day won't he?

I know it sounds grabby but please don't lump pressies together. I had 10 years of memories of having one pressie or a fiver for Christmas and Birthday, whilst my brother received two presents or two separate fivers. I was told not to be greedy but as a kid it felt so unfair!

At least he's always likely to have the day off!

Binfullofmaggotsonthe45 - doesn't sound grabby and certainly not greedy at all, folk with birthdays at any other time of year get separate birthday presents! Our DS's birthday is 14th December and we wouldn't dream of just giving him one present to cover both events and neither would our family and friends.

When he gets older, give him an "Official Birthday" like the Queen, in the summer. Then he can have a party and everything, and keep it separate from all the Christmas celebrations. Nobody will even know if you don't say anything. Then when he's older again, you can explain so he knows why official forms and suchlike have a December date
We have a Dec 2nd, 13th, and 26th birthday in the immediate family and we do try and make a point of getting a birthday card (not one of those nasty Birthday at Christmas ones either) and a separate present, wrapped in non-Christmassy paper too.

I do feel for anyone who has a Christmas adjacent birthday. My DSis is 17th, DBil 15th and DH 15th Nov. Not that DH should be a problem but he said the worst thing as a child was receiving joint presents in November when his siblings all recieved twice as many gifts ad him . we really truly planned our babies so they wouldn't be victim of this. Poor chap. But as it stands I buy birthday paper early in the year and cards to make sure I already have them in, nightmare to get anything cool birthdayish is Nov/Dec. Always make a difference between the two occasions. And because my mum was good about this, no decs up in our house until the 18th Dec at least!! You could do half birthdays for little ones born near Christmas. My DSis always got something on my birthday in August.

But also because my birthday is in the summer holidays I hardly ever had parties because it was the school holidays! It's all swings and roundabouts!

dd will be 9 on Christmas Day. We've tried the 'half birthday' celebration in the summer, but it just didn't feel right (not a proper birthday feeling!). However, we don't buy her a big bday present, and do buy something in June, usually an outdoors toy like slide, scooter, bike etc.

She usually has a party with friends a few days before (one year a few days after) Christmas, I didn't think that would go down well with invitees as there's such a lot going on at that time of year, but it's been popular- breaks up the holidays a bit, parents not staying do last minute preparations, and when the children were younger we served the parents who stayed mulled wine and mince pies!

On the day, dd opens Santa presents 1st thing, then we switch to b'day mode, get out the birthday balloons, and have a birthday lunch with cake. After lunch dd opens some b'day presents- craft items, (& when younger colouring books etc) I will squirrel away, easy to do in the excitement then bring them out on a rainy weekend in Jan Feb! . Sometimes if dd gets playing with some toys (I encourage this to avoid the 'rips paper off, "next present"' type senario!), not all b'day pressies will be opened, she's happy to save them to open over the next few days.
Christmas Dinner is in the evening.

When dd was younger we tried b'day in morning, Christmas in afternoon, but couldn't make her wait to open her Santa presents, so that really didn't work!!

Ds's birthday is on 23rd. This year he'll be at school that day.

We normally have a party the 2nd or 3rd weekend in december for his friends.

We usually save some presents to open as the holidays go on because he gets so many at one time of year, we also save his birthday money to buy something at another time.

This year he's at school on his 5th birthday and we'll be travelling on 24th...

my friend's ds is a christmas day birthday he will be 11 this year, they celebrate his birthday on the 25th November so that he has his day.

My granddaughter Skye will be 5 on Christmas Eve. She has always has her birthday presents and birthday cards in the morning and then with her sisters helps us put up our Christmas decorations in the afternoon and because it's her birthday she is the one who puts the star on the top of the tree. We then have a family birthday tea.

Thanks for all the useful posts! :) It's lovely to hear what you do with family Christmas time birthdays! Last year when DS turned one he did get some joint presents which did irk me a bit (and, some close family even forgot it was his first birthday!). But we are going to make a separate day of it and celebrate that way. I think when he starts school it will be different and we will need to look at what is the best day for party :)

I am a little saddened that he has no cousins nearby so he will be the only child in the house on Christmas day but hopefully as time goes on this might change!

Thanks everybody x

youngest ds age 7 has his birthday on christmas eve,
we have family and close friends over ect ,so it is celebrated,
but we ve never done big birthday celebrations ie inviting school class ect. with any of our children .