Dc with birthday between Christmas and New Year

[Sootgremlin]

Anyone else? This year is my dd's first birthday, so though it won't make too much difference to her this time around I was wondering how others manage it?

I know my ds who is 3 will be interested in her birthday and we want to make sure we carve out a proper day for her in the midst of everything else, and that we set a precedent of making it special for her

For ds we had small family parties for his early birthdays, but we will probably be seeing everyone at different times over the period, and worried it will get a bit lost. So we're thinking some kind of family day out, something nice at the time of year but not directly Christmassy maybe.

What do others do?

Hi. My ds1 was born on New Year's Day. Turns out this is not a great day for a birthday - here in Scotland everything is shut (apart from Edinburgh Zoo!). We try to make his birthday distinct from Christmas which can be tricky as decorations etc are still up.

We have family over for lunch - its a New Year/birthday celebration so ds gets to choose what we are eating (within reason!), we have a nice pudding and then birthday cake at teatime just before the relations go home. We are lucky that we have two reception rooms in our house so his birthday cards go in a different one to the Xmas cards! I don't do the saving of birthday presents to another time in the year as I know some do, but as he's had so many gifts at Christmas I find that some presents seem to get forgotten about and then "rediscovered" later in the year, which is great. Lots of people buy him clothes as an antidote to all the toys he's had a Xmas, but he is quite happy with this. Also he opens his birthday presents in a different room to where the Xmas tree is as I want his birthday to be distinct from Christmas.

It has sometimes been difficult for ds2 - when he was younger he couldn't understand why he wasn't getting any presents that day, as just a week before both boys had had gifts! Now he's older he understands so thats not a problem.

If ds is having a party we always wait till term begins as people are so busy with family over Xmas time. We find that works well and helps to extend his birthday a little. Last year (when he turned 7) we didn't have a party but a trip to the pantomime - we had to go on New Years Eve though as its not on on NYD! A panto is good (obviously not at 1 years old!) as altho they take place over Christmas period they are not particularly Christmassy.

I think your idea of a family day out is a good one - make sure everyone knows that its to celebrate your child's birthday, have birthday cake etc.
Hope its special!

DS has a birthday between Christmas & New Year and we've always made a conscious effort to make sure it doesn't get mixed up with Christmas.

He has completely seperate presents and for the last couple of years, a birthday party with his friends at the end of the school holidays.

We generally have a seperate family party at home on his birthday though we have been away a few times (once in Spain and twice to London).

My Birthday is 27th Dec and it's always been tricky as so many people have plans over the Christmas period and are unable to make a party. As a child I used to HATE 'joint' presents or presents wrapped in Christmas paper (I'm not so fussy as an adult though! ha). I think it's important to separate the two from the off so people know making an effort to acknowledge your DD's birthday is important for you and your DD as she gets older and becomes more aware as your right, it can get lost in the Christmas fuss. When I was younger my grandparents used to take me to a pantomime each year for my birthday as they are always on round that time of year. I would make sure you give people plenty of notice if you are wanting them to attend a little party etc. I just think spending time as a family or with close friends with little children with a bit of fuss and attention is all a child really wants no matter whether you stay in or go out. I'm sure your DD will have a lovely one just by the fact your already thinking about her birthday :)

I'm another 27th December birthday and I always got "joint" Christmas/Birthday presents that didn't seem any bigger than my 4 siblings Xmas presents. My actual birthday was a non-event, think my parents thought with all the Xmas stuff going on they didn't need to make any specific fuss. But at 46 I'm not bitter honestly.

Sounds like you dd is going to have some great birthdays!

Thanks so much for your replies, really helpful to hear your experiences, and some lovely ideas here.

Thanks for sharing how you approach it for your ds theapprentice and oldbeanbagz, it's all the little changes you make that help make it special, like having things done separately from the Christmas stuff, and giving them choice over food etc. From what others have written of their own experiences it seems like having that acknowledgement of it being a distinct event in its own right is really important, especially where extended family are concerned. It sounds as if you handle it really well. Good idea about parties in term time as well, I was worried about her missing out but it makes sense to wait and nice to have something 'extra' to look forward to after the Christmas fuss has died down. Good point about panto not always being very Christmassy too!

Really interesting to hear your perspectives cajagi and weallhavewings (even down to the day ) having been on the other side of it. 'Joint' presents and Christmas paper is what I want to avoid for her! Her brother's birthday is in the Spring so as she grows up I don't want her to be aware that he gets 'a day' and she doesn't. It has been on my mind as I know Christmas plans are going to start being talked of and want to make sure that we get her birthday plans in place first so it doesn't become an afterthought. She came a fees earlier than expected (I gave up having got through Christmas!) so it has only really occurred to us we ought to think about this year as she wasn't with us last Christmas!

I like the idea of a day out as people will be coming over for dinner etc a lot anyway and it would make it a bit different, but you are all right, that as long as she is with us and made a fuss of that should be enough, and she can take the lead more as she gets older.