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Original poster

Christmas baby?

15 replies

nomoreminibreaks · 30/07/2013 19:01

DC2 is due over Christmas/new year and I just wanted to hear stories about what to avoid and how to separate birthday celebrations from everything else that's going on at that time of year.

I had intended to take a break from TTC in April to try to avoid a Christmas birthday but I guess it serves me right for trying to control everything!

All help appreciated!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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papalazaru · 30/07/2013 19:06

My 9year old DD was due on Dec 21 but made her appearance between Xmas and new year. We thought about having a half birthday for her in June but this has never actually worked so we usually have a small family celebration on her actual birthday with gifts and then her party with friends is usually in the first or second week of January to ensure that they can all be there in case they're travelling over the Xmas hols. It works fine so far. The only rule I have insisted upon was that she wasn't given 'joint' presents and that all birthday presses had to be wrapped in birthday paper - not left over Xmas wrapping!

SchnitzelVonKrumm · 30/07/2013 19:11

My DD was born between Christmas and new year, she actually likes having a Christmas birthday!

SchnitzelVonKrumm · 30/07/2013 19:12

Otherwise we do the same as papalazaru.

MyDaydream · 30/07/2013 19:24

I'm a Christmas baby (23rd), and everyone always labelled cards so I knew what to open then. I also always got gifts for each occasion unless I specifically asked for a joint present, which I often did when I was a teenager and wanted more expensive things. Parties were never a problem when I was a child and there was always a good film out to go see for a cinema party. I really didn't hate it until I was older and everyone was too broke to celebrate, or had already gone back to their parents. As a child it just added to Christmas for me.

BikeRunSki · 30/07/2013 19:32

DM' s birthday is the first week of Jan and her older brother's is 2 days later. DGM thought thus was far too close to Christmas for a birthday, so she celebrated them in March instead, along with Eddie younger brother's. She liked things neat and compartmentalized.

DM was 8 when she realised she was actually 2 months older than she thought she was.

I do not recommend this method of distinguishing a Christmas time birthday from Christmas. DM is now 70 and still goes on about it.

DuelingFanjo · 30/07/2013 19:41

DS was born on 22nd and so far he's been too young to really know the difference but in future I think we will make sure that we don't put anything Christmassy up until his birthday celebration is over. I also hope that people continue to give him separate birthday and Christmas presents as I think there's an important difference and if he had siblings with birthdays earlier in the year the wouldn't be getting one present o. Their birthday and be expected to go without at Christmas. Other than that him having his birthday so near tomchristmas makes it a really jolly time.

katrinaxx · 30/07/2013 19:47

im due on new years day praying baby doesnt land on christmas day I was planning to take time off from ttc so I didnt end up with a christmas baby lol surves us right like you said xx

mrsm22 · 30/07/2013 19:47

Hello, my baby is just 19 months and was due on 16th December so we had no idea coming up to Xmas when he was going to arrive! Even having Xmas dinner we were on tender hooks, but he was born on 28th Dec which I think is actually quite a good bday because it's after Xmas day but before New Year's Eve and when he's older it'll always be party season around his bday. Like others have said, at Xmas time last year I was insistent that no one treated Xmas and his bday as one and no one did. We had a lovely Xmas day with lots of presents and a big family party, a Mickey Mouse party on his bday which was great and loads more presents. If anything, they get two fabulous days!

MrsHY1 · 30/07/2013 20:22

I'm a Boxing Day baby myself and only have fond memories of having a birthday at Christmas- after all, I didn't know any differently! My family were always around me, we always had great food in and there was always something fab on the telly! People very rarely bought me joint presents/ wrapped my birthday presents in Xmas paper but it certainly wasn't something my parents mandated against - they wouldn't have dreamed of it!

Dusty04 · 30/07/2013 20:26

I'm due Boxing Day.. SIL's birthday is 29th December and she hates it as she said she always got people's unwanted presents for her birthday! We were thinking of the half birthday celebration but not sure how it would work on reality! Kind of hoping he/she arrives pre Xmas or in January!

Yonionekanobe · 30/07/2013 22:55

I'm due 30 Dec. One colleague took glee in telling me how much his wide hates her 28 December birthday but most people have actually been very positive.

Lots of people have suggested also celebrating DC2 birthday in the summer hit then he/she will have two birthdays which seems unfair in DD1.

chubbychipmonk · 30/07/2013 23:02

DS was due 20th Dec but was born 12th.

Not a problem except my DM who always insists he'll get 'far too many toys' so buys him a small thing for his b.day then a big present in the summer.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 30/07/2013 23:10

DD was due on 21 Dec and arrived on 23rd. She will be 5 this year.

We tend not to put our tree up until xmas eve now (has become a nice tradition). Family have all been.scrupulous about separate birthday/xmas presents. So far we've had small tea parties at home. Most of our friends stay at home for xmas, so hasn't been a problem with people not being around.

Lollylau · 02/08/2013 08:38

im 19 and a half weeks and my baby is due Christmas day so i know how you must be feeling, myself and my husband where hoping i go before or after, but if the baby does come Christmas day then there is nothing i can do, we have discussed to make the birthday a couple of weeks before as mine is the 9th dec. This is my first baby so myself and my husband are writing off xmas this year such as dinners with family etc, my mum is bringing food up and that is all i. dont think i will be in the xmas mood with having a big baby ready to come out any minute. My advice just enjoy it and deal with birthdays etc after, and i dont see anything wrong with a december baby either i feel lucky im pregnant as lost the last 2 so this is my blessing! :)

WelshDragon80 · 02/08/2013 19:48

My birthday is on 20 December and I've always loved it. Everyone's in the mood for a party, there's that lovely festive feeling in the air and no-one forgets my birthday because it's easy to link with Christmas! Occasionally grouchy people suggest it must be terrible getting joint presents but in my experience people tend to separate them, or if they do go joint it's something bigger (sorry, that's rather mercenary but it is something people worry about).

Family friends of ours have a DD (now 20) with birthday on Christmas Day and they make the morning her birthday and lunchtime onwards Christmas Day; that seems to work well.

One last tip...after they had named me my parents thought maybe they should have given me a Christmas name like Noel but it was too late and so when my sis came along in Nov they gave her one which tends to confuse people! So maybe think in advance if you want to do this :)

Gosh epic post, sorry.

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