Christmas Babies

[Lollypop]

Anyone any experience of Christmas Babies? Mine is due 26 Dec. Any helpful comments.
I cannot even decide what to do about Christmas dinner. Our families all live an hour away over the Pennines so I don't fancy the trip as it gets very foggy at that time of year. Probably have it at our house with or without me.
Also what do people do about birthdays in years to come?

My daughter was born Dec 29th. I agree with Sobernow, treat her birthday and Christmas totally separately. Everyone else gets to have their birthday separately, so it shouldn't be any different. DD thinks it's really exciting that her birthday is just after Christmas, because she feels like it's just one long pressie fest, but she's only going to be 6 this year. From someone who's birthday is 3rd Jan, I used to loathe it getting a combined present, I felt my birthday was always totally neglected because everything arrived in December. And as an adult nowadays because of that noone seems to remember it - sniff (!).

My birthday is 17th Dec, ds2 was due on 14th Dec but born on 27th, managed to run the gauntlet of birthdays and Christmas and be born on a day of his own which was quite nice. In my experience, never do joint party, joint presents, joint anything. We even put up our tree the day after my birthday so that Christmas and my birthday were separate things. It sort of felt special being a Christmas baby but getting Christmas cards from friends with 'and birthday' written inside was gutting as were birthday cards with the message 'present at Christmas' scrawled inside. Trick is to make it feel as special and birthdayee as you can, I think.

My birthday is 28th Dec, rightin the 'dead zone' between Xmas and New Year. Speaking from experience, never mix birthday and Xmas up (make sure you have birthday wrapping paper, for example - as a child I hated having my birthday present wrapped like a Xmas present). You'll have to work that bit harder to make sure that your child has a special day, even if you feel are 'celebrated-out' after the Xmas festivities. My main problem always used to be birthday parties - so many people go away to visit family etc over Xmas and New year - one year when I was small NO-ONE came to my birthday party (upsets me even now to think of it). After that my parents decided to let me have an 'official' birthday in the summer so that I could have my party when everyone was around and the weather was good.

Dd1 is Dec 20, we don't put the Xmas decs up until she's gone to bed on that day. When she's older I'm planning to have a 'summer party' for her without presents but all her friends running around in the garden and a cake etc.

Lollypop, DONT do ANYTHING about Christmas dinner. Forget it or get other people to worry/plan for it. Buy in a few things that can go in the freezer. Wait and see what happens. Dd1 was born in 1999 and I stressed massively about not only Xmas but Millenium Eve, in the end spent Xmas day having my stitches loosened and Millenium Eve asleep in bed, completely knackered as had tried to be perfect and overdone everything.

My birthday is 29th Dec too! And my db is Dec 27. We used to have a joint party on the 28th as a "compromise", to save my poor mother's sanity I guess! Yes we used to get combined Xmas/birthday presents, and worse we'd get JOINT combined Xmas/birthday presents from relatives! My birthday still feels like a non-event. Everyone is winding down from Xmas, and getting psyched up for New Year. I still remember my 21st, everyone left early cos they were thinking of New Year the following night (in hindsight we should have had a New Year's party and be done with it!)

Sorry not very helpful is it...I can only suggest for future years, you could celebrate her half birthday ie when she is 3 and a half etc, and have a party for that. Still make a fuss of her real birthday of course, but I think the half-birthday idea is lovely and I wish my mum had thought of it when we were kids!!! As for Xmas this year, take it easy, don't do anything lavish and try to get everyone to bring something so you don't have to do much. Hope bub holds out til Boxing day or later so you can have Xmas at home! Keep us posted!

Hi my dd's birthday is 23rd dec so I've been thinking about this all too. I think that from next year (she'll be 3 this dec) I'll try the half birthday thing in summer for the reasons discussed. But she's not been aware of that til this year so you have a couple of years to work it out yet, Lollypop. Also dd was due on the 8th of dec - so in theory you mightn't have to worry if you go over into the new year!! good luck

Not quite the same as Dd's birthday is on the 3rd Jan. But we have a family only celibration on the day, normaly go to the panto, and then we have a party once school starts. Trying to do it in the holidays is dreadful, as so many people go away.

My birthday is in early Jan but even then I still used to get joint presents wrapped in Christmas paper, which I remember hating. So agree with everyone, celebrate baby's birthday seperately in future years. Feel very sad for you Azzie with no-one coming to your party! Summer party idea is great too. Wish my mum had thought of that! I'm lucky as my babies are both June (and no 3 is due April, tho this coincides with DH b/day and wedding anniv, so not so clever, eh!). As for this year Lollypop, certainly don't do any cooking! Can you arrange for s/one to come and do the meal at your house? Why should you drive over the Pennines at 40wks pg? Or just have a quiet one at home with M and S ready meals? Of course baby may have other ideas... good luck

My birthday is in Feb and I still got joint presents! Although this was good when I got older, as I could ask for expensive stuff..!

ds will be 1 on Dec. 7th and we're not going to put up any christmas decs. until after his birthday. Also not going to do joint presents until he's at least 18!

we've also thought about having a 1/2 birthday celebration - maybe when he's a bit older.

Last christmas we ignored family and had our own meal with 18 day old ds - the day's a bit of a blur, but it was great we didn't have to make any effort or entertain anyone.

we managed to buy everyone's xmas presents in Oct/Nov and get them all posted off, so that was a relief - prepare as much as you can in advance!

Remind me - how much is a TV licence these days, I certainly tune into Mumsnet a lot more than TV, it is 1000% more entertaining!

Further donation on its way!

sorry - wrong thead!

My oldest ds was born 26th Dec. I did nothing about Christmas dinner - luckily, my parents were in the same town, so that solved that problem! But all the family understood that I was going no-where!!!!

I NEVER let people do a joint present - it seems so mean! Even if it's just a token one for one of the days. We have a family party (all the mates are with their families ), and make sure that the pressies are in birthday paper, not Christmas paper. Last year we all went bowling which was a great laugh for everyone.

We do have an official birthday - June 26th - and call it his half-birthday. It's then that we have the party/outing with his friends. He's 10 now and is happy with the way we do it - this year he went out to lunch with some mates TGI Fridays ( oh the sophistication!! ) and had a brilliant time.

It's worth thinking about what to do in the future, especially as some people will do the one present for both days thing. I don't mind from friends, but not from family. Does that sound mean?

Clary, it's OK DH will do all of the cooking,he enjoys that sort of thing. I'm not as good at cooking and so he does it all (& the ironing - I do know how lucky I am). If it was left up to me we'd live in micro meals and sausage sandwiches!

My Dad's birthday is Christmas Day and my brother's is on New Year's Day. Despite his protestations, my Dad does very well out of it - we all take extra care to ensure that he gets MORE than double the presents. We're perhaps not perfect about wrapping his Christams pressies in different paper - although I do try!

Christmas Cake is always called birthday cake - even if it does have white snow icing and a Father Christmas on it! In recent years actually, it's had a sophisticated nut decoration, rather than icing - done by my Dad!

He's also been surprised for his 40th, 50th AND 60th birthday bashes - there's so much going on over Christmas that you can cover up "other" preparations!

It's my brother who gets hard done by: you always think "I'll get him something after Christmas" and then you either run out of steam or money - or both! .... but he can get "better" presents sometimes, as we can buy them in the Sales!

Mt dd was born on Dec 30th last year (due date was xmas day!). We did nothing but stay at home with each other and our ds and had a curry! The most relaxing xmas ever. As for her birthday we are keeping both separate.

Lollypop - I know exactly how you are feeling right now as my DD was due 25th Dec last year. She was actully born 21st Dec, so made it home in time for Christmas Dinner on Christmas Day.
We plan to have a combined adult Christmas Party and 1st Birthday this year, but then have a summer party with bouncy castle for DD - probably something that we will continue if we can, although she will know when her birthday is.
As for the travelling thing - just don't do it! I ended up in hospital for 8 days and 4 or so of those before the event - going out of my mind I might add! My family live in NZ, so I didn't have a choice, however my Mum and Dad came over and arrived Christmas Eve - needless to say the dinner was cooked for me when we arrived home on Christmas Day.
Good luck!

Had a baby boy on 28 Dec so had time for my Christmas dinner at home. Still ended up leaving my parents at my house cooking a chicken dinner when I went into labour.

Congratulations Lollypop!

Congrats Lollypop, hope all is well!

my daughter is due Christmas eve..I had my first baby new years eve..He always had a seperate birthday party and cake,and just as many presents,even if it was just after Christmas.

As long as they get a special day,i dont think it really matters when their birthday is.

My birthday is Christmas Day and I've never really had an issue with it.

I know a few people with Christmas Birthdays who had summer parties as kids (like the Queen, lol) but as my little brother's birthday is June 26th, that would've taken away from him.

I love that I've only worked one birthday in my life and that I get to spend the day with family and it seems like the whole country is decorated for my birthday! When I was little, my Mum always made sure we had birthday cake on Christmas Day as well. My Mum was also really good about getting non-Christmas wrapping paper for my birthday presents - and making sure that I didn't get too many joint presents (it's great if you want something big though!).

Ironically, I'm now pregnant and due Dec 19. My Mum reminded me that I was due on Dec 14, so I may still have a Christmas Day baby!

If your baby is due Dec 26th, I wouldn't plan to be going anywhere at Christmas or making much plans at all. Your baby will be full term at anything from Dec 5th to Jan 9th, so I really wouldn't be travelling then.

I think we'll be at home, stocked up for having Christmas dinner just the two of us (or hopefully 3!). What we've done some years anyway is have the family round for one day between Christmas and New Years, so if pip arrives on time, we might do a meet-the-baby day here. I saw a suggestion elsewhere of having an "open house" day a few days after baby is born, so everyone can come and visit, but then needs to go away again and give you some peace. It sounded quite a good idea.

Congratulations Lollypop!!

My first baby is due 20th Dec and I am planning to not make any Christmas plans at all! I'm hoping the families will rally round and I won't have to do a thing. Probably a bit selfish, but I have waited over 20 years for this baby and I just want to concentrate on my precious Christmas present, and I have a feeling that future Christmases are going to be well hectic

Good luck to you xx

My DD was due on Christmas day. I had her by ELCS on the 17th in the end

Obvioulsy we are yet to have a birthday so I have no advice on that one (but will be lurking for tips ) but thought I'd tell you what we did for Chritsmas dinner. My family all live at the other end of the country and I knew I wouldn't be up to a long car journey with a tiny baby but at the same time, I knew that I would be too uncomfortable after the c-section to cook so I didn't want us to be home alone (DH cannot cook). So they came to us. I ended up buying in anything that would keep (frozen veg, crackers, condiments etc) and let Mum bring all the fresh stuff. They travelled up on Christmas day and all I did was supervise DH while he put the meat in to cook early in the morning and then Mum sorted the rest when she arrived.

We had a lovely christmas dinner and I got to spend a lot of the day just sat feeding my 2 week old baby. Almost 3 year old DS got spoiled rotten and everyone got to cuddle our new arrival. It was a lovely day.

Could your family come to you and do the same??