Christmas birthday kids...
It occurred to me the other day how lucky we are that the kids birthdays aren't too close to any major events. A friend celebrated her sons half birthday earlier this year with a day out and gifts, as his birthday falls just after Christmas and she feels it's always overshadowed and he misses out.
I figured that this must be a pretty big problem for kids and parents everywhere and wondered how it affected families. I know there's always the issue of people combining presents, wrapping birthday presents lazily in Christmas paper and that kind of thing - does it really bother people?
I decided to speak to some other parents in this position to see how they deal with it and if it really does have much of an effect on the wallet, the child and the holidays - or if actually the kids do pretty well out of the whole arrangement, banking extra gifts and extra celebrations.
Erin's birthday is on New Year's Day. As this is her first birthday it's a bit trial and error. However, we've done things pretty equally without putting a preference on one rather than the other and intend for it to stay this way. Her Grandma does buy her a half birthday present though in June. This isn't to make up for anything though, just to make sure she gets something age appropriate part way through the year.
Lyndsey - www.mehimthedogandthebaby.com
My daughter will be 9yrs old on December 13th and I have to say I often struggle to finance her parties, as so much goes into Christmas, there is always lots going on with the school, or clubs she attends, so if we do hold a party we have to juggle as so many can not make it. I do feel a little sad for her, that within two weeks she gets all the gifts of the year and it is not spaced out.
Sadie - www.tiarasandwellyboots.com
My daughters birthday is Christmas Eve!! Her fault, she decided to be 6 weeks early! We always have a designated area of her choice downstairs that's not got any Christmas decorations and we put up balloons/birthday banners/birthday cards etc. I'm really strict with anyone who gives her presents! If for her birthday, there must be no reference to Christmas, and be wrapped appropriately! If not, I've been known to not accept it. After all, if your birthday was on Easter Sunday, you wouldn't be happy with Easter stuff...! We always do her party early Dec to make sure her friends can come!
Nathalie - www.intolerantgourmand.com
My boys' birthday is Jan 12th and it is so difficult- from their perspective. They don't have the problem so much with presents wrapped in Christmas paper but we have such a problem with trying to organise their party (invitations have to go out before the Christmas hols and early enough not to be confused with Christmas cards [that's happened]). For us, as parents, we seriously struggle with presents- they'll be 6 this January- so it's how you give presents they'll appreciate, so close to Christmas. I don't think we'll ever achieve this, so the best we can do is making their party special, this year it will be Star Wars and planning is already underway!
Debbie - www.anorganisedmess.com
My son Charlie's birthday is 10th December but we always make a big thing of it being HIS day. He loves it as he gets so many presents in the space of a few weeks. It's always handy for us that if there's something he didn't get for his birthday we can quickly slip off and get it for Christmas. My husband used to be adamant that we didn't put the tree up until after his birthday to separate - but Charlie's the one who wants it up at the start of December so he doesn't care! We also used to use an advent calendar to help him count down the days until his birthday & Christmas. December is such an exciting month for us.
Beth - Twinderelmo.co.uk
Arthur was supposed to be born on the 23rd of December. He didn't arrive until the 7th Jan which I thought would mean that it was far enough apart to mean he gets a separate Xmas and birthday - however, last year (his first Xmas) most of his extended family bought him a joint Xmas and bday gift...stating that it was a 'bigger' gift as it was combined. I guess that in itself could be seen as a bonus as he gets older if he wants the choice. Personally I think it is really important to split the two and make sure that he has a dedicated day for each and different gifts for each, otherwise he could really feel like he misses out. It does mean though that I have bought him more things this year throughout the year as he has developed because a whole year is a long time to go between toys that suit a certain age range so it's swings and roundabouts really!
Sarah - Http://www.arthurwears.com
My twin sister and I were born a couple days before Christmas. My parents always tried to make sure that we kept Birthday and Christmas celebrations separate. My children's birthdays are December and January so I do make a big deal over 1/2 birthdays. We have birthday cake in June/July and they get a gift that they use during the summer months. Previous presents were a scooter or sandbox. When you are little, you can never have too much cake or fun birthday celebrations.
Christina - http://www.ladybughome.com
So my husbands birthday is 11th of December and he's always moaned that he didn't get "big presents" because his mum would use the excuse oh well it's Christmas soon. His reply would be my sister gets big presents for both cos her birthday is in Aug! So when my twins arrived on December 15 I wanted to try and make sure that there birthdays are separate from Christmas. Grand Parents still wrap their birthday gifts in Christmas wrap. I seem to have to plan parties quite early too so that friends are not booked up with Christmas events. The year they were born though - I got to Christmas Day my mum cooked dinner, we never even pulled crackers as I was that tired from my two babies that it didn't really seem like Christmas.
Nina - Www.readyforacuppa.com
DD's birthday is in December. It's always made parties hard as everyone is busy with Christmas. I don't know if dd minds. Some years she has one large gift for 'birthday and Christmas' but we always get her things to open for both, just smaller stuff. She always demands the tree and decorations are put up in the first week of December in time for her birthday, she says then it feels like the start of the party season, so she has a month of feeling festive. My husband's birthday is in December too! So it's a busy month for us. Now dd is 16 she has stopped wanting birthday parties at all.
Naomi - Www.tattooedmummy.co.uk
Mine is December 30th. As a child no one was available to come to parties, my presents from my parents were always combined, which meant they spent a bit more money on my gift but I usually got everything on Christmas and hardly anything on my birthday so the day never felt very special. It's such an awkward time of year in that lull between Christmas and New Year. The only good things for me was I never had to go to school on my birthday and I'd get one of those advent calendars that lasted until New Years Day. Now as an adult even the after Christmas sales don't last as long as they used to!
Kayleigh - Http://candyflossdreams.net
Thomas was born on 26 December. Since then we have 'Boxing day' on 27th. So far we've been lucky in that no-one has given shared gifts or Christmas wrapping paper. And everyone knows it's T's birthday not Christmas when they come round. We remove the Christmas decorations in the kitchen Christmas night and replace with birthday ones. This year (he'll be 5) we are considering going bowling instead of a family get-together. We hold a party for him in June so he has something to look forward to through the year too.
Leandra - http://www.larabeeuk.co.uk/
Taylor was born new years day, I find its hard to shop for both so close together. He did get some new toys in the summer as it's a long time to wait. A few relatives came for his first birthday but not sure how it will go in years to come. People usually stay home on new year and everywhere is closed.
Lisa - www.leeleeloves.co.uk
Not quite Christmas but my daughter's is 12th December. We don't put up Xmas Dec's until after her birthday so it's not lost in Christmas. Birthday parties are hard to organise as most people are busy on the run up to the big day so we find people can't come. We also run out of ideas on what to get her as having to think of two lots.
Rebecca - http://motherofthecircus.com/
My daughter Grace was born 2nd January. I've always made it clear that no one should give her a gift that was joint Christmas/birthday (although my father never took any notice of this!) I do feel that she gets lesser presents as a result though and was she was younger she used to get overwhelmed with it all. It's also hard to judge when to have her party. I always make sure I take the Christmas decorations down on New Years Day.
Victoria -http://www.vevivos.com
My daughter was born 27th December. We have always said no joint presents and no wrapping paper. We take all the as decs down apart from the tree so it doesn't feel too Christmassy. I also do her a big party on the 27th June for all her school friends as no one would come to her party if we had it in the holidays. We call it her unbirthday.
Lisa - !https://mrsomusings.wordpress.com
I had an emergency c section which I have written about before but I haven't yet talked about how his birthday affects us because so far we haven't had a chance to work it all out properly. The first year we had a huge party the Sunday before and being one he obviously didn't know much difference. Last year we went to peppa pig world as close as we could get to the day. Then made xmas more about his birthday because I feel so guilty that he was born that day. I do have issues about it and get so fed up of people telling me that we should celebrate it half year instead. My hubby was born Dec 14th- no one says hey celebrate your birthday in the summer to him so why should I be made to do it for my son?! So many people like to voice their opinions on how I should celebrate which adds to my annoyance. It's gonna be different each year I think because he's also gonna develop views on it all. I haven't thought about this year yet but he's much more aware as he's been asking about his birthday already and looks confused when I say it's at xmas. I quite fancy going away some years so that we can really make it about him and not about xmas. Some see xmas day as a huge thing but I much prefer birthdays because those days are about a certain person and celebrating their life. Xmas has become too much about presents and commercialised (another topic I know).
Emma - https://emmareed.net/
Archie is the 29th December. It hasn't affected to much yet as he will only be 2 this year. I'm sure as he gets older it will be annoying for him. Also to throw a birthday party for him for friends I will have to do it in early Jan as lots of people go away around Christmas and New Year.
Laura - www.mummyszone.com
Yep, my little man is a Christmas Day baby! Now I have another child, I'm finding it more stressful to ensure its fair and Archie gets as much for both Christmas and birthday as any other child would. We're also worried that there just won't be enough room because of the extra presents, there's SO much on Christmas morning and I now worry how my youngest will feel when Archie is clearly getting more on the day before he can understand why. From Archie's point of view, he'll be 3 this year so he still doesn't really understand it; we usually give him a family party on Boxing Day but will have to rethink in future when he wants a party with his friends. My niece is also a New Years Day baby and we usually all visit on the day then she has a party with her friends a couple of weeks later. The good thing though is that everyone's in an amazing mood to celebrate so it's always a really happy time! (PS. hate birthday presents wrapped in Christmas paper)
Kaye - http://helloarchie.blue
Rupert is a CHRISTMAS DAY baby. He's is four this year. I actually think it makes his birthday extra special. We have a separate birthday tree for him where his gifts go under and we have birthday cake after dinner, but, he doesn't celebrate or open his gifts until. Boxing Day.... that way we can make a whole day of it. Last year we had his party in march also. And all three of our children get a birthday treat, like cinema or the zoo, we do Rupert's in the last weekend of June, so he has another date in the year to look forward to.
Emily - www.aslummymummy.com
My daughters birthday is 29th December and the only time it has bothered her has been parties. It falls right between xmas and new year so no one has ever turned up.to her little parties. This year I through her one the day before they went back to school. It went down so well the kids had missed each other over xmas and hadnt seen each other at school yet so were so excited to see each other and most of her class turned up. She loves her birthday though and xmas is an exciting time in our house
Carly - www.mummyandthechunks.com
Charlie's birthday isn't until the 12th January but he always get presents in Xmas paper from relatives, some even give it to him at Christmas 'to save coming over again' (charming!) and we also have relatives that year after year forget his birthday but remember our other children's birthdays.
Katy -www.katygibson.co.uk
Daniel's is 30th December. He's 2 this year but I do feel for him. I'm planning on taking him on a special day out in the spring because I do think he'll miss out. In the future I do think we'll adopt a January alternative birthday because he was originally due on the 15th January. I also think he'll miss out on the type/cost of presents for either Christmas or birthday, one won't be the same if his birthday was a different time of year and that's from us too probably, because we can't afford it!
Jenny - Midwifeandlife.com
My daughter is born on 15th December. I struggle sometimes as it's a choice between Christmas decorations being up and the birthday ones staying up. Also presents are hard to get as it's a choice between Christmas and birthday. Relatives also give her combined gifts and normally wait till Christmas.
Jacinta - www.jacintaz3.co.uk
A big thank you to everyone that took part.
Do you have a Christmas baby?