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We just celebrated our youngest's 10th birthday this Christmas Eve. She's had a few birthday parties, all in the first week or two of December and then on her actual birthday her cousins usually come over and we do a small family party. We haven't done a regular birthday party for the last few years. I was thinking of trying the January party, maybe even this year. Last year we told her we were going to do the 1/2 birthday in June with a backyard bbq party but that never happened, that ended up being way harder to coordinate then just a kids birthday.
This is the first year I realized the present thing is a problem. I've always given her a little present, puzzles/books/new jammies and then the next day all the girls get their "big" present, on Christmas. This year she did seem little disappointed I didn't get her a toy or something on her birthday. She's a sweetheart so she didn't say anything really but I could tell she would have liked something "bigger". We took her ice skating then went to toys r' us and she picked out a toy (we "surprised" her but really it was totally made up on the fly by us). She picked out a doll.
So far she still thinks she's lucky to have been born on Christmas Eve.
My daughter was born Dec 17. I found throwing parties around that date was hard because so many people were traveling. So we'd have parties a week or so before or after that date.
I always made sure to shower her with plenty of birthday presents. It seems a lot of people get jipped by those combining bday and holiday gifts.
Well, the gift issues was sorted this year. So that DD's bday gifts do not get short shrift and tossed to the side in favor of her next-day xmas haul, this year we gave DD a single "big ticket" item for bday (laptop) on the 24th and the next day many smallish gifts for xmas (deco tape, Japanese erasers, sketch book, nail varnish pens, stuffed animal, coin purse, etc). DD had loads of fun unwrapping the xmas gifts - but now will also look forward to opening a "big gift" on her bday. Sorted!
Still haven't sorted the party issue ... DD had one bday party (when she made 4). She's a tween now, so overdue for another party, I suppose. I'm leaning towards an end of January party date ... Hoping for a good turnout.
Throw a 'half-sies' party in June. My great grandmother always celebrated her birthday June 24th....her mother had started that when she was little and she did it her entire life..solved the problem.
I have a friend who has her birthday 12/26 and one with 12/29. The 12/26 person always has a Christmas themed brunch for her bday. We meet at a fancy restaurant and go see Santa after. She usually does it the week before. I made sure to send her a present for her bday.
My friend who's bday is 12/29 often has an NYE/Bday combined party. She actually loves it because the likes the pretend the whole world is partying for her.
I have two kids born in December, 12/8 and 12/26. We don't do parties. We do mom/daughter (or papa) dates. They pick out one item/toy and then do lunch and visit the nail shop or salon. Sometimes the theater if a movie they want to see is playing.
My other kids were born in November, so not a whole lot different.
In some countries, children are also given a saint's name, and they have two anniversaries a year: the actual birthday, and the day of their saint. For instance, my middle name is a version of Michael, so I have my name day on Nov. 8th, when my country's church celebrates Saint Michael and Gabriel.
One of mine was born during the first week of January. I remember planning a birthday party a couple of weeks after, because I knew parents would not enjoy buying another gift so soon after Christmas. But mostly our birthday celebrations were family oriented. We give money for Christmas and birthdays, so it is enjoyable for this kid to get two back to back checks, so I think all is well now.
My birthday is Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 1992. I was due Jan. 7, 1993 but came early. I used to have my birthday party in November or the first half of December. Now it's typically held in January.
My daughter was born Dec 17. I found throwing parties around that date was hard because so many people were traveling. So we'd have parties a week or so before or after that date.
I always made sure to shower her with plenty of birthday presents. It seems a lot of people get jipped by those combining bday and holiday gifts.
My father was also born Dec 17 - in 1919! One of the few things he ever complained about from his childhood was exactly that situation, of having the birthday and Christmas gifts rolled into one.
Mind, we're not talking lavish gifts to start with. He grew up in a tarpaper shack and all the kids contributed what they could, whether it was potting squirrels or hiring out as farmhands. Yes, back then a child of 10 could get hired on as a farm hand (boy) or to help do laundry or similar tasks (girl). Or go out to the woods and pick berries, glean fields after harvest, haul water for the family garden - whatever they could do.
No complaint about any of that. But it still bothered him after all those years that he only got one home-made extremely modest gift per year where all his siblings got two.
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. My parents would always have my birthday a month later to avoid the present issues though.
