Christmas Birthdays

[oceanchild]

I said in another thread how important it was to my mom that Christmas decorations not go up until after her birthday, which is 12/7. I guess she felt pretty neglected growing up.

[Pollyanna]

Our youngest is a New Years Day baby so we have decided to take down the Christmas decorations by the 28th of December. We will continue to leave the nativity up until epiphany. This will give us a few days before dd's birthday when we do tons of birthday decorations. Hopefully she will always feel like her birthday is a special day separate from the Christmas holidays.

[Auspicious]

Lots of good ideas here--thanks everyone. I'll have to read this one to my husband, too.

[DCJenn]

My brother used to get bummed out because inevitably some of his buddies would be gone over the week of his birthday but he'd invite whoever was around.

My parents love having their anniversary on the 21st because all of the restaurants and hotels are so pretty. They used to go to NYC every year but mom put the Kibbosh on that because she has 'too much to do'.

jenn

[HouseofWool]

My sister is actually 12/25 - that was a hell of a present when I was three!

We always celebrated Christmas on the 24th and then had a small birthday party on the 25th. I just thought we were lucky that we were one of Santa's first stops because we got to open all of his presents on the 24th after returning from my grandparents.

I will say that some people totally cop out and just get her one big (or not so big) present, but manymanymany more over compensate. I remember many years of getting undies for my b-day in May, but my sister would get the latest and greatest whatever of the moment... But honestly, I'm not bitter. Or at least, not anymore.

My brother's birthday is 12/26. We always make an effort to celebrate with a family party, even though eating sweets and giving gifts is often a bit of a struggle in the post-Christmas haze. When he was a kid he sometimes had a "half birthday party" in June -- where he got to invite his friends to a baseball game or something since no one could ever come to a 12/26 party. It kind of stinks, but he has a great sense of humor about it.

Christmas Birthday!

I am STILL struggling with this same question. My son was born on Christmas Day 2007. Last year, we waited until a few days after and had big 1st birthday party for him. This year, we are having his birthday party the day after Christmas. No one has given one gift or a gift in christmas paper yet. I really hope he doesn't feel shafted. Its hard to share your birthday with Jesus Christ.

Lacy

[Thirteen]

I'm 12/9, and my mom did a good job keeping Xmas and Bday separate, except for my grandparents on her side, who still wrap things in holiday paper. Or send me my annual Xmas card w/ birthday wishes.

It sucked b/c many many people could not attend my parties (due to other seasonal things happening), so for a few years, I would celebrate my half-birthday in June and do a party then. It helped as a small child!

[madeintaiwan]

My brother's bday is 12/17, DD's is 12/20, cousin's is 12/27, and DH's is 12/30. Has never really been an issue. The only thing that we do do (or don't do) is not put the tree up until after DD's bday. Sometimes we put it up on her actual bday and decorate it together and have hot cocoa and what not.

[MarissaNicole]

I'm 1/8 - It goes Christmas, New Year's, My Birthday....
My Mom is 12/28, and I often feel she gets the shaft, because she is so busy with the holidays and then taking the Christmas decor down, that she wants to keep celebrating to a minimum...but she never complains.

I don't mind the combined gifts... but I do wish my Birthday was another time of year because I love celebrating and eating Birthday cake, and I just think I would appreciate it more in the summer.... You already have so many sweets and treats between Christmas and New Years.... I don't know, I suppose it sounds silly now that I am writing it.

I'm finding that...a three year old may have a hard time understanding why she can open all the presents on her birthday but has to wait for Christmas gifts AND *gasp* that some of the presents are not for her.

[migirl]

I'm finding that...a three year old may have a hard time understanding why she can open all the presents on her birthday but has to wait for Christmas gifts AND *gasp* that some of the presents are not for her.

That happened to us just last weekend! We were having our family party at MIL's house, and DS#1 (just turned 4yo) had opened all of his birthday gifts when he asked if he could "open the rest of the presents". I had to look to figure out what he was talking about, then realized that he thought that the many piles of Christmas presents piled up in the room were for him.

I feel like - this year, at least - we're sort of overcompensating for a near-Christmas birthday for him. We had a family party at home on his actual birthday, the next day he had a party at preschool, the day after that we had a party with the grandparents and cousins, and then next month we're having a joint "friend" party for both him and his brother!

[v-girl]

My second child was born 12/20/99. She is spoiled rotten around Christmas. People give her more to make up for the Christmas birthday, but she ends up with way more than had they just done two separate gifts. My niece's b-day is 1/2/01. Same issue. Sooooo spoiled this time of year.