My daughter’s birthday is December 21st. She was actually due December 26th. I’m very glad she came a few days early. Anyway, so far she doesn’t really understand Christmas a ton. She’s going to be five this year and we haven’t made a huge deal over Christmas at home over the last couple years since she was so small. Now, since she’s getting older we want to really celebrate Christmas but this also means we really need to start paying attention to her birthday too. We need to focus on separating her birthday from Christmas and really celebrating it like we would any other time of the year.
My father’s birthday is December 15th and I know he still holds, 70 years later, some resentment for never truly having a birthday when he was growing up. It is definitely hard having a December birthday for this reason. I don’t want my daughter to grow up feeling resentful for never really celebrating her and her birthday.
Here are some ideas, if you have a child with a December birthday, to help celebrate and focus on their birthday away from Christmas.
Have a Party Early
This year we plan to have my daughter’s birthday party two weeks early. We were going to do one week early but that Saturday is December 15th, my dad’s birthday. Trying to make sure he has his own day too we went to two weeks early. I also plan to do this as my daughter starts school. When she wants friends over for her birthday party it’ll be easier for others to come if the party happens before the holiday break.
Decorate for a Birthday
I know some who would not even put Christmas decorations up until after their child’s December birthday. I understand this thought but I think it may be a bit extreme. Especially since it limits the time you can see pretty Christmas lights in and on your home. But you can definitely still add on top for a Birthday. Streamers, balloons, presents, make it an affair.
Buy Separate Gifts
This can be hard on parents. There’s often so much we budget for Christmas gifts and when there’s a birthday right before it can be easy to say, “We’ll just give her this gift for her birthday instead of Christmas.” But then, Christmas comes around and that child is receiving less then their siblings. We could try to teach them to understand they just got presents for their birthday two weeks before but that’s hard for small children to grasp. Also, their siblings are getting all their Christmas presents plus birthday presents they’re just months later. Stick to a budget for Christmas and separate the birthday presents from that budget.
Perhaps Focus on an Experience
I love remembering fun experiences when I was a kid. Perhaps the perfect way to celebrate a December birthday is to focus on a memorable experience rather then gifts.
Do you have other fun December birthday ideas? I’d love to hear them.
Sarah
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This can get so tricky. My ex-husbands birthday was the 24th and it was also tough to try make it special.
My daughters birthday is New Years Eve and she’s only going to be 3 as well but I already feel stressed about birthdays when she’s older! Last year was our first birthday “celebration” and we went to the zoo on her actual birthday but it is hard to budget out gifts. It’s also hard because by the next Christmas and birthday they develop so fast and the toys aren’t fun anymore! I’ve been considering doing a half birthday in the summer when our families who live out of state could come for a birthday and it would be easier financially! Or if anything have a mini birthday with more developmentally appropriate gifts after 6 months!
My son has a birthday right before Christmas too – the 19th. And we do keep them separate.. Agree with your tips here 🙂
Holiday birthdays can be so tough! My birthday is January 16, and even 3 weeks after Christmas I feel like people are burned out from the holidays. I can’t imagine being so close to Christmas or another holiday, and it totally makes sense to celebrate much earlier.
Some great ideas! I always feel bad for kiddos with bdays near Christmas and their birthday is overlooked.
Wow, my son’s on the 22nd December. So we celebrate on his birthday and just prepare for nochebuena on the 24th, and they open their gifts on the 25th. This is the way we celebrate every year.
[…] How to Separate Birthday Festivities from Christmas […]
Our daughter was born on Christmas Eve, so what we do is have a mini party on the Half Birthday in June, which we didn’t get to do this year due to Covid, but she’s only 3 so it hasn’t really affected her. We do celebrate her birthday on the 24th as a family and save anything Christmas for the 25th.
My birthday is December 30th, so I totally understand this struggle! My parents did an excellent job of making the day feel special, and they did a lot of the things you suggest here.
Such great advice! It’s tough when you want to celebrate them both equally, but also don’t want to be caught up in the stress of it.
My son’s birthday is on December 28. We always make sure that we treat it separately.
Great page! I do agree. I love this idea of keeping things separate:)
These all sound like great ideas. I am not long after Christmas and these tips would work for that as well.
love these ideas, i imagine its super hard to separate the two when so close together!