[indigogirl]

Just wondering.

Not sure if its a vent or question - probably part both!

DS turns 3 on the 20th (it could be worse I know) but I'm a bit overwhelmed with it all.

Every year so far I feel really stressed because of how busy it is, people away, no one able to celebrate with us etc and find that I dont really enjoy his birthday as much as Id like to. Ive always got to focus on so many other people for Christmas.

When it comes to buying gifts for him it feels like there ends up being so much all around the same time that it becomes a bit meaningless. I also get uncomfortable as I'm not really a materialistic person but even without going too crazy then theres still all this sudden abundance of stuff (from us plus others). But if people buy him just the one gift (usually just for Christmas) then I'm not happy about that either!

And it doesnt even matter to him yet!

All he really wants for his birthday is a cake with a blue ribbon around it so I dont even know why it bothers me so much!

In a weird way I think I feel guilty like I should have planned a better birth date. In my defence he did come early!

I have been known to stress out and over think things

But seriously any survival tips and ideas from any long standing birthday/Christmas double ups would be great! Or even any commiserations? Am I alone in these worries?

At least I got it right with DS2 - born in the middle of the year. Much easier!

[howdo]

TBH we don't do anything differently for DD who was born on the 15th. She has a cake and a present and chooses where to have dinner same as everyone else for their birthday.

As a survivor of the great December Birthday madness just make sure the birthday present is never combined with the Christmas present.

I don't care now, but it mattered a helluva lot when I was a kid.

It does suck when no one is available to celebrate with you - DD hasn't had that problem yet - although we have had to schedule birthday parties in the afternoon to avoid Christmas parties. Not an issue as a kid but we'll have to get creative and/or organised in advance as she gets older and wants evening parties. I'm just resigned that no one is ever available for mine.

This post has been edited by howdo: 18/12/2012, 05:02 AM

[Jekaho]

For us, we keep his birthday and Christmas very separate, even though there is only a day difference.
He knows that Christmas is the day after his birthday.

This is the first year we are having a "real" party (on the 23rd) with friends and family. His 1st, 2nd and 3rd birthdays we had a little family party with a morning or afternoon tea, and a cake.

We don't buy him much in the scheme of things. He has usually gotten one "big" present for his birthday eg. a wooden ride on truck, wooden Thomas the Tank engine sets, and this year a bike, and then on Christmas he gets a few smaller things.

So far we haven't really had any "combining". The people in our lives tend to acknowledge his birthday and Christmas separately. Which is great!

I haven't really found it stressful so far. Although this year having a real party is making it a bit more of a full on time of year!

Similar to you, in our defence, HE was a week overdue, so it wouldn't have been "as bad" if he was born on December 17th, or earlier

Anyway, hope you feel more at ease about it. As you say, he doesn't mind about it and just wants his cake and ribbon. Oscar is the same - as long as their is cake, it's a birthday

ETA. This party, we invited quite a few people thinking there would be a fair few unavailable due to how close it is to Christmas, but all but two families have RSVPed yes!! A wonderful surprise!

This post has been edited by Jekaho: 17/12/2012, 08:43 PM

[JBH]

I have a friend with a Christmas Day birthday and she celebrates her half birthday every June. Her parents started it to make sure she has a special day. That's when she has a party and her family makes a fuss of her.

[Mama8]

with 2 close to christmas kids i know the feeling well.
one is born on the 18th and one on the 28th.
My inlaws tried to jip my first xmas bub by combining her bday with xmas i told them it wasnt fair so we always make sure they have separate days to xmas

[Jjbeanz]

My daughter is one day off your son and I also feel guilty as we never manage to get a friends birthday party planned for her. I know quite a few that have birthdays in December and they have their parties with school friends in November.
The good thing is that there is always something going on around her birthday such as Christmas carols that we can go to
We usually celebrate her birthday with family in January and that seems to work well.
I've made up for it this year in gifts, she has way too much lol

[Madnesscraves]

My DD was born on 2nd, while I know it's not -that- close to Christmas, it's close enough it means that she gets a huge chunk of gifts in December and nothing all year. So, to spread out the gift giving, we've decided to do Christmas in July.

Basically she gets 1 or 2 gifts then (small, nothing massive) and 1 or 2 at her birthday then same with Christmas. So I'm able to get her age appropriate gives through the year without having to buy 2 year old stuff for a 1 year old.

Worth considering?

[Jekaho]

I have a friend with a Christmas Day birthday and she celebrates her half birthday every June. Her parents started it to make sure she has a special day. That's when she has a party and her family makes a fuss of her.

I too have a friend with a Christmas Day little girl - they celebrated her birthday on June 25th instead. But then her baby sister was born on June 25th!! What are the chances! So they still use June 25th to celebrate the half birthday and the birthday

[..buzzybuzzybeez...]

Ill be keeping an eye on this thread.... my poor DS turns one on Christmas Day!! Already stressing on how to handle the Birthday/Christmas day combination and it's only the first one!!!!

[Dabri]

My DP's birthday is December 30.

A few things she could recommend:

Try not to let the birthday get lost in amongst the Christmas / New Year celebrations. Even if it's just immediate family and grandparents making a fuss - although a couple of special friends to celebrate with would be good once he's older. My DP always felt like she missed out because everyone was too tired from Christmas and gearing up fof Nrw Year to attend her parties so she rarely had one.

Also, unless he specifically and deliberately asks for a more expensive joint gift for Christmas and birthday, try and get separate distinct gifts for both occasions - and ask extended family to do the same if you know they are going to buy gifts anyway. A 6-year-old doesn't know that she got a brand name Barbie while her sisters got the cheaper Sindy dolls - all shr knows is that all three of them got dolls, but hers was for Christmas and her birthday while her sisters also got spoilt on their birthdays.

It's really about making sure the child still gets their special day and that it's not lost because of the holiday season - especially if there are siblings t compare to. DP's family weren't great in ensuribg that all three were treated equally at the best of times but birthdays were where it really hurt her.