5 Tips for Making a Holiday Birthday Special

0

Allow me to tell you a brief story about my daughter’s birth…

My daughter was due January 14. I knew almost 10 women who had their first child at 40+ weeks. So I never imagined she would be born early. We were all set for a post Christmas birth.

However, my water broke on December 21, and my daughter (who lovingly took her time) arrived in this world on December 23. On top of that, my husband and I picked out a name that would give her the initials E.L.F. Oops. Sorry E!

Christmas is my favorite holiday, but I didn’t exactly anticipate an almost Christmas baby. It was sweet to be in the hospital around the holidays however. The hospital staff made every effort to keep up the holiday spirit. Santa visited each room to take pictures with the newborns, and my daughter came back from her first bath in a Christmas stocking. So adorable!

However, after a few years, I started to realize that a holiday birthday is not ideal. Especially one so close to Christmas.

I’ve spoken to a few friends and family members with birthdays near the holidays, and have heard some good tips for making sure that her birthday doesn’t get lost in the holiday mix. And now I’m going to share those tips with you!

1. Keep the gifts separate.

Don’t give your child joint Christmas and birthday presents. Make them separate. I even intentionally wrap birthday presents in birthday paper. You may need to remind others of this.

2. Make sure their birthday is a day about them, and avoid any holiday events on that day.

For example, don’t plan to visit Santa as a birthday gift. We’ve gone to favorite restaurants, gotten our nails done, and went shopping at one of my daughter’s favorite stores. The whole day is hers to choose (within reason).

3. If you plan to have a birthday party with friends, have it a few weeks early.

This is important because it helps spread out the celebrations and, also because people will not be available later in the month due to holiday plans. So be sure to plan that birthday party early!

4. On that note, make the birthday party a birthday party!

Don’t give it the nearest holiday theme. No holiday themed treats or anything. I once removed ornaments from our Christmas tree, and put balloons and streamers on it instead for my daughter’s birthday party. 

5. Consider a half birthday celebration instead.

Half birthday parties can be a lot of fun! I’m hoping in a few years this will work for my little ELF. I think she’d enjoy a summer celebration, and spreading out the gifts for the year.

How do you celebrate your child’s holiday birthday?

Previous articleCan You Buy That For Me? The Effect of Advertising on Our Children
Next articleColumbia Mom EATS :: Cassava Breads
Lisa Freeburg
Lisa is a transplant from the Midwest. She was born and raised in Kansas (yes, she has seen a tornado) and spent a few years in Ohio before moving to South Carolina in 2014. She holds a degree in Biology and works as a research assistant at the USC School of Medicine. Her career in science spans 11 years and she can't imagine a job anywhere else. She has also been married to her college sweetheart for 11 years. He is a professor at USC, so they are Gamecock fans by default. They are proud parents to a spunky 2.5 year old girl who keeps them on their toes. As a family, they enjoy being outside in the wonderful southern sun, gardening, playing tennis, and going to the beach. They also are parents to 2 fur babies who still aren't sure about their little sister.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here