Daughters First Birthday Around Christmas

This is this my opinion so take it for what it's worth. I know the hassle of holiday birthdays. My husband's is on Thanksgiving, my daughter's right before Christmas and my son's right after Christmas. I make sure to make each one of their birthday's special just so they don't feel "jipped" that they got skipped over due to the holiday. We may do something small (just us and them) if the kids' birthdays fall on a Wed. and then do something big on the weekend (friends and family etc.) It is important to let them know that no matter what the season/holiday that they're still worth the trouble of a party etc. Good luck!

At this age she won't remember her party but you will. So make it fun for you too. Up until about age three you have the option of doing it at your convenience. Speaking as someone who was born the day after Christmas though, after three you really should try to keep it as close to, if not on her birthday. I am 27 now and I have only had two actual parties for my birthday. One when I was sixteen and my grandmother was having her big X-Mas party that day and made it a double party. The second was when I turned 24, and I threw myself a huge party at a local bar (I was over 21 and single, so why not). It can be very hard to feel special after all the excitement of Christmas, and unfortunately my family didn't really try. If I can give you one piece of advise above all others... make sure you do everything in your power to make her feel special on her day. Try to make as big a deal out of her as you do Christmas. Because in the wake of the magic of Christmas, cake and ice cream and one little present always seem less. I never got rid of the feeling of being cheated. Try to make sure you give her a party with her friends. Even if you can only get one or two to come (because of the holiday) having them there will be extremely important to her, especially after the age of 9 or 10. Sorry to be such a sour puss. All I know is that it is still a source of sadness for me. You obviously care very much for your daughter if you are already planning her birthday and she is lucky to have you. Most of what my family did was how anyone would handle it. The things that always hurt was that 1.I never had a party that included anyone NOT in my immediate family. 2.My present was always treated like an after thought and I never got more than one. (This was an issue only because my three siblings always had numerous gifts on thier birthdays) 3.My birthday was never a big deal to my family and even getting them into the kitchen to watch me blow out my candles was usually a chore.

The point is (after my depressing little diatribe) is it is very hard to feel special after every single person you know comes by to share in the fun of Christmas but they treat your birthday like something they have to do.

My son's bday is four days after Xmas, so I feel your pain, heh. We've always managed to do an extended family party on his special day. My sis and her fam are in state for a week, and they drive down, plus the inlaws and my mom drive down the night before. We do Xmas for everyone in the morning (so everyone has toys to play with, heehee), and then the evening is all birthday. My mom always asks off for a few days, and everyone in her office knows not to fight her for them. This has worked for 5 years now.
We don't travel anywhere for Xmas, because everyone comes to us after for his bday, so there's not much stress involved. I reserve rooms at a nearby hotel, so no worries about where people will sleep. Plus, swimming in Dec is always a treat.
It actually works out very well for us this way.
Good luck!
J.

I was born in early January (9th) and whatever I didn't get for Christmas I usually got for my birthday. This may hold true for your daughter as she gets older, so maybe having her birthday after Christmas wouldn't be so bad. Her first is kind of a big deal...so maybe just have close friends and grandparents over to an intimate birthday dinner for her? Bake a little cake for dessert and enjoy her first as a family. Let us know what you decide!

Hi Sandy!
My oldest daughter's bday is Dec 8th. We have always, since her 1st bday, dedicated the weekend closest to her day to just her. We kinda kept it "low key" with just family and close friends when she was little. Now that she is older, 10 this year, we find that there are lots of exciting things to go out and do very inexpensively. I always have given her gifts too. AND I expect relatives to do the same. I have a Jan. bday and when I was a child relatives would tell me things like "happy bday, but we gave you a xmas gift so no gift for your day." I have always rememebered that! I would love to do that to them in April or July. Dont know if that helped out or not....Just make the day fully about her! Cake and friends and family over for an afternoon should work out fine at this age.
S.
S.

Oh Dear S., Sounds like your Holidays will be busy. I have had to finagle birthday parties for one reason or another and I think at 1 year old, You have the power to do what comes easily to you and your family. I have always said that it is about the time spent together. It looks like her birthday is on a weekend? (if I was looking at my calender corectly) Maybe you could plan a small celebration with your family at your house with cake and then after the Holiday Hassels you could do more if you like, or not. Whatever you do make it a celebration that won''t stress you out anymore than the holiday's already do.
Good Luck and Let's up know what you end up doing!

My birthday is only in November and it has been affected by the fact that people are already budgeting for their holiday shopping. When I was younger I never got the big parties and my family didn't shop all that much for me. My mom did great, it was just hard to get the rest of the family together.

Anyway, I have thought about this because I now have a son with his birthday Dec. 10 (and the other one is July 29). I want to be sure to keep things even. One thing I have thought of is to theme my Dec. son's birthdays so that they stick out from the rest of the holidays. I have thought I might have summer themed parties. I already hate it when people give him presents wrapped in Christmas paper.

My Dec. son in only three, so we haven't had many parties. One thing we tend to do is have two parties if his birthday doesn't fall when the whole family can get together. We have one at home ON his birthday and another when the family can get together. We had to do this for his first birthday. We did cake and such with my mom on his birthday, and then we had to have his birthday be part of my mother-in-law's Hanuka dinner. My feeling were kind of hurt because everyone was too busy to get together at the other times we suggested, but what can you do.

Be prepared for family to be too busy to get together. What I do now is just plan a party and that is that. I can't please everyone.

Hi S.,
Our son Brennens birthday is Dec 28th too and we, after a couple years, found that if we did the party ON his birthday we had almost 100% turnout, the weekends around the holiday are so hectic, and it has turned into our favorite party, a nice break from the holiday scene for the kids and adults. So, my advice, on the day. All of the older kids are out of school and the parents are looking for fun stuff to do.
Good Luck,
K.