Birthdays near Christmas...

[ClairAye]

Anyone else's LO have a birthday close to/on Christmas? My DD is the 21st and it's getting more difficult and expensive as she gets older.

I don't want to give her less on her birthday simply because it's Christmas a few days later as it seems unfair but then she gets a whole load at once and it's overwhelming! I can't really do experience days as we have basically nothing where we live and can't travel.

Feel free to share hints/tips/ideas or rant about the terrible timing of their birthdays.

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

My 11yr old is 12/22. Its not more or less difficult. She gets presents for both and we celebrate both as needed.

 

[ClairAye]

My 11yr old is 12/22. Its not more or less difficult. She gets presents for both and we celebrate both as needed.

So do we. I'm just finding it is getting more expensive as she gets older and into all of the current fads and wish we had more experience things to do rather than her accumulating a whole pile of stuff within a few days lol.

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

Then I'd set a limit so it's not out of your budget. Get her experiences vs gifts or as many gifts.

We used to do Hanukkah and that falls right on dd2s birthday. 8 days of gifts. Small but when you have multiple children, it adds up.

 

[Rags]

My own birthday is 22nd December. As I child I don't recall ever feeling as though it was engulfed by Christmas, I always remember it feeling special- and strangely enough Christmas always felt ages away!

 

[ClairAye]

My own birthday is 22nd December. As I child I don't recall ever feeling as though it was engulfed by Christmas, I always remember it feeling special- and strangely enough Christmas always felt ages away!

I'm so glad to hear this! I try to make her birthday as special as possible and avoid Christmassy things that day, she's only 6 this year and so far so good! I remember the breastfeeding support woman telling me her birthday was a week before Christmas and she absolutely hated it, just what I needed to hear.

 

[Rags]

I'm so glad to hear this! I try to make her birthday as special as possible and avoid Christmassy things that day, she's only 6 this year and so far so good! I remember the breastfeeding support woman telling me her birthday was a week before Christmas and she absolutely hated it, just what I needed to hear.

I've no idea if my mum felt pressure to keep things separate, it didn't feel that way, it always just felt like my day. My nanny's birthday was the 23rd and my aunts the 26th so strangely enough I think everyone else was left feeling a bit left out!!

 

[Mum21boy1girl]

My Youngest bday is on the 19th, I make sure all of my kids get the same amount of Birthday presents which isn't a lot, maybe 5 gifts each and some of the gifts are crafts or experiences like a movie ticket and candy etc they also get money from family which I encourage them to save half of it.
If it seems they are accumulating too much stuff, we do a purge of stuff they are not playing/wanting.
We full time live and travel in our RV so I understand not wanting too much stuff.

 

[Rags]

My Youngest bday is on the 19th, I make sure all of my kids get the same amount of Birthday presents which isn't a lot, maybe 5 gifts each and some of the gifts are crafts or experiences like a movie ticket and candy etc they also get money from family which I encourage them to save half of it.
If it seems they are accumulating too much stuff, we do a purge of stuff they are not playing/wanting.
We full time live and travel in our RV so I understand not wanting too much stuff.

Sounds like you've got a good balance. We normally do a clear out as we approach birthdays and Christmas although this year ds doesn't have much he wants to give up, he's old enough to not feel he wants lots of new stuff though so it should work out.

 

[Bevziibubble]

My DS birthday is January. We split the presents equally but it is a lot of presents all in a short space of time!

 

[ClairAye]

Yep my daughter definitely has accumulated a lot. But she genuinely plays with most of it lol. I will be trying to get her to clear out some stuff this year though!

 

[Bevziibubble]

I did a big clear out a few months back but I think I need to do another one!

 

[motherofboys]

My husband is the 4th and my mum is the 28th. My husband has always loved it and wanted the tree up for his birthday where as my mum has mentioned not liking it as people would give one combined present. I know a friend said that her son who is Christmas day, they would have Christmas in the living room and birthday in the dining room to keep it separate.