Making Christmas Birthdays Special

I never really minded my early December birthday's proximity to Christmas. Sure, there were relatives who sent "Christmas/birthday" gifts, but my parents were careful to differentiate the two celebrations. Then I met my husband, a Christmas Eve baby, and I found out how challenging it can be to distinguish his birthday celebration from our Christmas celebration. The following are some ideas for making Christmas birthdays special for adults and children alike.

Have Distinct Celebrations

If at all feasible, hold the main birthday celebration a week or more before Christmas. Many people are busy spending that last week before Christmas finishing up their shopping or traveling. And the week after Christmas is often filled with more travel, New Year's preparations, or winding down from all the holiday hustle.

If you would still like to plan some sort of celebration on the person's birthday, you can easily carve out a portion of that day specifically for them. For instance, if you would like to have a party for someone born on Christmas Eve but you have other obligations for the evening, why not have a special breakfast for him? Invite relatives to your house for Christmas Eve morning. Serve the birthday boy's favorite breakfast foods and some sort of light cake. He can open cards and gifts then, and everyone will be free to attend their evening activities. Or for a Christmas baby, you might open your gifts the night before, then attend church in the morning and perhaps serve brunch. This would leave the evening open for a birthday dinner.

Give Separate Gifts

Perhaps the most "unfair" part of having a birthday close to or on Christmas for a child is the combined gifts. My brother's birthday was in August, and I remember envying his midsummer gifts. So try to give your Christmas birthday boy or girl separate Christmas and birthday gifts. I don't believe buying a gift for each occasion has to be more expensive than buying one. Just search for two options that are less expensive. Or if you are going to buy one gift, consider splurging a bit.

Be sure to wrap the birthday gift in something other than Christmas wrap. I recall one Christmas as a child when the gifts Santa brought were mysteriously wrapped in the same gift wrap as my birthday presents. My parents scrambled for a feasible explanation. Of course, not everyone may receive gifts from Santa, but it is still thoughtful to distinguish between birthday and Christmas presents.

Also, give the gifts at different times, even if on the same day. This just makes the birthday boy or girl feel that much more special.

Consider a "Half Birthday"

If your holidays are just too hectic to plan a special birthday celebration, think about throwing your Christmas baby a "half birthday" in June. School is out, the weather is milder, and people are generally more available for parties. You could still have a smaller, more intimate celebration on Christmas for close family members, but save the extravagant party for summer.

Although not everybody needs or wants to make a big deal out of their birthdays, I think it is important for everyone to have one day a year to call their own. For those born on or near Christmas, this can be difficult due to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. With a little planning and creativity, though, you can make your loved one's Christmas birthday special in its own way.