How to Celebrate a Kids Birthday on Christmas

Having a birthday on Christmas may seem like a lucky break, at first. Until that day comes and everyone else gets presents, too. It kind of takes the “special” out of your special day.

What a bummer.

Well hold it right there. It doesn’t have to be. You just need to know how to celebrate Christmas and make your birthday special at the same time.

Sound complicated? Don’t worry, it’s not. We’ve got all your Christmas birthday ideas right here.

The Presents

If you have a child who isn’t able to experience the joy of opening presents on a day all their own, you know how overlooked he must feel. Especially if his siblings have their own special days.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind to avoid that “unspecial” feeling:
• Give the birthday child large presents for his birthday and save the small ones for Christmas gifts;
• Never EVER use Christmas wrapping paper on birthday gifts;
• Don’t give one gift as both a Christmas and a birthday gift like some horrible “buy one get none” special;
• Try to stick with season-appropriate gifts. This means don’t buy sidewalk chalk for a winter birthday. That’s just cruel;
• Leave the Christmas-themed toys and books for Santa to put under the tree;
• Celebrate his half-birthday, too, so he really will be able to have his own special day in warmer months, and far from Christmas;
• Start the tradition of using a “birthday tree” where all Christmas ornaments are removed from the tree and streamers, balloons and banners replace it before he wakes in the morning.

The Timing

Be prepared and have a plan of how you will time things during that extra special Christmas day or even the weeks leading up to and winding down from it. Otherwise, your child will feel second to Christmas preparations.

Here’s how to time it juuuuuust right:
• Save Christmas plans for the morning. Open gifts, talk about Santa, play some holiday tunes. Then, save dinner for everything birthday;
• If your child’s birthday falls after Christmas, make an effort to take down all Christmas decorations before his birthday. It may be stressful, but he will appreciate it;
• To lessen the strain on other parents having to buy your child a gift for his birthday party while also preparing for their own Christmas, try throwing a birthday party that’s less about gifts and more about activities. Even throw a party to “kick off” the holiday season, focused on baking cookies, making snow angels, and constructing gingerbread houses. And of course, add in birthday cake and games. Remember, cards are always a great suggestion to other parents;
• Let him choose the timeline for the day: when to eat, when to have cake, when to open presents, etc. It will give him a special power no one else has on his day.

The True Meaning of a Christmas Birthday

At the end of the day, your child just wants to know he is just as important as everyone else. So, sit down with him and figure out what would make him feel special this holiday season.

You can even share the birthday fun with Santa by leaving him cake rather than cookies. Point is, there are endless possibilities on how to make your child’s Christmas birthday just as special as everyone else’s. All it takes is a little imagination, and some forethought.

And, of course, if all else fails, focus on the positive: Everyone will remember his birthday.

Fa La La La Fabulous!