holiday birthdayHaving a birthday during the holiday season can be a challenge. It’s a wonderful time of year, but it can also be extremely busy. Parents—and kids!—may worry that this very special day will get lost in the holiday chaos. While no one solution works for all children or their families, here are some suggestions for how to make your child’s holiday birthday stand out among seasonal festivities. 

Get on it.

If you choose to host a birthday party during the holiday season, plan in advance. Giving your guests ample notice will allow them to set aside the date before their calendars fill up with other commitments. Do a lot of the party planning ahead of time. Buy non-perishable birthday supplies (decorations, party favors, and gifts) before holiday chores distract you. 

Embrace a party theme that has absolutely nothing to do with the holiday season. Choose a “non-holiday” theme that the birthday child likes, such as superheroes or princesses, so it’s clear that this is a separate celebration in honor of the child’s birthday and not just another holiday party. 

Incorporate the season. 

Some families choose to embrace the season and incorporate it in to the birthday festivities. Activities such as ice-skating or tailgating and playing flag football are great ways to keep your birthday child and his friends entertained. 

Delay the celebration.

Postponing the birthday celebration until a few weeks after the holiday season can be a good compromise. January is usually a quieter month, and a post-holiday celebration will give your child and his friends something to look forward to. (I’ve chosen this option for my own daughter, and it has been a nice way for us to extend the holiday season and end with a big, birthday blow-out.)

Ever considered a half-birthday party?—>

 

Celebrate the “half-birthday.” 

Instead of having a birthday party during the hectic holiday season, some families prefer to celebrate six months later, on their child’s “half-birthday.” This allows kids to spread their celebration and their gifts throughout the year. Most families who choose this option will still do something small on the child’s actual birthday: a cake, a gift, a small slumber party, or a special family dinner.  

Combine festivities. 

While some kids can’t stand having their birthday coupled with another occasion, others actually enjoy it. If your child’s birthday falls on, say, New Year’s Eve, a dual celebration may be the right answer for you. Mindy Gelman’s son, Wesley, was born on December 31 and they take advantage of it. “It is a great time to have the whole family together and celebrate in a BIG way,” says Gelman, who lives in Short Hills. “Everyone is off from work so we use the opportunity to go out for a special celebration.”

Don’t skimp on gifts.

Kids with birthdays around the holidays can feel cheated in the gift department and understandably so. Well-meaning relatives and friends frequently give combination holiday/birthday presents. (Be honest: Who among us hasn’t been tempted to save time and money that way?) Whenever possible, buy separate gifts. If you are choosing to celebrate after the holidays, remember to reserve a few presents for the birthday celebration. And wrap birthday gifts in birthday-themed paper to make them special—and remind family and friends to do the same.

How do you make holiday birthdays shine?

Randi Mazzella, a mother of three, is a freelance writer from Short Hills. Check out her personal essays on parenting.