Christmas and Birthday Gift

Megan - posted on 12/06/2012

In the future... consider celebrating half birthday's in the future. A big fun outdoor party with games in the summer for their half birthday would be so unique and special.

A game I have played with large groups is "Indoor Snowball Battle" Divide group into two teams. Use masking tape to divide the room - Use two lines of masking tape separated by about 3-4 feet (so the kids cant smack someone on the other team when throwing) Team one behind the first line, team two behind second line...space in the middle is neutral. Give each team lots of newspaper, or tissue paper. Give each team three minutes to make the paper into "snowballs". Then countdown to start the snowball battle. Kids just whip the paper balls at the other side. When time is up everyone has to freeze. Then count the paper balls on each side the team with the fewest balls on their side wins. Have them throw balls into garbage can when counting.



Also this game is super fun http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043IE... for a group.

Jillian - posted on 11/22/2009

At this age especially they don't understand the difference. When they are this little it is more for the excitement of the parents. I've found lately that it seems my daughter is more occupied with hangers, tupperware..stuff like that more then her toys! Personally, I think for this year since they don't know any better any way, save your self the stress. I think it's ok if you combine a B-Day and Christmas gift if that will be best for your finances.

Laura - posted on 11/21/2009

Well, what I decided to do this year was to buy my daughter one birthday present and then she will get several presents for Christmas. This is the only way I can see for me to afford to do this every year. This will be her first birthday and second Christmas.

Christal - posted on 11/21/2009

I plan on hitting the Black Friday sales, my list of items that will be on sale will come to about $200 and will cover both birthday and Christmas, if that's in your budget, it is well worth the trip out.

Tamara - posted on 11/21/2009

At this age you could get them one gift and allow it to be for Christmas and their birthday, but you will not be able to get away with it once they know what each day is about. I suggest lay-a-way or do like I do. I am normally finished with my Christmas shopping by the last day in October. All year long when I see something on sale I know they want I grab it and hide it at my moms.

Rachel - posted on 11/20/2009

I'm in the same situation :(...my son will be on a year old on the 30th too. We want to celebrate his birthday with family the weekend after his birthday but that is New Years weekend...it seems like we can't win when is a good time to have his party.

Chevon - posted on 11/20/2009

I see your problem. Im almost there. My son's birthday is 12/31. How do I celebrate his birthday?????????

Megan - posted on 11/09/2009

If money is short this year then I would invest in a roll of film or get out the digital camera and take loads of photos of.....unwrapping the boxes, the cake, party hats, balloons. It doesn't matter if there is nothing in the boxes, the unwrapping is fun and the pics will make a great keepsake for a scrapbook or album.
Even better would be video footage and you can make them both a copy of their own short movie.
A tip for the following year, start a savings plan early and stick to it!!

Michelle - posted on 11/08/2009

Hi Angelique,

i guess that was my point, everyone gets so wrapped up in Christmas that bdays can be forgotten about;-( they should stay special, we can't help when we're born lol.

My dad's birthday is the 20th too soooo many times we have gone ..oopps, and had to rush to organise anything for him. i think sharing the day is a great idea! the due date is cute too special in its own way, so you wont forget it..

good luck

Kristi - posted on 11/08/2009

I think for 10 month olds they wouldn't know the difference if you get them one present and give it to them at Christmas when everyone else is opening presents. Like Lydia said, if you wrapped a box and let them rip the paper they'll have a blast. I'm another December baby, my birthday is the 21, my sister's is the 20th, my mom's is the 15th and Kira's is the 2nd. We're all used to receiving "Birthmas" presents.



I agree that until they're older it's ok to combine or give them a present that would have gone to Christmas on their birthdays.

Lisa - posted on 11/08/2009

i have the same dillema, but with twin girls same age on 31st Dec, Ive been buying xmas pressies and bday pressies since july but still having trouble Do I have enough??Wll they be ok sharing some things?? i hope so :)

Angelique - posted on 11/07/2009

Michelle Simpson-Rivers, I have never thought about that day in the year. My firend that also has the twins her 2 was bron 21 Jan and we have been thinking to have their birthday's together.

I just wish my boys could have hang in there until the 20th of Jan because that is when they were suppose to be born, but Michael then broke his water!!!

I went to the supermarket the other day, and scary I could not really find birthday wrapping, and I realy dont want my boys to hate Xmas in the sence of "everybody only remembers our birthday because its Xmas."

My husband was telling me he had that, his birthday is Dec 20.

Thx all you guys for your input!

Erin - posted on 11/07/2009

My little one's Birthday is Christmas as well. I will be having a separate party on the 26th so that he will have pictures of his 1st. After this year I probably won't do much until he is in school. Just a cake and birthday presents in birthday paper.

Michelle - posted on 11/06/2009

Hey there,



My eldests' birthday ( who will be 8) is the 4th and our baby (who will be one)is on the 1st.

I don't combine presents because i look at it like this, do you?



For us our birthday is special the one day that is ours to be treated in a special way. Just because it happens to fall near Xmas is not their choice.



One idea for presents though is we have sometimes given comlementing presents, for example a gift for her bday and then for xmas something that goes with that say for instance a doll house and then furntiure for it?



My friend has an xmas day child, they celebrate half a day each, for them its morning xmas then after lunch its birthday only.



another idea a friend uses as the kids get older, is to let them pick a day say in June which will permenatly be the day their bday is celebrated! ( but still acknowleding the day itself) this eases the budget problem for you. and they don't get caught up and forgotten in the Xmas rush;-)



hope you find a solution that works for you. good luck

Lydia - posted on 11/06/2009

Quoting Jessica:

I agree with Lydia, but also from the standpoint of someone with a December b-day (I am a twin-brother & I born 12/15 and my husband born 1/13) we know how crappy it can be to have your day that close to Christmas.

Yeah - I dont think you could do it for more than the first couple of years. My Dad had the same issue with his b'day being between Xmas and New Years. We always start the next round of present shopping in the post-Xmas sales and keep things bought throughout the year in a chest just pulling them out when needed to spread cost out. We are also planning to do her big celebration on her half birthday once she is old enough to ask for a proper party so she is more likely to have all her friends around and (again) spreads cost.

Deborah - posted on 11/06/2009

untill they actually no bday n xmas just get them a combined present for both xmas n bday but i wud say get them something each

Hannah - posted on 11/05/2009

My daughter was born on Christmas day. I already know that I want her to have separate Christmas and birthday gifts, wrapped accordingly. I just hope that my family is on the same page.

Jessica - posted on 11/04/2009

I agree with Lydia, but also from the standpoint of someone with a December b-day (I am a twin-brother & I born 12/15 and my husband born 1/13) we know how crappy it can be to have your day that close to Christmas. People forgetting your birthday so deciding last minute that "this one gift is for both"! Plus being so close to Christmas alot of friends and family are out of town so there was never really a chance for a real birthday party. When our daughter was born 12/23/08 we vowed to NEVER combine her day with Christmas! And the thing we both hated most was birthday gifts wrapped in Christmas paper because with all the Christmas shopping mom forgot to get a birthday gift so she snatched one out of the Christmas stash!!

Julie - posted on 11/04/2009

Know how you feel! I have a ten month old girl who will turn one on Dec 27th. With Christmas, Boxing Day, her birthday , our wedding anniversary and New Years Eve within a week I think I will go broke!! I did not want to get in the habit of getting my little one a combined Christmas and birthday present as I feel it is a bit unfair they miss out - BUT - while she is still so young I am not concerned. My advice would be make the most of combined gifts while you can. Soon they will want designer labels and expensive gifts - hahaha. I am thinking of the wader pool for my little one this year - that way my daughter and her little friens can enjoy it. Good Luck!!

Amber - posted on 11/04/2009

Lay-a-way that's how I'm doing this Christmas, some stores that have it are Sears, Toys R Us and Babies R us and K-Mart, My family is huge so I can feel the budget issues, and being unemployed this year I really had to stretch my dollar. Good Luck.

Angelique - posted on 11/04/2009

Now that you mention that, I did buy them both a box with 3 cars in, like my first car type of thing, and they did have more fun with the box than the car. Thx, I think I just had to hear from someone else that its not that bad not getting them something big... You know putting my mind to ease!!!

Lydia - posted on 11/04/2009

At this age they dont know what a birthday or Christmas is. I dont think there would be any permanent damage even if you got them an empty cardboard box with really bright wrapping paper this year (If they are anything like my bub they would actually love that just as much as any toy). I wouldnt worry about what present to get them so much as making their days special and fun as a family....but thats just my view.