When I was growing up, we spent our birthdays going to a dinner and coming home for cake with immediate family. Once in a while or "special ages" we's through a party. nothing too extravagant. That was our tradition until we (siblings and i) were old enough not to care lol. But I also grew up in a...not nice, affectionate family.
Want something different for my daughter.
However, she was born December 25th.
Lol.
We spent her first birthday celebrating Christmas at my inlaw's.
We figured, she's one and won't remember. I felt a little bad about it, but it was One. Ya know?
I dunno.
Lol
I want to set a tradition for her. If we throw birthday parties a week later, it borders with the new year celebrations. Forever.
So before?
Time will always be a little problem which is why I'm looking for 'how's'
So what are your routines, ladies (o:

My family does the same thing you mentioned, out to dinner then home for the dessert of the bday persons choice. My SIL's bday is Dec 23 and their family tradition for her bday was to go out the wk end before Christmas for Mexican food (her favorite) and to go see the xmas lights at the zoo. Then home for her bday dessert! Same thing every year!

there was a person near my age at my gradeschool whose birthday was right around xmas, too. they always celebrated her birthday on, like, June 17th. right around the end of the schoolyear.

that was when her "BIG" party was. she always had a little birthday thing usually on the 23rd or 24th of December.

My niece's birthday is December 25th! She is now 5 and a 1/2 years old.

My sister (her mom) started a new tradition - she tells the girls that Santa splits up his work over 2 nights. All the kids with birthdays on Christmas have their gifts delivered on Dec 23rd, and they celebrate Christmas Eve morning (then Santa delivers to the other kids the next night, as normal). And Christmas day isn't Christmas anymore - it's my niece's birthday. As a family, we're very hands on with it, and my niece will hopefully grow into a young lady without the "Christmas is always more important that me" complex.

They even re-decorate the Christmas tree - with birthday decorations. LOL. A banner, balloons, etc, all In my nieces favourite colours.

When the family gets together (like last Christmas, when we all vacationed together)... all the other people in the family understand that Christmas is held Christmas Eve. And Christmas is now to celebrate her birthday.

Because her little friends cannot obviously come over ON her birthday... a friend celebration happens before Christmas holidays while kids are still in school. And to be fair, her old siblings also have parties with friends that are NOT on their birthdays either. The birthday itself is for strictly family. It helps the kids with the 'fairness' issue.

Anyway, that's just what they've done to help her deal with the double holiday issue.

I think everyone deserves their birthday on their birthday. So if it were me, I would make the whole day a huge thing. Birthday from wake up til 2:00 or something, with balloons, streamers, and cake and whatever, and then Christmas from 2:00 til bed time or something. Once she is school age and wants a party with friends, maybe you can talk to her and see when she wants it... Maybe in Jan as Dec gets busy for people. Or like Dana said, a half year early so she kind of gets to celebrate her birthday twice a year. In summer with her friends, but in Dec with family. I don't think it has to suck to share your birthday with Christmas. I think it can be twice the fun!

I like jcents idea but I'd do Christmas first. There's nothing like waking up on Christmas morning!!

We always have dinner, cake and a small gift on the actual birth date but if there is an event or party it just isn't always possible to do the same day. We aren't extravagant for birthdays (the kids have each had a few small parties or outings, skating, bowling, etc. )but it's not because we aren't affectionate or nice, we just don't do big birthdays.

My youngest has her birthday December 21st. She was due on the 25th. Her birthday always falls during Winter break, so the week before we bring in cupcakes or whatever treat she wants to school.

On her actual birthday we do dinner and home for cake and ice cream. I feel very blessed that at 11 & 9, my girls still chose to have me make their cakes. It's a little thing, but sure means the world to this mamma .

I have a friend whose birthday is on Dec 25th. From the age that he was old enough to grasp it (maybe 5-ish?), his parents let him choose his own "birthdate" each year.

If he couldn't wait and he wanted it Dec 26, then that was the date of birthday pancakes and presents and a party and birthday dinner. If he wanted to have a summer birthday at the lake and he chose July 16th randomly, then July 16th was his birthday.

He is now in his forties and still does this for himself. Some years it's his birthday in June and he has a BBQ with friends, and some years it's his birthday in January and he goes to the Caribbean to escape the cold.

My mom had a birthday tradition and I have carried it over to my son for his birthday.

I used to wake up to the kitchen (around the dining table) decorated with a banner, balloons and streamer. Presents would be sitting wrapped on the hearth. She would fix me a special breakfast and when I would open my lunch, there was always a treat like a pack of stickers and a cute note.

Then we would either have my favorite dinner at home or go out to dinner.

After dinner I would have to leave the room and they would light candles on my cake, which was ALWAYS a Sanders buttercream birthday cake. (If you are from Michigan, do you remember these cakes??!!) Then I would be called back in and they would sing to me and we would open presents

It was something I really loved and will always remember because she made it such a special day and I hope my son enjoys it as much as I did!!

mom2dolls-we always had home made cakes too. We've had moon's complete with craters and rockets, pretty little tea pots and bunny cakes (DD was born on Easter), safari cakes. For some time now the family preferred birthday cake is chocolate with peanut butter frosting, topping can be anything from sprinkles to m&m's. YUM!! I'm trying to figure out how we will get DS a birthday cake when he is at college next year. *sigh*...they grow up so fast!!

DD still likes streamers and balloons and decorations so I do that for her. She still has streamers hanging from her bedroom ceiling and her birthday was more than a week ago, lol.