Tips to Celebrate a Child's December Birthday
Have Yourself a Merry Little…Birthday?
By Laura Hill,
Birthday in a Box’s “Party Pro”
The month of December is a joyous time of year, full of friends,
family,
fun, good food, and great gifts. In the midst of all of this
holiday cheer, however, many holiday babies get the short end of
the peppermint stick. Instead of being thrown separate birthday
parties, their celebrations often get lumped together with
Christmas parties, Hanukkah dinners,
and New Years Eve gatherings. Then there’s the ever-sore subject
of presents, which are often doled out with the illogical logic,
“Why buy two when one will do?” Even worse is when these “combo”
gifts come wrapped in holiday paper—presented after birthday
pie, no less.
It’s not surprising how often these holiday birthday missteps
occur.
After all, few people have money to buy twice as many presents
or time
to throw two or more parties during this hectic season. Even so,
if you have a holiday baby in your family, you should always do
your best to make their special day, well, special. Here are a
few great ways to do this without breaking the bank or running
yourself ragged:
1. If at all possible, plan a separate celebration around or on
your child’s birthday, and invite a few of his or her favorite
friends and family members.
Select a theme and complimentary
decorations that are very different from the standard
red-and-green, holly-trimmed Christmas designs, or blue, white
and silver, dreidel-imprinted Hanukkah designs. Instead,
consider the birthday child’s favorite activity, story, TV show,
movie character, or anything else that his or her heart desires.
Be creative, and have fun with this process! (For other free
theme-related decorating, game, and activity ideas, check out
Birthday in a Box’s Party Planning section.)
2. When funds are limited, consider asking family members and/or
friends
to pitch in on one bigger gift that the birthday child has
requested.
Or, purchase a gift card with everyone’s contributions, and then
plan your child’s special day around shopping for presents.
Invite one or two of his
or her closest friends, treat everyone to lunch, and spend the
afternoon on a shopping spree. Wrap things up by taking the kids
back to your house to make ice cream sundaes and watch a movie.
3. If you’re overwhelmed by the thought of having a house full
of kids during the hectic holidays, have a small family
gathering around or on your child’s actual birthday, and then
throw a bigger party with his or her friends halfway through the
year. Two parties are always better than one!
4. For a low-key and inexpensive home party, invite several of
your child’s closest friends for a sleepover. Play traditional
games like Telephone and Name That Tune, make popcorn, watch a
movie, or tell spooky stories. Before the children leave in the
morning, serve them Funny Face Bagels or Smiley Face Pancakes.
(For more sleepover ideas, check out Birthday in a Box’s
Slumber Party Planning Guide.)
5. Take your child and a few friends on a birthday outing to an
ice skating or roller rink, a museum, an aquarium, an arcade, a
bowling alley, a movie theater, a salon, or anywhere else that
the kids might enjoy.
6. If worst comes to worst and you can only fit in a combination
birthday and holiday celebration, make strides to single out the
birthday child and make him or her feel special. Give your child
a special hat or pin to wear, hang a personalized birthday
banner in the main party area, make a production of opening
birthday presents (which should definitely be wrapped in
birthday paper and given separately from holiday gifts), and
serve a birthday cake in addition to other holiday treats. Make
sure that at least one of your child’s friends is present if at
all possible, too.
Whichever option you choose—whether its one of these or an idea
of your own—just make sure you deck the halls with streamers and
balloons instead of holly this December, and make this the first
of many unforgettable birthdays for your holiday baby!
Related Links
Birthday Party Themes
Christmas Party Ideas
Main Party Page
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