For parents with children whose birthdays are close to Christmas?

Question

How do you keep yourself from going broke while still making Christmas and their birthdays special?

This will be my son's first Christmas and his birthday is less than a month later. I am not too concerned about this year as it's his first and I am sure it will be too tempting to hold back this time, but more looking forward a few years, especially as they get older and their tastes get a bit more expensive. I am not keen on the idea of combining the two, though. What have you/will you do?

Answer 1

Don't worry about it :) Every week till his birthday set up a coin jar or piggy bank throw all your loose change in it or a dollar every week. This will save at least $50 or more for his birthday gift. That way after Christmas you don't have to worry about the money for his gift.

Answer 2

I was REALLY concerned about this while I was pregnant, as my due date was December 23rd!! Spence ended up coming on December 9th instead. Thankfully.

I know that I wont be putting up our christmas tree until after his birthday, which will be hard for me. I am used to putting it up Dec 1 at the latest...

I will be watching your other answers closely to find solutions too :)

Answer 3

My sons first birthday is going to be on the 28th December this year (nightmare I know!), and I am really not very flush at the moment as I'm studying. What I've done is started buying presents already, sounds crazy but most of my Christmas and birthday shopping for my son is already done and it's not even September! Just remember, you have a whole year to stretch it out, you could even buy a couple of presents a month starting in January and you'll hardly notice the dent in your purse! It's okay this year though as he's so young it doesn't matter if he catches sight of the presents - it'll be tougher in future years to hide them for the full year - but where there's a will there's a way! :-)

Answer 4

My birthday is December 15th and what my parents always did was combine it. I didn't even get a Sweet 16 present because of this.

So what I asked them and my fiance to start doing is if they truly believe my day is special and should be separate, get me something SMALL if they are going to get me anything and if they get me a gift that is a Christmas Birthday combo, I don't open it until after both holidays. That way, I feel like I have a special day AFTER my special days.

But, my opinion to YOUR situation. Your son's birthday is special because it's all about him. Christmas is special because it's all about Jesus (if you believe that) Remember to ALWAYS think of this when celebrating. Are you giving your son a gift for his birthday or for Jesus' birthday? Because a gift to Jesus is NOT a gift to your son. Remember that this little boy was a gift to you in the first place and he should be remembered as such, not just as another gift that people have to try to afford. As far as relatives go, ask them to not combine the gifts and you'd rather keep his day special. It will make a huge difference as he gets older and starts to realize that people are essentially making light of the ocassions.

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Hello,

     I'm not really in the same boat at all, my sons B-day is in Oct (sadly it is so close) But I LOVE to shop :P when ever I see something on sale that I think will be the 'stage' he is at for his b-day, x-mas Easter I grab it!! I have gotten him some really cool stuff, and I have about 1/2 of his B-Day and X-mas stuff already. and I have a few gifts for when he is older. It saves money a little cause you get the stuff on sale, but you don't have to worry about having to shell out that much money when you do the final b-day shopping. But you do have to watch cause some times you end up with a lot of gifts. Through my pregnancy when I saw something for his first X-mas I'd get it and when it came time for Christmas I had a ridiculous amount of stuff for him, even for a first Christmas.

hope I could help

Answer 6

My best friends birthday is on Christmas. Her famlily has been celebrating on July 25th for years for her. Like Christmas in July kinda thing. I know it doesnt apply to you. Maybe later down the road you can do some family trips for christmas and his birthday. But pretty much I think you'll always have a broke month around then, but it wont matter when you see the joy in your little ones face!

Answer 7

My daughter's birthday is December 1st, and then of course it's Christmas. For her first birthday/Christmas, we pretty much went all out. From us (her parents) she got about 5-6 presents for each "Holiday." I'm sure it will probably be like that for a few more years, until she actually knows the difference between the two.

My birthday is January 26th, so what my parents did when I was younger was just give me money on my birthday. I had a party with cake and everything, but instead of gift giving, everyone just gave money. That way there is a clear difference between Christmas and Birthday......Of course, the money-giving didn't happen until I was older (around 10 or so) because any younger than that, and the excitement is still about opening presents.

So, that's my plan when my daughter gets older. Money for birthday to use as she sees fit, and presents for Christmas.

* I remember around the age of 16 or so, begging my mom to just give me money for Christmas as well, but she always refused. And then Christmas would roll around, and I'd get all excited about presents....LOL

Answer 8

I have a November, january, and february baby AND my birthday is January 4th...my wedding anniversary is december 13th!. Hubby KNOWS that a card is acceptable for anniversary and birthday, but he had better shop for christmas! He ignored my birthday this year, so I told him I had better get at least a card for valentines or I was going to become a born-again virgin!

I generally make sure that my kids have a few presents wrapped in birthday paper on their birthday. My daughter (february) did not have a birthday this year because of how mean she was to me on MY birthday. When I was young my grandmother used to send my birthday present in the same package with our wrapped christmas presents, but it was always wrapped in birthday paper to make sure I knew that it was for my birthday.

I try and get things throughout the year for my kids. I already have a box of stuff hidden in my closet for the kids. I have kites that I got on clearance for $1, a set of IPOD speakers for my oldest, a set of disney princess ring watches for my 8 year old, a hannah montana key chain/change purse for her, a set of backyardigans sheets for my toddler. My daughter loves to write notes and stuff, so right before school started I found little tiny shaped post-it notes, mini highlighters, and a mini stationary set (scissors and pencil sharpener) for like under $2 all together. as I have the money and I see things I pick them up and hide them. I am an avon rep, so I do a bit of shopping for people from the demo book (at a special cheaper price). I am hoping to get a waterproof hannah montana blanket for my daughter too

Answer 9

My son's birthday is 2 weeks before Christmas, and I don't plan on combining them. I think kids have too many expensive material things anyway, but I think 1 expensive gift for each birthday and Christmas is more than enough. Let the grandparents and relatives worry about the expensive stuff ;)  

Answer 10

I have a friend that had all three children in December and January.  What she does, is each have a pool party in July and August for there birthday

They get a cake and a small family present for on there birthday with the family

They get a friend party and a gift at the party in the summer

I thought that was cleaver

Answer 11

I think it is just a fact that all Christmas Babies feel a bit short changed...my Daughter's Birthday is December 27...we always have HUGE Christmas'...lots of people,lots of presents, But I do buy extra for her and give her those presents on the 27th as well as having friends over for dinner or we take her out...it's just the time of the year...it is so crazy....sometimes we will take a vacation of HER choosing during the Summer for her Birthday so that when Christmas rolls around we Concentrate on the Christmas Holiday...She has been to Hawaii,on Mexican Riviera Cruises and Disneyland for her Birthday...SO she is a Happy Camper.

Answer 12

My son was born Dec. 21.  I have never spent more or less on his birthday than I did on the other kids' birthdays, which are in spring and summer.  I just tried to budget throughout the year.  

You are right to not combine B-day and Christmas, at least while he is young.  His birthday is HIS special day, and should be celebrated separately.  The only problem we've ever had with this was that his friends were often out of town for Christmas by the time his birthday came, so we sometimes held the party a week or so earlier.  

As he got older and asked for expensive gifts, we gave him the option of having a combined B-day and Christmas gift so that we could give him what he wanted.  He almost took us up on it.   He still had his own party each year; just no big gifts if it was a combo.

BTW, your son is very cute.

Answer 13

Ugh....I have 2 birthdays & then Christmas in a 4 week time frame. This will be my frist year doing it though (Riley will be 1 Nov. 26th & tyler will be 4 on Dec. 17th) so I'm not quite sure what's going to happen. Money is tight this year which makes it even harder. I want to start a lay-a-way here shortly to help with the cost that way I will only be paying like $30 every 2 weeks instead of dropping the whole amount at once.

I am like you---I REFUSE to combine the two---it's not the child's fault they were born right around Christmas. If they were born in the summer they would still get a good b-day & Christmas so what is the difference? A birthday is a birthday and Christmas is Christmas.  

Answer 14

My due date is Dec 19th... just depending on my lil man when he comes out though if its on christmas or not!

But as they get older and can understand better, I was planning on getting him like one nice thing for his birthday (like a lil more expensive) and then for christmas a couple of things that are not as expensive.. Because you have to think, they will be getting a lot of things from other family members too.. so it will turn out good!!

Answer 15

oh i know the feeling..man when i was a kid ( my bday is the day before xmas) my mom would have my bday a couple weeks before hand...get me 1 big gift and the rest were smaller but stuff i still enjoyed. she would also have a party that way i still felt like it was MY day... for xmas she would get the bigger gifts and a few smaller ones. my family was quite poor but my mom managed with me by planning a couple months ahead that way she could save or put gift in layaway.

im now 23...my daughter bday is in late oct she will be 2 this year..i do basically the same..1 bigger gift and the rest are smaller or clothing. and since she is little i just get her about 6-8 items, cake , pizza, ballons.  she honestly has more fun opening stuff and playing with games, or chasing balloons when she turned one.  keep in mind your son is still real little therefore he isnt going to care about how much you spend.  he is going to get a kick out of the excitement, cake ect.  get him a few special gifts and the rest smaller or stuff he needs.  same goes for christmas.( with christmas i do get about 3-4 more items and most of them are small toys 1 bigger more expensive toy.  i also always make a budget out..like ok i have 200 dollars (cash with no other sources..i leave my credit cards and other cash at home that way im NOT tempted)  and im going to see how far along that gets me..youll be surprised on how far you make your money strech. youll manage..dont worry..most of all just have fun with it no matter how much you spend or dont spend.

Answer 16

I'm in the same boat.

Corey's birthday falls one week before Halloween, so his birthday invariably turns into a half-assed Halloween party.

Mickey was born on January 17th, so we'll be dealing with the "near Christmas" birthday dilemma here as well.

We are not rich by any means, so unless we hit the lottery, we are going to feel a major post-holiday/birthday sting in years to come.  Here's what I do with Corey, and plan on doing with Mickey as well:  I throw him a birthday party at a relatively inexpensive place.  The past three years, he's chosen to have it at a pumpkin farm, which worked out great and ran under $100.  Anyway, the party is his major present from dad and I; we each buy him a few small gifts, and that special something he really wants, but the majority of his gifts come from friends and relatives.

With Mickey, same thing.  We will celebrate his birthday with a party, and keep it separate from Christmas, but the bulk of his birthday gifts will come from relatives, thus lessening the financial burden on us.

Now, let's just hope it works.

Answer 17

I have heard that a lot of people celebrate their kids' half birthday (in the summer) instead of trying to combine Christmas and the birthday. That way, the child still gets his or her own special day, and no one has to worry about trying to combine presents or anything like that. It also allows the child to still get a birthday party since one so close to Christmas is often not feasible!