Beating the Holiday Birthday Blues

Today is my Birthday, and although birthdays are always a special day, having a birthday during the holidays can sometimes be a drag. It takes a little more work to make a birthday special when you have to compete with Christmas and New Years.  But don't take my word for it, my blog pal Melissa C. shares my fate as well.  Melissa is a guest writer on party planning, children, and getting the best goodies for parties.  She loves writing for the Blog Content Guild, a great resource for other bloggers. For kids whose birthdays fall during the holiday season, their special day can feel a little less than special. Most people are so focused on celebrating Christmas or the New Year that the birthdays that fall on or around these dates can sometimes be swallowed up by other celebrations. I'm not just guessing, either. My own birthday is December 29, which is right smack dab in the middle of Christmas and New Year's Day.  You can create the perfect birthday for your child even if their birthday falls in holiday limbo. If they are into Mario, buy some Mario Bros partysupplies and decorate your house for their celebration. If Star Wars is their thing, go all out and turn the house into the planet of Endor. There are a lot of ways to make their special day really feel like their day.                Create a tradition for your child’s birthday. Doing an activity each year can really remind them that it's their day. Even if they are surrounded by the garlands and lights of the winter holidays, having their own unique birthday tradition, whether it be going to see a movie with the whole family or going to a special restaurant, will remind them that it is their day. My parents and I would always cook a big dinner on my birthday at the end of December and afterward we would rent a movie and have an ice cream sundae. This was the perfect reminder that I was the special one that day.
This year, more than 11,000 babies will be born on Christmas Day. If your child's birthday falls on Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween or any other holiday, it is important to serve cake, take time to open presents (separate from when everyone else is opening their's), and basically treat the birthday like you would treat one that fell on any other day. Do not think that the Thanksgiving feast or Christmas presents can take the place of a birthday meal or birthday presents. Kids are perceptive and if they notice different treatment between their day and someone else's, you can bet they won't be happy.
The most important thing is to make your child feel special that day. Let them know that it is their day and remind them that they are the greatest gift you ever received.