A lot of relatives and friends are asking me if they can just give LO a combination Christmas and bday gift. I don't care at all...she is turning one and doesn't need a lot!
December mamas...do people ask you if it is ok to buy one combined gift for Xmas and bday?
Nov 27, 2012You might also enjoy...
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Haha, I am not a December mom, but I am a December baby! I'd just say if you say yes now, they are going to keep doing it forever so keep in mind how LO will feel when they are older. I know I wouldn't have liked it!
Even if we're talking smaller gifts, I think it's important to differentiate.
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Same as @JerricaBenton: , not a mama, but another December baby, and yep, people have always done the combined gifts as I was growing up. It sucked.
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@JerricaBenton: Good point! :-)@ms.janedoe:
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My LO is a December baby as well and I feel like this is going to be a battle. I am very into birthdays so I am definitely planning to keep her birthday and Christmas separate. But my husband has a December birthday as well and doesn't think combining gifts is a big deal. He hates his birthday and would rather everyone forget it.
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@JerricaBenton: @ms.janedoe: @autumnlove: @plaidpants: But how do you politely tell people that you don't want bday & Xmas gift combined? My LO will be born early Dec (induced on Dec 2) and I've wondered if she'll get this combo treatment, and if she does, how in the world does one tactfully address it?
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One of my really close friends has a birthday in December (12/26) and she always complained about combined gifts. So we always make it an effort to celebrate both occasion separately and to give her 2 gifts.
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I totally think it is going to be a battle. We have Xmas, Hanukkah and her birthday. It's a winter freakin festival, and I can't think of anything that she needs now, but a bunch of stuff that she might like in the summer when she's older- a swing, play house, etc.
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My plan so far is to make sure my husband I always celebrate her birthday separately, and hope that everyone follows suit! I feel like that's all we can do. For me, it's less about the presents and more about making her feel special. So we are having a party, even though it's going to be the weekend after Christmas...although she's only going to be one this year - she doesn't know what day of the week it is, never mind that it's her birthday!
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If they ask, then I will tell them that she deserves two presents just like people born in other months.
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@PrincessBaby: Gosh - I would hope Dec 2 would be early enough that you wouldn't have to! I'm not really sure what my parents said but I would probably just say, 'I know that might seem easier now, but I want to make sure baby gets her special day just like nephew 1 and grandchild 2' or something like that. It really isn't fair, especially to a young kid who would be just as happy with two little things. I know when I got older my grandma would get me a bigger gift like jewelry, that was combined but I knew about the deal and wanted that gift.
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I have a January 1 birthday, it kind of sucks to get combined presents, because then my birthday wasn't quite as special as other people's (we go all out for my husband's June birthday). While the Christmas presents were awesome, they had already been opened, and there was less to do on my birthday to make it special.
I know the same thing is going to happen to my January 7th son, and he doesn't get the holiday off like I do. While he doesn't care at 1 year old this year, we are trying to split the two up and differentiate so he has stuff still on his birthday in the future.
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I'm dec 8th and I often got combined gifts. I hated it. I felt like I wasn't as worthy as other kids to get a real birthday.
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My husband has a December bday and I make a big deal to do separate presents. The thing that annoys him is when a birthday present is wrapped in Christmas paper lol. He's so funny about that. At 33, he really doesn't care much about celebrating his birthday but I still do a little something to make sure he knows he's special
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@septemberlove: I get that! No b-day gifts in Christmas paper!!
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@PrincessBaby: Oh, I (nor my parents as far as I know) never actually said anything to anybody (in regards to requesting multiple gifts), but it's just how it would happen. As a kid loooving preseys, it wasn't fun!
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Yeah, that's hard. I'd personally be fine with it because my babe already has a ton of things. On the other hand, you don't want a birthday to be lost in the overall christmas season. I think that I'd take the opportunity to start some really cool alternative birthday tradition. Maybe a minivacation to a hotel or a beach house each year? Or, maybe a special day where your child gets to call the shots and you all do all of their favorite things? Or maybe you make a cool scrapbook of all the fun parts of the year and then have a big cake and read it over. Man, I can think of a ton of fun things.
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I'm December 28, and many people gave me combined gifts or forgot my birthday entirely. It was awful as a little one.
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Not a December mom or baby, but my littlest sister is, she was born 12/23 and my mom knew right away that she wanted to keep the two events separate because otherwise it wouldn't be fair. Obviously it'd be no fun if I got my birthday and Christmas gift both in September... crazy right?! lol
I also agree that saying yes now means they'll assume it's okay forever.
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@PrincessBaby: What about bringing it up in casual conversation? Talk about how exciting it is to have a December baby, but say nonchalantly, "Yeah I was thinking we'll try to keep her birthday separate from Christmas so that in the future she doesn't feel gypped. you know? I think I'll get her a birthday present and have a special party at the beginning of the month." Just kind of saying how you'll be doing things, and then family will catch on... hopefully!
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I was born on Dec 25. It sucked. I never got a birthday party with friends because of the holidays, never got a school party/cupcakes in elementary school, and most people forgot my birthday. I also didn't get a cake most years and instead just had a candle in a pie. And never a new bike!!
I would say that you appreciate anything they give, but are planning to celebrate both separately. Money is tight for a lot of people, but it still lets them know that her birthday at least needs to be celebrated also even if they don't get an extra gift.
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My dad was born right before Christmas and we ALWAYS make sure to have 2 seperate occasions. We all get a birthday so he should too.
That said, at 1, I wouldn't care about combined gifts, I would just make sure that when she is old enough to understand make a deal for her.
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I think it will be important down the road to differentiate. My mom always claimed if she had a December baby, she would pick a summer month to celebrate so he/she would have a special day!
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This is something I worry about for our Little Girl. I'll be induced right before Christmas and she may be born Christmas eve or the day before.
One suggestion I've heard is celebrating the half-birthday in June, having a big party and everything then.
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LO's birthday is on the 26th but so far no one has asked if they can give a combo gift. We don't mind if that's what friends and relatives want to do but we will definitely make sure her birthday is celebrated completely separate from Christmas.
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DS's birthday is the 17th. This year we're doing a Winter ONEderland party, hope it's not too Christmas-y, haha
I plan to celebrate his birthday separately but this year don't mind combined gifts. No one has asked yet though.
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