It isn’t easy being born during the Christmas season. Your favorite days of the year all come at once, rendering the other eleven months a celebration drought, bereft of presents. Everyone is too busy to remember your special day, let alone take time out to commemorate it. And most people act like your birthday is an ill-timed inconvenience that should have taken place when their finances were healthier and their schedules freer. Yes, a Christmas birthday can feel like a curse–but it doesn’t have to.

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By avoiding a few huge no-no’s and following a handful of tips, your child can enjoy their special day and your family can celebrate a traditional Christmas.
No-no’s
1. Christmas paper is for Christmas. No child wants to receive their birthday presents in holiday wrapping paper. For one thing, it looks like you just pulled one of their Christmas gifts out from under the tree and are trying to pass it off as a birthday gift. Plus, it makes them feel like you couldn’t be bothered picking out gift wrap specifically for them. And, no, it is not okay to use solid red or green paper either. Christmas babies are not easily fooled.
2. No joint presents. The Christmas child does not care that your finances are tight at this time of year. You knew their birthday was coming, so why didn’t you buy their gift before you were broke. You wouldn’t give a June baby a joint graduation and birthday gift, would you? Well, you shouldn’t give a December baby a Christmas/birthday gift combo either.
3. Keep things fair. If you spend $50 on your summer baby’s birthday gift, you should spend the same on the December baby’s present. Put the money aside in the summer if you have to. Your Christmas child should not penalized for their date of conception.
Do’s
1. Have a party. Every kid deserves to have a special day that’s all about them. If your child’s birthday is on or very close to December 25th, it may be difficult to get enough of their friends to attend. Instead, have a family celebration on their actual birthday and a big “friend” party a little before or after their birth date. It’s especially great if the kids are on Christmas holidays still, so you can plan an activity on a weekday like skating, going to a matinee, or swimming at the local wave pool.
2. Have a Christmas-free zone. If possible, try to create a space for the birthday celebration that is free of Christmas decorations. Instead, let your child pick their own birthday theme and decorate this special space accordingly.
3. Have cake. Even if your child’s birthday is on Christmas Day, it is important that they have their own birthday cake. You can make it extra special by having a cake for Jesus too. Not every child is lucky enough to share a birthday with the Christ child.
4. Half Birthdays. The “half birthday” celebration is favored by some and not by others. No one knows your child better than you do, but this is an option that will enable your Christmas baby to have a special day of festivities all of their own. An added bonus is that they will be able to partake in summer activities that would be impossible in December and half birthdays put an end to that eleven-month present drought.
Being a Christmas baby doesn’t have to be a negative thing. By avoiding some big faux-pas that will have your December child screaming “foul” and marking their special day in a fitting way, you can ensure that your little one has years of great birthday memories. Enjoy!

What do you like or dislike about having a birthday in the middle of the Christmas season?
Kimberley Laws is a freelance writer, avid blogger, and December baby. She is a self-professed Christmas junkie who has written countless articles on parenting, money matters, and Reputation.com.