Posts tagged Holidays

Double Celebrations:  A Guest Post by ohAmanda

I’ve known Amanda since before she added the “oh” to her name!  When we first met, I was actually still in diapers!  Since then we’ve played together, worked together, even “missioned” together.  We double dated together, stood beside each other at our weddings, and now we’re parenting together … or at least both trying to figure it out!  I love Amanda.  And if you read her blog (which I’m sure most of you do), I can honestly say she’s the same person in real life that you read every day.  Clearly.  I am the lucky one in our friendship!!

She got me into this whole “blogging thing” and she was kind enough to Guest Post for me today on my little old blog!  Tomorrow we’ll celebrate two very important dates in our household – my Daughter’s 2nd Birthday and our 11th Wedding Anniversary.  Amanda knows a lot about double celebrations & she’s here to share some tips, ideas and warnings – so you will NOT end up making a Birthday Cake like the one pictured to the left!

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December is a busy month in our family. Not only do we have the regular Christmas parties and tree trimmings, we also have my dad’s birthday at the beginning of the month. Then my husband’s on the 23rd and my mom’s on the 24th. That’s right, Christmas Eve.

My mom’s family always celebrated her birthday AND Christmas on Christmas Eve. I have no idea why. It seems like a much better deal to make the 24th just a birthday and forget Christmas Eve even exists. But what do I know? The last few years (after my grandmother died) we started doing exactly what I suggested–celebrating my mom’s birthday on Christmas Eve. And that’s it. We usually meet for breakfast, because honestly, you can pretend it’s not Christmas Eve, but it is and there is shopping and wrapping to be done!

Having only one celebration per day is just such a relief! It’s nice to not dig the birthday presents from underneath the tree. It’s fun to watch only one person open up gifts. It’s fun because we get to see my mom have a day all to herself! (Well, with just a bit of wrapping and shopping afterwards…)

My husband has another perspective on Christmas birthdays. He says he hated it as a kid–he usually got ripped off with only one combined present for BOTH events. He got birthday gifts in Christmas paper and never had a birthday party. But as an adult? He loves having a birthday at Christmas because he’s guaranteed to be with his family. We’ve lived all over the country in our married life–and usually my May birthday was celebrated with cards in the mailbox and late birthday presents from family and friends. But for him–he got to be with his family on his birthday because we were already gathered for the Christmas celebration. Everyone is on Christmas break, there are special events all around town and his birthday seems more magical than normal!

So my tips for celebrating TWO occasions on ONE day?

1. If you can, move one of the events to another day. Contrary to what the word sounds like, there is nothing holy about a holiday. You can celebrate it a day later and therefore have a chance to honor the birthday child. My husband even suggested doing a half-birthday party in the middle of the year in lieu of a party on the actual day!

2. Buy 2 gifts. Just do it. If it feels like you’re spending too much money, then put away $50 six months earlier so you can save it for that special day and not spend the money at the same time. And don’t forget about the appropriate wrapping paper.

3. Have birthday celebrations that reflect the season. I love this 4th of July Birthday Party from MomAdvice. What a fun way to wrap up both celebrations and make the holiday seem to focus on the birthday child! You never know your 4th of July-baby might think the fireworks are just for him!

4. Ask family to get involved–hint that birthday cards are important, ask for separate presents and beg them not to mention the “other” holiday on your child’s big day.

5. Think outside the box. Do something different–plan a half birthday party (my husband’s suggestion), decorate the house more than normal, start a unique birthday tradition {like my party plate!} or something even more exciting!

Whatever you do make sure your child knows you honor, love and celebrate them on their special day!

Do you have birthdays on holidays? Or two birthdays on one day? How do you keep the celebrations separate?

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Amanda is a former Children’s Pastor turned stay-at-home-mom. She blogs at ohAmanda {her daily blog} and Impress Your Kids {the crafty parenting blog}. She’s also a 2010 Disney Mom, bibliophile and a long time lover of purple.