As an adult, I can look back on my December birthday and smile. I love this time of year, and love sharing my birthday with the holiday cheer. I have friends born in late November through mid January who feel differently though. It seems that the happiest time of year can overshadow a birthday close to (or on) a holiday. As a parent with a son turning five on Thanksgiving, I’m trying to find the balance! We’ve never done a big party for him; he’s the third born – so that explains that. But he’s old enough to know he has friends now! We'll invite a few over to have cake and play, but we won't go overboard. However, a holiday birthday needs something special, so we've always made sure to do just that!

Celebrating a Child’s Holiday Birthday

1. Plan ahead because people travel. The chance of every guest being able to attend is slim, but choosing the most important guests and trying to work with them on days/times may be helpful to ensuring a happy party for your tot!

2. Decorate in non-holiday inspired colors. Break out the blues, purples, pinks, yellows and oranges!

3. Wrap everything in BIRTHDAY paper. Not a shred of holiday paper should be used.

4. Celebrate the birthday over the holiday. This means that you build up the birthday for days and celebrate it completely separate from the holiday. (At least, this is what we do! We celebrate the holiday the next day if it happens to fall on his birthday.)

5. Create really fun traditions; traditions only for this child’s birthday. For example, we do birthday pancakes for every one of their special days, and the birthday person gets to make the rules for the day, but my Thanksgiving baby, he gets a BIRTHDAY TREE!

The Birthday Tree

Step 1: Go in hunt of the perfect tree. 

Step 2: Debate for 3 hours over which tree is the best, and then spend a fortune.

Step 3: Purchase steamers, lights, balloons, and anything else fun to decorate with.

Step 4: Put the tree together and decorate

Step 5: Hang Birthday cards on it!

Step 6: Decorate the entire room