Merry Birthday! Ideas for Celebrating December Birthdays

My birthday falls ten days after Christmas. My husband and youngest son also celebrate turning another year older in January, as do my brother-in-law, sister, niece, grandmother, grandfather and two cousins. Needless to say, after a month of solid feasting in December, NOBODY feels like attending a big birthday bash the following month, but we all do—every weekend until February.

Despite the inconvenience of these birth dates, I’m sure it’s still easier to plan a party for January than it is for sometime in December, when holiday activities are in full gear and the family calendar is booked solid for close to a month. So how do you celebrate the birthdays of those who are born in the busiest month of the year? It turns out there are a few easy ways to make it work:

Take advantage of the season’s cold-weather. Plan an outdoor birthday party at your local ice rink or snow-covered hill. This type of party is simple and inexpensive, welcome attributes during the hectic holiday season.

Host a birthday bash between lunch and dinner. This is when guests are more likely to be free, and they aren’t in need of a proper meal. Set up a hot cocoa and popcorn station, and sing ‘Happy Birthday’ with mini gingerbread cupcakes. The kids will enjoy the playtime with their friends, and you’ll delight in the ease of the party.

Incorporate the festive season into the birthday celebrations. Invite your children’s friends over for a gingerbread house-making extravaganza. Cover a table with a plastic or vinyl covering, purchase a gingerbread house kit for each kid in attendance, set out some royal icing and assorted candies and let the kids go to work. Serve a gingerbread man cake alongside a cup of warm apple cider for a perfectly seasonal birthday soiree.

Mix it up! For the birthday child who doesn’t want the holidays injected into their special day, there are plenty of other options. You can host a ‘Summer in the Winter’ themed celebration, complete with beachy tunes and simple games like limbo and beach bingo. Serve up summer smoothies, Hawaiian pizza and a beach-inspired cake. If time permits, consider inviting the kids to go swimming at your local indoor pool before they arrive at your house.

Celebrating a birthday in December can be fun, and with a little proper planning, you’ll be able to avoid adding chaos into an already busy month. However, if it seems as though few people will be able to come to your party, consider hosting a small family-style event around the time of the birthday, with a larger party held at a less busy time of the year. People are always looking for fun things to do in January!