As many of you know, I ended up going into the hospital last year on Christmas Eve, was induced on Christmas Day, and Paige arrived via C-Section on the evening of December 26th. Since that day, I've interviewed every "Christmas Baby" I could find, asking how their lives were growing up with their birthdays so close to (or on, in many cases) Christmas Day. Luckily, all of them were well adjusted folks, with no lasting issues or resentments. PHEW! : ) But there was one resounding response: no "two-in-one" presents. That we needed to try to separate the two as much as possible, keeping each special in its own right. And so, in an effort to keep my "mommy of the Year" crown, I created the Birthday Tree!
The Birthday Tree is pink and sparkly and beautiful. It's decorations are 100% birthday themed - cupcakes as of right now. Plus, each year Daniel and I will give Paige a special birthday ornament to add to her tree. This year it's a smiling sunshine - since she's out little sunshine : ) I also got her a "Big Sister" ornament for her Birthday Tree. The plan is that all birthday presents will go under this tree in the front living room, while Christmas presents go under the official Christmas tree in the family room. Genius, right?! : )
But I'm left with one important question... Since Paige is getting a special Birthday Tree, will Baby #2 also need a Birthday Tree? And because his/her birthday will be in June, is a Christmas tree the most appropriate? I'll need to keep thinkng on this one. Maybe I'll do a Birthday Palm Tree for Baby #2... or a Birthday Cactus?
As someone who has a birthday in July and an older sister who has a December birthday, give baby #2 a pool party birthday or summer-themed birthday's, something Paige can't have, and keep the birthday tree for Paige. I LOVE the birthday tree idea. So many of my friends with birthdays on and around Christmas feel a little left out on their birthdays. Doing a birthday tree is a great way to honor and recognize little Paige's birthday during the most hectic time of the year.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the birthday tree, I have never heard of anyone doing such a creative way to separate christmas and the birthday. Its amazing and I am sure that your daughter will grow up feeling very special :) Keep up the good work :)
ReplyDeletei have a friend who married a Christmas birthday. His mom always took all the ornaments off the tree his birthday is like the 27 and decorated it with balloons and streamers and it was his birthday tree so now my friend carries on that tradition! I had my daughter last year on the 15 so i have set up a little purple tree just for her but i love the idea of putting her birthday presents under it!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cute idea! My birthday is 3 days before Christmas and I would've LOVED this as a kid...hmmmm, I might even need to implement this idea for myself now! LOL
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