This year I have clients due close to Christmas day. My own mother’s birthday is December 21st and recently, she switched when she celebrated it to June 21st — she switched from the winter solstice to the summer solstice. She had her first outdoor birthday ever! It was great.

My mother has definite ideas about how to celebrate a birthday that is near Christmas. She gave us a set of guidelines which I will pass on to you:

1. Always use birthday wrapping paper and birthday-type cards, nothing Christmassy.
2. Give separate and distinct gifts, not a scarf for the birthday and matching hat for Christmas.
3. It is OK to celebrate the birthday earlier and further away from Christmas (like the weekend before).
4. Don’t play Christmas music or have a Christmas theme at the birthday party.
5. Try not to name your child something extremely Christmassy, a little goes a long way.
6. Remember, it seems like everyone is celebrating the birth of another baby, make the birth of your baby special to your family (the other baby won’t mind).

Every child is a blessing and a miracle. Enjoy yours.