How do you handle birthdays?

Stupid question LOL. We're not having a party this year, so it's just the four of us... their birthday is on a Saturday... How do you usually handle it? When do you give their presents? I'm guessing first thing in the morning when they wake up? And a cake in the afternoon?

 

Last year we were away on their birthday. After they fell asleep the night before dh and I decorated the hotel room and hid their presents. In the morning they woke up and got to hunt for their present and, go out for a special breakfast. Then I had to work ( we were away because I had a work conference) and dh took them sight seeing in their bday tee shirts and everyone they saw wished them a happy bday! Then after I was done working we went out to dinner and had birthday ice cream that night. Its little things that make it special for them at this age almost a yr later my girls still talk about all the people in San Antonio that wished them a happy birthday!

 

We do cake and presents at night (after dinner). Whether it's on a weekday or a weekend. And they are already talking about where they want to go have dinner on their birthdays.

 

We also do dinner & presents in the evening on the day of.

 

We take the boys out somewhere fun, preferably new if possible. If dh takes the time off-we do it as a family. This past year, we brought them to a kids museum they've never been to. They had a blast. We then all went out to lunch. If dh is working, I do something fun with them during the day(museum, Chuck E Cheese), and then we go out to dinner as a family at their choice. Then we go home and do cake/ice cream/presents. Usually the grandparents stop by for that.

If it's on a weekend, we would still go do something fun and do lunch/dinner out somewhere. As for the present, on a weekend, I could go either way-in the morning-or after dinner.

 

I always decorate the dining room/kitchen after they've gone to bed, with curly q's I've cut from colored paper or old magazines. And I make a fun breakfast, usually pancakes in a silly color, in the shape of the letter of their name or something like that. And they don't have to do chores on their birthday (I have older kids, too). We usually go out for dinner on their birthday or another night that week, depending on what's going on. And after dinner, we have cake and presents.

Years ago, when we decided to have a large family, I came up with the arbitrary determination that we'd have "friend" parties when they're 8, 12 and 16. The other years, it's just family parties. I don't love planning parties, so to do it 5 times/year is just more than I want to do. It doesn't sound like much, I guess. But I just dread it, LOL. This works out much better for me and my kids enjoy each year, but really look forward to the years they have a big party.

 

We do a family party every year but on their birthday when it's the four of us, I make cupcakes and we decorate the house a little (not too much because the house is still decked out for Christmas) and we usually do presents after dinner. Since their birthday is day after Christmas, it is usually a gift that compliments a Christmas present, books or clothes.

 

Oh my gosh, how do you get your kids to go to bed if you do presents after dinner? wow!

 

It's not a choice. Let's see...what was their gift this year? A leapster game from dh and I. They got to play for a few minutes or what have you, and then it was time for bed. When they woke up-they could play with them again.

Dinner, if out, is on the earlier side-say 4/4:30 if we can help it. Home and done with cake/presents by 7, so they can play for a half hour and then we would get ready for bed.

 

Yeah... just not sure it's a battle I want to fight, when there are other options. Interesting, though.

 

Fran, this is what we do as well. My kids are well aware of bedtime and even with getting presents and dinner, they are ready to go to bed. They know there is tomorrow to play with all of their goodies.

 

We do dinner, cake and then presents for their birthday.

Mine are 2 though so the presents really didn't even register.

 

If they got them earlier in the day, my DH wouldn't get to be part of the celebration. He leaves before the kids are up in the morning and gets home about the time dinner is going on the table. But we also are pretty low-key about presents for birthdays, usually. A toy and a movie, say. Or a couple books and a doll, or something similar. And the kids don't go to bed right after dinner. We have dinner about 6:30 and bed is at 9pm. It works for us because we're a homeschooling family and I'm at home with them, so it's fine for them to wake up at 8:30 or even later in the morning.