Vancouver, BC - December is a joyous time of year full of food, family, friends and celebration. But many children born in December get the short end of the candy cane when it comes to their own birthday parties and celebration.
Michelle Gibson, founder of Par-T-Perfect - Canada’s leading party providers with over 25 franchised locations throughout North America, advises that when a child’s birthday is competing with a holiday like Christmas, it’s really important for parents to acknowledge the birthday child by creating strong birthday celebrations and special traditions.
Doug Brown’s daughter Lola is a classic example since she was born on Christmas Eve. Brown says, “There are no Christmas celebrations until 6 pm on the 24th. That portion of the day is specifically designated as ‘Lola’s Birthday.’ They also celebrate again in April as Lola’s Special Day. “We have a party for her and allow her to determine how the day should go.”
With that in mind, here are Par-T-Perfect’s Top 5 Tips on how to ensure your December child does not wind up with plum pudding in lieu of a birthday cake.
1. Make the birthday unique: Have clear definition that it’s the child’s birthday and not a ‘shared day’ just because it’s in December. Wrap gifts in birthday paper and decorate special areas of the house for their birthday such as their bedroom door or their chair at the table. Make sure their birthday is a totally separate event with its own allotted time and space where they are the centre of attention.
2. Go with a summer theme: Turn winter upside down by hosting an indoor luau. Tell your pint-sized guests to arrive in beachwear and greet them with leis at the door. Pull in an inflatable pool for a fishpond game and get sand for the garage or rec room. Put on a limbo contest. Have relays such as crab and flipper walks. For girls, try mermaid dress-ups, beach tattoos and hair braiding. Include a seashell hunt. Not keen on water in the house, add on a trip to the local wave pool. Send the kids home with large shells with goodies as lootbags.
3. Embrace the Holiday theme: Some kids with December birthdays like the Christmas theme. If they are fans of the holiday and all its trimmings, you can go all out. Ask guests to come in elf costumes. Make Christmas decorations; decorate gingerbread men or houses or make sugar cube castles; play pin the nose on Rudolph and pass the parcel. Involve the kids in Bingo for candy canes and give mini-stockings with goodies as loot bags. If that’s not enough, head out for wintry activity such skating or sledding.
4. Establish birthday traditions for Christmas birthdays: If your child’s birthday is on or Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day, it’s important to acknowledge the birthday child. Allot part of the day exclusively to their birthday. Establish special traditions such as birthday cake for breakfast and a birthday section on the Christmas tree where you put up their birthday cards, balloons, or streamers. Have a special delivery come just for them – cookies for instance, or have a birthday present hunt around the house (not under the tree).
5. Celebrate off-season: Have a small family dinner on your child’s birthday but host a bigger birthday for friends in January once things calm down and school in back in session. Another popular alternative is to add a bigger half-birthday the following July.
Find out more party planning tips on the Par-T-Perfect blog at www.par-t-perfect.com/blog
About Par-T-Perfect
Par-T-Perfect is one of North America's leading party providers. Established in 1988, it reaches one million children across Canada and the US annually. The company's operations include managing a franchise system; putting on children's parties, corporate events and festivals; and selling party ware. Consumer awareness and an expanding distribution network have made Par-T-Perfect the go-to company for parties of all kinds. www.par-t-perfect.com
Michelle Gibson, founder of Par-T-Perfect - Canada’s leading party providers with over 25 franchised locations throughout North America, advises that when a child’s birthday is competing with a holiday like Christmas, it’s really important for parents to acknowledge the birthday child by creating strong birthday celebrations and special traditions.
Doug Brown’s daughter Lola is a classic example since she was born on Christmas Eve. Brown says, “There are no Christmas celebrations until 6 pm on the 24th. That portion of the day is specifically designated as ‘Lola’s Birthday.’ They also celebrate again in April as Lola’s Special Day. “We have a party for her and allow her to determine how the day should go.”
With that in mind, here are Par-T-Perfect’s Top 5 Tips on how to ensure your December child does not wind up with plum pudding in lieu of a birthday cake.
1. Make the birthday unique: Have clear definition that it’s the child’s birthday and not a ‘shared day’ just because it’s in December. Wrap gifts in birthday paper and decorate special areas of the house for their birthday such as their bedroom door or their chair at the table. Make sure their birthday is a totally separate event with its own allotted time and space where they are the centre of attention.
2. Go with a summer theme: Turn winter upside down by hosting an indoor luau. Tell your pint-sized guests to arrive in beachwear and greet them with leis at the door. Pull in an inflatable pool for a fishpond game and get sand for the garage or rec room. Put on a limbo contest. Have relays such as crab and flipper walks. For girls, try mermaid dress-ups, beach tattoos and hair braiding. Include a seashell hunt. Not keen on water in the house, add on a trip to the local wave pool. Send the kids home with large shells with goodies as lootbags.
3. Embrace the Holiday theme: Some kids with December birthdays like the Christmas theme. If they are fans of the holiday and all its trimmings, you can go all out. Ask guests to come in elf costumes. Make Christmas decorations; decorate gingerbread men or houses or make sugar cube castles; play pin the nose on Rudolph and pass the parcel. Involve the kids in Bingo for candy canes and give mini-stockings with goodies as loot bags. If that’s not enough, head out for wintry activity such skating or sledding.
4. Establish birthday traditions for Christmas birthdays: If your child’s birthday is on or Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day, it’s important to acknowledge the birthday child. Allot part of the day exclusively to their birthday. Establish special traditions such as birthday cake for breakfast and a birthday section on the Christmas tree where you put up their birthday cards, balloons, or streamers. Have a special delivery come just for them – cookies for instance, or have a birthday present hunt around the house (not under the tree).
5. Celebrate off-season: Have a small family dinner on your child’s birthday but host a bigger birthday for friends in January once things calm down and school in back in session. Another popular alternative is to add a bigger half-birthday the following July.
Find out more party planning tips on the Par-T-Perfect blog at www.par-t-perfect.com/blog
About Par-T-Perfect
Par-T-Perfect is one of North America's leading party providers. Established in 1988, it reaches one million children across Canada and the US annually. The company's operations include managing a franchise system; putting on children's parties, corporate events and festivals; and selling party ware. Consumer awareness and an expanding distribution network have made Par-T-Perfect the go-to company for parties of all kinds. www.par-t-perfect.com