When Birthdays & Christmas Collide

Christmas and birthdays are often enough of a struggle for parents without these two events being situated close together in the year. For some families, one child has their birthday near to, or even on Christmas Day. Managing when this kind of collision of celebrations occurs can be tough, as both of these things can end up being extremely expensive.

That being said, while both birthdays and Christmas can be expensive, it’s important to ensure that you can cope with them. After all, you don’t want to end up feeling like you’ve let your child down, do you? Of course, even without a major fuss, as long as your little one is happy, you haven’t let them down but that isn’t the point, is it? You want to surprise them with gifts and all sorts of other treats on both their birthday and at Christmas, don’t you?

Managing financially when two celebrations collide isn’t an easy task, but it is a manageable one. The key here is to be a savvy shopper and to be smart about your spending. Bearing that in mind, below are some tips and ideas for how you can make managing a birthday and Christmas collision more affordable.

 

 

Keep the two days separate

Okay, this doesn’t so much have to do with spending, it’s more about how you organise the two celebrations. Never combine them, as that way your little one can feel as if they have missed out on having a proper birthday celebration. Make sure to plan them a party and get them dedicated birthday gifts as well as dedicated Christmas gifts, and ask friends and family to do the same.

 

Buy in advance

The best thing to do to cut costs is to buy in advance. Start planning as early as possible, putting money aside each month, to ensure that you are able to afford to celebrate both occasions. Throughout the year, buy items for your child’s birthday and then begin your Christmas buying later on, once you’ve finished birthday buying.

 

Take advantage of deals and discounts

When it comes to cutting costs, it’s essential that you take advantage of any deals and discounts that you are able to utilise. If you search online, you should be able to find some great deals. You should also take advantage of major sales like Black Friday – you could even look online for some Black Friday vouchers to allow you to make even larger savings.

 

Budget separately

For each occasion – birthday and Christmas – set a budget and ensure that you stick to it. Don’t be tempted to combine the two together; they are two separate celebrations and should be treated as such. You will find it far easier to manage your finances for each occasion if you ensure that you budget separately for them, as this way you won’t end up overspending on one and underspending on the other.

Managing financially when birthdays and Christmas collide is no easy task, but by taking note of the tips above and implementing them, you can make it far easier to cope.

 

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