Everyone always likes to have a little moan about January. It’s deemed to be cold, dank and gloomy. A low point after the festive highs of December. Poor old January. Yet I love January and it all stems from having a January birthday.
I am a January baby, and as such I’ve always loved January. I love how Christmas excitement spills into the New Year, there is a valid reason for carrying on drinking all the leftover Christmas booze and eating all of the cake. I mean ALL of the cake. Then of course there are the sales. Those wonderful, mythical save big January sales. The ones that can make or break my birthday.
When I was younger those sales meant that the must have toy that my mum and dad just weren’t able to justify in December was now a possibility. It was within their financial grasp and as such, more often than not, it made it to my grubby little mitts. As I got older I found the same. The presents I so coveted and often didn’t get at Christmas became possible for my birthday. The presents that I didn’t realise I wanted, reduced in the sale and a brand new possibility for my birthday. And if I ever got any birthday money it tended to go further. Buy more stuff that I obviously so required. Never tat. Ever.
Even now, at the grand old age of 34, I am still excited about my January birthday. I am still loving the sales and with my birthday money from my mum I am itching to go ahead and have a real root through the malls out here, especially the Monsoon sale as a beautiful red dress has caught my eye (though the style isn’t my usual style and I have a feeling that I look a dogs dinner in it, I just thought it would be perfect for Christmas 2017 as we head on our second cruise aboard the Britannia, what, I haven’t mentioned that yet?!)
January Birthday Lovers
I mean, what’s not to love? Sales shopping, quieter nights out because everyone is all Christmassed out, and more often than not I’m a cheap date because dry January means I’m a bit of a lightweight. Plus in the past 8 years we’ve had a bit of tendency to go on holiday for my birthday…..
It’s not only myself that loves a January birthday, my husband enjoys the fact that any present requests are at a discounted rate, and much like Lauren from Belle du Brighton I bookmark anything I would like and he simply has to go along and just pop it in his shopping basket. Oh husband – if you happen to be reading this I’d quite like the Life is Sweet Hummingbird Bakery book, because well cake. Hollie from Thrify Mum used to hate her early January birthday growing up as people always forgot about it, though now she sees the benefit as her money stretches further and even her hairdresser is getting in on the January sales.
Samantha from Chocolate and Wine and I’ll be fine and Danielle from Someones Mum definitely on the same page as me regarding the fact that a birthday in January gives you something to look forward to, in both their case it’s their daughters, in mine? Well I’m all about me. (and cake, I’m all about cake)
January Birthday Loathers
On the other side of the coin there are those that don’t love their January birthdays. That find that people are all Christmassed out, Rebecca from Wishes and Wellies turned 30 last week and rather than have her party in January with the lack of spirit surrounding her has opted for a July birthday when (hopefully) British Summertime kicks in and fewer winter blues all round. The lack of friends attending at a party is something that Rebecca from becster.com worries about with her daughters birthday party falling as one of the first of the year.
The winter blues (and dry January) have a lot to answer for for these January Birthday loathers, Claire from Life, Love and Dirty Dishes notes that everyone is too skint, too sober or too healthy to help you celebrate in style. A sentiment that Laura from Five Little Doves agrees with, she also remembers as a child struggling to think of things to ask for. And it’s not just your own birthday that suffers from empty wallet syndrome after Christmas Alex from Better Together Home has found that her daughters birthday tends to be treated a little different to others in the family as everyone is still skint.
January Birthday Organisers
Those who realise that having a January birthday, or indeed a child with a January birthday is a chance to get organised. Jenny from Monkey and Mouse stocks up on her youngest childs birthday presents as soon as the sales start. While Kerry from All About a Mini Norris gave me the best tip I’ve ever heard, as well as buying all of Eva’s presents in the sales now that Eva is at school she also buys all the Christmas presents for school parties in the sales. Genius. I’ve been busy having a quick look through The Works January Sale to do the same as their selection of children’s books is second to none and they are my go to present for friends from school.
This year is the first year that Naomi from me becoming mum has left her husbands birthday shopping until the sales, which is great for making your money stretch further but nerve-wracking in case you can’t find that perfect present.
Lyndsay from me, him, the dog and a baby has to be organised with her daughters birthday falling on New Years Day, the expense of a birthday right on top of Christmas means searching for bargains.
And then there’s Hannah from Hi Baby Blog who uses her nous to check what Christmas presents her brothers, both with January birthdays, could do with a little accompaniment for their birthday. New Xbox games? No sweat, he needs a new controller. BOOM!
January Birthday – a little bit of them all
As with everything there is always an awkward one, Harriet from Toby and Roo claims this spot, whilst her birthday has lost all of it’s pizazz, she still loves to grab a bargain for her youngest Edie whilst stocking up on little bits for all of the kids throughout the year. Organised, a lover and a loather…..
Do you have a January birthday? Do you love it or loathe it?
*this is a collaborative post