Half birthdays and other times to celebrate

In college, my friends and I started celebrating half birthdays for those with summer birthdays, since we wouldn't be together to celebrate them. Years later, I still do it occasionally when a birthday goes by uncelebrated, like when someone is sick, working out of town, etc. We've celebrated 1/4 birthdays, 3/4 birthdays, and even "not your birthday," depending on when we remember and what's convenient. It's almost always a surprise to the birthday person.

Have you ever acknowledged a half birthday?

I had a family brunch at my house this weekend and realized it was my sister's half birthday. She has numerous food allergies and couldn't eat half of the food that we prepared. So I made something just for her...gluten-free, dairy-free banana bread with sweetened sunbutter on top. No big fanfare since the day wasn't about celebrating her, but I know what it's like to not be able to eat what's available. I wanted her to have something just for herself rather than feeling left out.

It says "Hap 1/2 Birt" since she only gets half a cake for her half birthday. I baked one 6" round pan, cut it in half, and spread sweetened sunbutter between the 2 halves.

I forgot my own birthday this year (my wife reminded me), but I must admit that I think the concept of a half birthday could be a great idea.

Half birthday! We do this every year for my daughter. We have half a cake (lit with half the amount of candles of her current age), sing half of the happy birthday song, and give one gift (still haven't figured out how to meaningfully give half of a gift!).

Last year we tried explaining this to the folks at the checkout of the grocery store, but they just kept saying, "Happy Birthday" to her. It must be an unusual practice. Well, it's fun, especially because at my daughter's age the time still seems like FOREVER between birthdays, so here's an extra day to feel a little bit special and celebrated.

Rachel Lindsay wrote:Half birthday! We do this every year for my daughter. We have half a cake (lit with half the amount of candles of her current age), sing half of the happy birthday song, and give one gift (still haven't figured out how to meaningfully give half of a gift!).

Last year we tried explaining this to the folks at the checkout of the grocery store, but they just kept saying, "Happy Birthday" to her. It must be an unusual practice. Well, it's fun, especially because at my daughter's age the time still seems like FOREVER between birthdays, so here's an extra day to feel a little bit special and celebrated.

That sounds like such a fun tradition! Is there a certain age that you expect to do it through?

I expect we will commemorate her half birthday in some form always. (I'll get so used to it that I know it would seem odd to stop!) When she is nearly grown, perhaps we will simply do a special vacation event or a modest gift rather than the whole party. It's so much fun for me to have these two times in the year to pause and be grateful for the gift of motherhood that I have, I don't ever want to stop!

I haven't celebrated half birthdays before, but thank you for the reminder!

My nephew's birthday is on my half birthday, and vice versa of course, so I always have had grand ideas of sending him half a birthday card in the mail with half of something else for fun but have yet to do it... I was more conscious of it when he was younger and didn't bother because it'd be lost to him, but now that he's older but still young enough to get a ton of giggles out of it I definitely need to make sure to do that this year!

I also like that I can be thinking of someone else when it's my own birthday :)

As it stands now, I always get to attend a birthday party for my half birthday since they always do a family birthday party for him, so that's fun! I get to see family for my half birthday :D A gift in itself.

I've never heard of a half birthday mine would be in 7 days, we're not recovered from the festive period yet!
I think birthdays are special and the waiting for them to come once a year is part of that. But we don't celebrate anything much here, our birthdays are within 2 weeks of each-other so we only do one day.  It's irritating enough to constantly have to go to various kids/siblings/parents birthday parties without being pushed into halves as well.
Finland and I think some other countries have name days which are bigger parties than birthdays.

I have always thought that this was a brilliant way to deal with summer and "Christmas" birthday 's.

Birthday party 's for kids can be super challenging when all your school buddies are unavailable  -  away on holidays etc.

I always feel bad for those children who celebrate birthdays close to Xmas,  they often feel overshadowed, ignored and 'ripped off' especially when they get "dual" gifts... one parcel for both events.   I get some may see this as consumerism but when you are a kid,  FAIR is a huge deal.

That said,  had never heard of this half cake concept,  just the selection of an alternative special day, 6 mths later, for the non overlap or 'convenience' party.

My half birthday would be in August, so my real birthday is easier to celebrate with friends. I do like the idea of a half cake though. If you haven't lots of people to share it with: easier to bake and make and eat....