Most of us know at least one person who celebrates their birthday around Christmas, so how do you help them mark the occasion? Do you send them two cards? Do you give them two gifts? Do you settle for giving them one special gift and card? What is the correct etiquette in this situation? What do you do for a child with birthdays at Christmas when their brothers and sisters enjoyed parties with their friends earlier in the year?

All too often you will find that a Christmas birthday just gets merged into the festivities and the opportunity to celebrate it properly is lost forever. Organising a birthday party for adults at Christmas is hard enough but it's even harder for Children as everyone is so busy with last minute Christmas shopping and the endless queues on the High Street.

The traditional advice for Christmas Birthdays is:

1. You should never send just one card hoping that it will cover both Christmas and the Birthday.
2. Always wrap the birthday gift in a suitable Birthday wrapping paper - using a Christmas wrapping paper for both birthday and Christmas present is bad form.
3. Always wish the recipient a Happy Birthday before wishing them a Happy Christmas.
4. Whilst a token gift is acceptable as a Christmas present more effort is expected for Birthday presents.

Christmas birthdays don't have to be this way.

The Queen has an official Birthday and a private Birthday; this idea can be extended to those with a birthday at Christmas. To be precise what I am suggesting is that for people whose birthday falls between Christmas Eve and Jan 2nd we should nominate the August Bank Holiday as their Official Birthday.

What could be better than to plan a party or barbeque in honour of your friends Official Birthday. For once they could really celebrate their birthday in style without it being overshadowed by Christmas. For the official birthday you would give a beautiful birthday present with a small card wishing them a happy day. At Christmas you should send them a normal Birthday Card and a token Birthday present.

August is a great time of year for an Official Birthday party. You should be lucky enough to have great weather for an outdoor barbeque; beach party or grand picnic in the countryside and it's late enough in the year to still be remembered at Christmas.