December Birthday Gifts: 10 Ideas That Don't Feel Like Christmas Presents

Ask anyone with a December birthday and you'll hear the same complaint: the combined gift. The "this is for your birthday and Christmas" present. The birthday wrapped in snowflake paper. The party nobody can make because everyone is traveling.

The best December birthday gifts do one thing well: they make the day feel like it belongs to the person, not the season.

The December birthday cheat sheet

Birthstones: turquoise, tanzanite and zircon, all in the blue family.
Birth flowers: narcissus (paperwhite) and holly.
Zodiac signs: Sagittarius (December 1 to 21) and Capricorn (December 22 to 31).
The mood: candlelight, long nights, a reason to slow down.

10 December birthday gift ideas

1. A candle made for their exact birthday, not the holidays. Each December birthdate candle is written for one specific date, with the sign, ruling planet, tarot card, birthstones and a personality reading for people born that day. Nothing about it says Christmas, which is exactly the point. Try the December 4th, December 16th or December 27th candle, or find their date in the collection. Add their name to the label for a finishing touch.
2. Turquoise or tanzanite jewelry. Their birthstones, and the blues stand out against all the red and green of the season.
3. Paperwhite bulbs in a nice pot. Their birth flower, blooming in the middle of winter.
4. A gift for the other half of the year. December babies get winter gifts forever. Try something for summer: a beach bag, a gardening set, good sunglasses.
5. A real birthday experience. A dinner, a show or a spa day booked for January when calendars clear. Half-birthday celebrations count too.
6. An adventure for a Sagittarius. A travel accessory, a map of places they want to go, a booked day trip.
7. Something excellent and practical for a Capricorn. A quality leather notebook, a great pen, a well-made bag. Capricorns value craftsmanship.
8. A wine from their birth year. A classic that feels celebratory without being festive.
9. A framed print of their birthday night sky. Personal, permanent and nothing to do with tinsel.
10. A card that only mentions the birthday. Small, but December birthdays notice.

The rules for December birthdays

Use birthday paper. Never holiday wrap.

Keep the gifts separate. Two smaller gifts beat one combined gift.

Celebrate on the day. Even if it's a quiet one.

Sagittarius or Capricorn?

Early-December birthdays are Sagittarius: open, funny, always planning a trip. See our Sagittarius gift guide. From December 22 it's Capricorn: ambitious, understated, appreciative of quality. The Capricorn gift guide has more ideas.

When to order

December is the slowest month for shipping. Order personalized gifts at least two to three weeks before the birthday, and earlier still for dates near Christmas.

If you're still stuck

Look up their exact date in the December collection. A gift that names their birthday is the clearest possible way of saying this one isn't a Christmas present. For more ideas, see our birthstone gift guide.