January has been officially branded the worst month for a birthday, with new research revealing that one in three adults born in the first month ditch their celebrations entirely.
The Bleak Reality of a January Birthday
A survey of 2,000 UK adults, which included 250 born in January, paints a gloomy picture for winter birthdays. A third of those with January birthdays have delayed or cancelled their plans, convinced friends and family won't make the effort to attend. This perception is backed by data showing 35% of all respondents socialise less in January.
Consequently, 18% of January-born individuals have pushed their birthday plans to another month entirely. Meanwhile, a significant 41% have ended up organising a much more low-key event than they would have preferred. The study, commissioned by Madrí Excepcional 0.0%, also uncovered that 21% of January-born adults have never celebrated with a party in their adult life.
Financial Hangovers and Social Frost
The reasons for this birthday blues are stark. The financial strain following Christmas is a major factor, with many people feeling "skint." The miserable British winter weather and the popularity of Dry January also create a perfect storm that discourages festivities. In fact, 19% of people have skipped a January birthday gathering specifically because they weren't keen on drinking alcohol.
This social frostiness has tangible consequences. 36% of January babies believe they receive fewer gifts purely because of their birth date, calculating an average loss of roughly £62 worth of presents. Furthermore, 12% of people admitted to missing a loved one's January birthday bash, though most confessed to feeling guilty about it.
A Lifeline for Forgotten Birthdays?
Despite the challenges, there is hope. The research found that 66% of people would be more likely to attend a January celebration if certain conditions were met, including the promise of quality time, better non-alcoholic options, and someone else picking up the tab.
It is this insight that prompted Madrí Excepcional 0.0% to launch its January Birthday Bar Tab initiative. The scheme offers anyone born in January a free beer (either 0.0% or 4.6%) for themselves and a friend at BOXPARK venues in Liverpool, Shoreditch, Croydon, Wembley, and Camden on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the month.
January-born actor and comedian Henry Rowley, who partnered with the brand, summed up the struggle: "My birthday in January always gets the short straw compared to my mates. Everyone's skint, the weather's miserable and Dry January is in full swing." He added that he's using the bar tab to make up for lost celebrations.
Sophie Mitchell from the beer brand stated: "Not all birthdays are created equal and January can be a tough month to bring people together. So we want to take the pressure off... Our January Birthday Bar Tab is all about giving people a simple reason to show up for their mates."
In total, 42% of all respondents agreed that January is undoubtedly the bleakest month for a birthday, cementing its status as the calendar's most challenging celebration.
