CENTER TWP — The Jenny Drive home of Brian and Rebecca Dancik is celebrating the first birthday of their aptly-named baby Nicholas this holiday season.

Nicholas, who was born Dec. 15, 2014, and named in honor of his December birthday, joins 11-year-old Evan and 8-year-old Maddy as the family’s third child.

As Christmas Day draws near, the Danciks say the entire family is excited to help Nicholas celebrate his first holiday season.

“It’s exciting and refreshing, and it’s what it’s all about,” said Rebecca Dancik of baby Nicholas’ first Christmas. “Having him turning one makes it all the more special.”

Grandmother Deborah Barnhart, who often babysits, said she’s enjoyed watching the family’s two older children revel in their young sibling’s first birthday and Christmas. Particularly Evan, she said, who has displayed a softer side and is regularly charmed by Nicholas’ antics.

“I think it’s brought out a side to him we normally wouldn’t have seen,” Barnhart said.

Nicholas, a friendly child who enjoys hamming for pictures and is delighted by the sight and sound of a camera, will have a big party after the holiday season, Brian Dancik said.

The family believes it’s important to keep Nicholas’ birthday celebration separate from Christmas activities.

“We typically do a pretty big first birthday party,” he said.

The family had a low-key dinner with cupcakes Dec. 15, with the older children excited to surprise Nicholas with presents like a rocking horse and toy drum set.

The Danciks say Nicholas also will participate in the family’s annual Christmas traditions this year, which include Christmas Eve mass and a holiday celebration that brings together both sides of the family.

In Chicora, Jonathan Serafine will turn one year old Saturday, but his parents Debbie and Michael say there won’t be any confusion when it comes to celebrating his big day.

The family intends to draw a line between Jonathan’s birthday and Christmas and has rented out Chicora Fire Hall for a blowout birthday party on Jan. 2 with some 70 people invited to attend.

“He’s got it pretty bad. We didn’t have a choice though,” said his mother of the date of her son’s birthday.

She grew up watching multiple family members celebrate near-Christmas birthdays, and said she always hoped to avoid that for her own children.

“I was really upset when I found out my due date,” she said. “I always felt like kids with Christmas birthdays got slighted.”

Michael Serafine said the family plans to decorate the fire hall, host games for children and put out food to celebrate Jonathan’s first birthday. It’s a tradition of big birthdays both parents say they grew up with, and enjoy passing on to Jonathan and his two older sisters, 10-year-old Siena Lockwood and 6-year-old Julianna Lockwood.

“It’s going to be a typical birthday party — just with a lot more people than we normally do,” he said.

For Michael Serafine, having a baby Jonathan’s age around will be a holiday first.

“Christmas took on a whole new meaning for me when kids came into my life,” he said. “You make it about them, and the whole essence of Christmas changes.”

Something else that changes: the potential for Christmas tree-related disasters involving the spunky Jonathan, who is always moving and exploring the Serafine home.

“The way he’s fascinated with sparkling things, the tree’s going to be interesting,” his father said.