Ok, so my mother-in-law's birthday is this weekend & I'm making a small cake just for the family. Problem is I'm stuck on ideas! I was thinking something with poinsettas, but after this, I can't think of what else. Or if I should just avoid the whole Christmas thing & do something for a birthday instead. Any ideas?? Thanks

Avoid Christmas. This is her birthday cake, not Jesus'. Do something simple with pretty flowers or a pretty design. Whatever she's into. If you do a Christmas themed cake it may not feel like it's her day. I would think snow flakes would be fine, beause that's more of a winter design instead of a holiday design. Or, do a summery cake for her since she has never had a summer birthday .

That is very nice of you to do a cake for her. My birthday is also in December. Personally, I would say to stay away from Christmas designs. I think winter designs would be fine though. Does she prefer elegant or fun?

Here are a few ideas from the gallery.

For elegant ideas, either of these two would be really pretty, just take off their toppers, and either leave plain or replace it with a fondant bow or snowflake.

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1170906

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=89295

I also like this one. You could always modify it to be a one layer (maybe just do the top part). The bow and swags are so pretty!
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=661413


Or, for something a bit more fun, you could go with something like this, in her favorite color:
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1144333

I also like this one. You could always modify it to be a one layer (maybe just do the top part). The bow and swags are so pretty!
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=661413

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo-657503.html


My MIL's birthday is on Christmas! She is visiting on the 26th, so I wanted to make her something that she is into, what better than a cup of coffee. So that is what I am going to try. Try is the operative word!!!!

Thanks!!! I just had a great idea - she is very into antique/country theme...

I may be the odd one out, but I don't see anything wrong with poinsettias. That's more seasonal than Christmas-y to me. Would you be afraid to do fall leaves or mums on someone's b'day cake just because it was close to Thanksgiving? I think not. Of course I happen to love poinsettias and I would be thrilled to have a cake with them on it. I've done December birthdays with a basket or spray of poinsettias and holly, and I did one once with a spray of white flowers commonly called "Christmas roses" (I can't remember the proper name, but they aren't really roses), holly, and mistletoe. I've also done sprays of evergreen branches and pinecones.

I can see why someone might not feel like they got a special b'day cake if you just stopped at the market or local bakery and bought a ready-made Christmas cake out of the case that had an overtly Christmas-y theme, especially something more juvenile like Santa or Rudolph, and passed it off as a birthday cake. But I don't see anything wrong with a cake specifically made with love for them that happened to have a beautiful, grown-up, seasonal theme.

But if you really felt you had to avoid anything remotely Christmas-y, you could go with a more wintery-theme like snowflakes and use a color palette of ice-blue, white, and silver. You could still do poinsettias, and just make them white along with the winter color palette.

I second CakesyJen2. My birthday is in december and I've never minded a christmas themed cake. In fact, I can't even remember a cake my mom has ever made for me that didn't have red and green sprinkles on it

I also have a friend whose birthday is 12/23 and she has requested a snowman theme so I'm doing exactly what Jen suggested with a blue base and glittery snowflakes and snowmen.