As soon as I saw that positive pregnancy test, a wave of hope mixed with dread washed over me. I found myself silently pleading, “Please, no Christmas baby!” I knew all too well what that meant—sharing a birthday with the most famous baby in history, resulting in one present instead of two because, as the saying goes, “It’s twice as big!” Spoiler alert: It’s never actually twice as big.
Christmas babies often end up with one cake while the celebration of Jesus takes center stage. “You share a birthday!” people say, and suddenly it’s all about the nativity scene instead of the birthday candles. So, I hoped for any date other than Christmas. My little one arrived on December 20, which felt like a win. Still, it turns out having a holiday birthday is almost as disappointing as being born on Christmas itself.
Unlike my other two sons, who have their birthdays around Halloween and enjoy a week-long extravaganza filled with candy, costumes, and family presents, a holiday birthday can be quite bleak. While they bask in the glory of their celebrations, my December baby has to contend with a birthday overshadowed by festive chaos. Christmas decorations and holiday music do not a birthday party make. Who wants to compete with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for attention on their special day?
And good luck trying to throw a birthday bash; everyone is too wrapped up in their own holiday festivities. Most of the time, friends and family are busy preparing their homes for relatives, shopping, or just trying to survive the holiday madness. When you do manage to gather people, they often show up with gifts that are a confusing mix of birthday and Christmas. “Happy Birthday! Here’s a present wrapped in Rudolph paper!” It’s the same story year after year.
I know folks who have managed to make peace with their holiday birthdays. My friend Amy was born on Christmas and her mother cleverly designated a different day for celebration, complete with all the traditional birthday fanfare. But even she admitted that the real day feels like a letdown.
In our house, we attempt to make the best of the situation with a low-key family birthday celebration. We can’t throw a big party, nor can we stop the holiday frenzy from encroaching on his special day. We’ve tried holding a belated celebration, but inevitably, confusion ensues and I end up looking like a madwoman hauling cake and candles around.
So, we do what we can. We’ll light a candle, give birthday gifts separate from Christmas ones, and try to carve out a moment just for him. But at the end of the day, Baby Jesus and his holiday cheer reign supreme, and that’s a tough pill to swallow.
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In summary, while holiday birthdays can bring a unique set of challenges, with a bit of creativity and family effort, they can still be celebrated in a way that honors the child’s special day, even amidst the festive chaos.