Eighteen years ago as my mother was wrapping presents and getting ready for the big day, she went into labor a month early on the 23rd of December. Everyone was so blessed and cheerful that I was born, but the only blessing I received was now being a Christmas baby.

Hands down, December babies have the worst birthdays of the year.

Every time someone asks about your birthday, we always get hit with the that-sucks-you’re-so-close-to-Christmas comment. Thanks, I had no idea. And I think the closer to the big day, the worse it is. Yep, December 1st must be rough, but I was technically born on Christmas Eve Eve.  I know my day is overshadowed by the biggest day of the year. Happens every year – thanks for letting me know. 

When I plan a birthday party, I know I have to either do it in November or face the reality that not a lot of people will make it because they are with family or out of town. I can never have a swim party or plan on doing it outside because everyone will complain about the cold or about it not being cold. I have resorted to the cliches: dinner or ice skating.

Don’t even get me started on having to share the day of birth with your family’s Christmas plans. Your birthday presents are always wrapped in Christmas paper and Christmas cards have ‘happy birthday’ scribbled in like it was an afterthought. Basically your birthday is just squeezed in instead of being a main event. Your so called ‘special day’ is preoccupied with Christmas activities, your gift bags are red and green and your birthday cake is full of snowflakes and snowmen.

True being born on December 23rd means never having to be at school or work on my birthday, but that also means that my favorite nail salon or restaurant probably isn’t open either. No need to worry McDonald’s is always open. Nothing says special birthday meal like nuggets or a Big Mac. Happy birthday and would you like fries with that?

Please, if there is someone in your life who has a Christmas birthday, keep the too-close-to-Christmas-I-would-hate-that comments to yourself. Also never ever give a gift and say it will cover both birthday and Christmas. That never has and never will be okay. Speaking for the Christmas babies around the world, we also would like to enjoy our day like you enjoy your June birthday, so save your Christmas wrapping paper for the 25th.