While my mind was wandering around today, I got curious about how it feels for people who happen to be born on a holiday. It’s fairly easy to hear about folks who have birthdays on Christmas (the “I receive just one gift for two holidays” grouse being very common, it seems), but what about other holidays?
If you were born on October 31, do you have Halloween-themed birthday parties?
If you were born on July 4th, do you have birthday parties in the morning so the evening is free for fireworks?
If you were born on February 29th, how long does it take to get tired of people joking that you’re only one-fourth your actual age?
My husband’s birthday is Valentine’s Day. He resents not being able to go out for a regular dinner, and hates being told how cute it is. Of course, he mostly got heckled about it in high school.
Not me, but I always felt sorry for the boy I knew who was born on Halloween.
His parents told him he could either trick or treat or have a birthday party (with a Halloween theme usually). I always thought it sad, since he would choose the party and had never gone trick or treating that I knew of.
I was born on Easter Sunday, as was my dad 27 years and 1 day before me. That always seems good for a shock to people just finding that out. Since Easter is one of those holidays that moves about the calendar, it hasn’t really been an issue since I was a little kid; when I was small I received enough stuffed bunnies at birthdays to make a fake fur coat for a very large person. Luckily it was when I was too young to resent not getting “normal” birthday gifts.
The only thing that’s still odd is that on a few occasions I’ve had otherwise sensible adults ask me if my birthday is a different date each year
My best friend, on the other hand, was born on Christmas Day. She hates it and always has. I make a point to wrap her birthday presents in birthday paper instead of Christmas, because her whole life people gave her “combo” gifts. I think she said her parents eventually started celebrating her birthday the 24th instead.
December 25th–one present for both, wrapped in Xmas paper, and the “thrill” of watching everyone else open presents on YOUR B-day. And the joy of having people “regift” you the day after your B-day.
This is why I make a point of celebrating my son’s birthday on Christmas eve instead of the day. Proper birthday cake, candles, presents wrapped in birthday paper. That is all about him so he doesn’t get stinted. I’ll have to work out what to do about birthday parties with classmates when he gets to school age.
My brother was born at the beginning of April & I was near the end. We had a family party for birthdays & holidays once a month. Therefore, my birthday was usually celebrated on Easter (except when it came really early). I tried to convince my wife that there was no Easter Bunny, but there was really a Birthday Bunny that just happened to come on Easter. Alas, that scam did not work for me…
I was born on October 31. I’ve had different opinions at different times. As a child, I didn’t much like it. My mom went to great lengths to have fun halloween-themed parties (pin the hat on the witch, etc.), but I just wanted to have a normal party. (Ungrateful little beast!) As a teenager and young adult, it was a lot of fun. It was an excuse to host costume parties, scavenger hunts, etc. Middle years–it had some advantages–it was easy for husband and children to remember, for example. Now, it’s not a big deal one way or the other. I suspect in my 70s and 80s (should I make it that far), I might see it differently yet again.
