# Is it better to be born on Dec 30 or Jan 2nd? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 28, 2000, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474 "2000-12-28T04:36:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/21 "2000-12-28T21:00:14Z")
for no other reason than it will be easier to keep track of the date on forms that have to be filled out for years to come. 01/01/02? 01/02/01? 02/01/01? You can pretty much guess the right Y-M-D: 00/12/30 am i being too practical? ---
**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/22 "2000-12-28T21:02:54Z")
I started to respond a half-hour ago and got distracted by work… Damn you Stupendous man! ---
**Author:** ![Nessy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f04885/32.png) [@Nessy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nessy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/23 "2000-12-28T21:29:13Z")
I knew a guy who was born on Jan 1, but he said it was only cool as a kid. Later, it just got worn out and jerks at the DMV and college registrar’s office kept demanding “The EXACT date!” ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/24 "2000-12-28T23:02:30Z")
Go with Dec. 30th. Davy Jones was born on that date. So was Michael Nesmith! 🙂 (Okay maybe that won’t be cool to your kid.) ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2000, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/25 "2000-12-29T00:59:35Z")
My birthday is December 31 and I never got lumped in with Christmas. My folks were careful about that. Also, I agree with the folks who say the tax deduction is nothing to sneeze at. So I say go with 12/30/00. As a greedy little kid I enjoyed getting my presents close together because it seemed like I got more than mys sisters. Bad reasoning I know but there it is. What does the mother say? Doesnt’ she want to dump the load ASAP? ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2000, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/26 "2000-12-29T01:31:44Z")
another vote for a bouncing baby tax deduction. a very good reason to go for the 30th. another consideration is that you will always know how old your beloved child is. very important when filling out forms. ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2000, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/27 "2000-12-29T10:24:40Z")
NO!NO!NO! Whatever you do, NOT Jan 2nd. My birthday is an Jan 2nd, and it REALLLLLY sucks. By that time, everyone is broke, and not interested in partying. Besides, as a Tax professional, the tax advantages are very nice. 12/13/00, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Oblong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c0e974/32.png) [@Oblong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblong)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2000, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/28 "2000-12-29T13:41:49Z")
January 2 could make him very popular in school as he’d be one of the first in his class to drive. My B-Day is in October and I hated waiting until my junior year to drive when all my friends were driving in the spring of my sophmore year. But many school districts have a cutoff date in mid December so it might not matter. I just had my first on Dec. 12. His middle name is deduction. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2000, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/29 "2000-12-29T14:51:40Z")
I know that you only have two choices, but I strongly recommend convincing the doctor to do it on January 1st. There is no better birthday than 01/01/01. You will be giving your child a gift that not too many people can give. Everybody will remember his/her birthday. There will never be any confusion about the month-day-year or day-month-year format. And finally, he/she will always have the day off (unless they’re working in a casino). And to top it off, the child will be the center-of-attraction during any conversation involving birthdays. In fact, now that I think about it, you really should demand that the induced birth is performed on January 1st. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/30 "2000-12-30T01:20:36Z")
Hmm. I wonder if I can plan to father a child who’s born on 11/11/11? A mere 10 years, 11 months, 15 days from now… ---
**Author:** ![aaelghat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@aaelghat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaelghat)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/31 "2000-12-30T02:47:48Z")
Based on the responses to the OP, we scheduled my wife to be induced on December 30th. My wife’s doctor called back to say that she had to take back the 30th as an option, because they were short-staffed. They could have my wife induced on January 2nd, but my wife’s doctor wouldn’t be doing it. My wife really wanted her own doctor to deliver the baby, which moved the date back to the 4th. So know we are really hoping the baby comes on it’s own before that, preferably the 30th, 31st, or January 1. I tell you, it’s tough living with someone who’s one week overdue. I hope I can make it until the 4th! ---
**Author:** ![aaelghat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@aaelghat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaelghat)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2000, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/32 "2000-12-30T02:50:05Z")
I shouldn’t make it seem like I’m the one being put out by the tardiness of the baby. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/33 "2000-12-31T08:18:55Z")
Since you haven’t posted in almost 30 hours, does that mean you are at the hospital with the wife? I know if that is the case you won’t see this post for a while, but just wanted to let you know folks on the SDMB are thinking of you all. Keep us posted when you can. Too bad about the short staffing situation. ---
**Author:** ![aaelghat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@aaelghat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaelghat)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/34 "2000-12-31T19:25:45Z")
My wife is having some mild regular contractions that are still rather far apart. Stay tuned… ---
**Author:** ![annalamerino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@annalamerino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annalamerino)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/35 "2001-01-01T21:34:13Z")
That was two days ago! I guess you may be busy celebrating? I certainly hope so. Long labors are the pits! Congratulations, whatever the date! ---
**Author:** ![aaelghat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@aaelghat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaelghat)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/36 "2001-01-01T22:04:46Z")
OK, we missed out on the tax deduction, but we got a really cool birth date, 01/01/01. My wife delivered the baby at 5:03 AM, and we actually got visits by two local newspapers because it was the first baby of the new year delivered in Lake County, Illinois (it was a slow day for births). Mom and baby (Zachary Ahmed El Ghatit) are doing great. Thanks to all the dopers who provided great advice and insight. In the end we got a date better than both the 30th and the 2nd. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/37 "2001-01-01T22:10:08Z")
What a way to start out the new millenium!!! Congratulations! Did the baby get his picture in the paper, what with the reporters visiting and all??? ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/38 "2001-01-01T23:38:52Z")
Congratulations!! Ahhh- another Capricorn born to enrich and enlighten an otherwise superstitious and uneducated world (and yes, I am aware of the irony). ---
**Author:** ![aaelghat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@aaelghat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaelghat)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2001, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/39 "2001-01-02T13:24:29Z")
Yes Baker, he got his picture in two newspapers, with a short article. [http://www.dailyherald.com/lake/main\_story.asp?intID=3689379#](http://www.dailyherald.com/lake/main_story.asp?intID=3689379#) ---
**Author:** ![Oblong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c0e974/32.png) [@Oblong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblong)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2001, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474/40 "2001-01-02T15:39:06Z")
Congratulations. Having experienced that just 3 weeks ago I know what you are going through. It’s such a high. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-born-on-dec-30-or-jan-2nd/47474.md?page=3)