Love them or hate them? Birthdays near Christmas

I have the misfortune (or fortune) of having a birthday in the month of December. Luckily, it s at the beginning but still too close for comfort. My little munchkin was due at the beginning of December as well and I can’t tell you how many times I recited, not on my birthday, please don’t come on my birthday on the days leading up to his arrival. When he did deign to show his face, after my birthday, it was a huge relief. Then there was a new problem – his birthday is even closer to Christmas than mine. The season of good cheer is now upon us again so I thought I would blog about the pros and cons of the fortunate souls who are born around Christmas.

December is special
My mother always put the Christmas decorations up on the 1st December and the world seems to go all twinkly by the end of November.

When the decorations go up, I know my birthday is imminent. There is no forgetting my birthday and the suspense is awesome. Christmas and my birthday get slightly blurred. The excitement from both intermingles and I live in a heightened state of excitement until Christmas day. The whole month is one big party!

The dreaded combined present
If you have a birthday in December and January you’ve probably experienced this. While someone who has a birthday in August may get a ‘big’ present then and then another at Christmas, when you birthday is so close to Christmas you end up with fewer presents or one big one at Christmas and a token small one on your birthday. This is completely understandable. Christmas is expensive anyway and having to double the cost is ridiculous. This has become even more so now that there are two in our house with a birthday so close to each other. At least my birthday is first. Hehe, shallow much?

Birthday food is not conducive to weight loss

I would love to fit into that little party dress at the Christmas party. That black number that fitted perfectly in August but as my birthday encroaches, the odd cake or five finds itself on its way to my mouth. While it is there it would be rude not to chew. After all it is December the birthday/Christmas month. It gets even worse the nearer I get to Christmas. When the mince pies start coming out that’s it for me, diet death has started. By the end of Christmas, the Marshmallow man from Ghostbusters has nothing on me. I turned vegan this year so I’m hoping this will keep the weight down as I have to turn down all the cakes with dairy and eggs which is pretty much all of them.

Uplifting music
For me, Christmas is not Christmas without cheerful music. There are a couple of dirges but for the most part, Christmas music makes me happy. Without music, it just wouldn’t be the same.

Theme parks are closed

This is more for my son than me, honest. He wants to go to Legoland for his birthday. This would be great but most of it is closed. They have a hotel but £300 for one night is just too expensive, especially so close to December 25th. He probably wouldn’t remember going to it after a few years anyway. Obviously, things are going to be more expensive at Christmas but someone whose birthday is in March or September say, will get a much cheaper crack of the whip. Theme parks are out. One day we will go to Disney but until that day, it’s a train ride to see Santa near his birthday and soft play with his friends.

With all these things to take into account, Christmas is in my opinion still the best time of year. I love the music, the sights, the food, the whole feeling you get in December. Would I want my birthday in a different month? No way. The western world shifts a gear in December and when your birthday is in that month, you can pretend it’s just for you.

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The images above are public domain and can be found here:
Christmas ball: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=228500&picture=christmas-ball
Birthday cake: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=149504&picture=postcard-birthday-2
Theme park: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=200
All rights reserved. © Ceri Clark