Do you get double presents if your birthday falls on Christmas?
Back in the olden days, when I was a mere child, I was visiting my grandmother at her home. I was checking out her wall calendar when I saw something that made me so happy—even if it was only temporarily:
June 12-Children’s Day!
What made this so exciting was that my birthday was the previous day—June 11. Imagine what was going through my young brain. I was dreaming of a two-day celebration and more importantly, two days of presents. What more could a young boy ask for?
I was so thrilled about this that as soon as I got home, I ran up to my mother to tell her about Children’s Day. Her response was, “Every day is children’s day.”
Sure Mom—way to be a killjoy. It was apparent that there would be no two days of celebrating. And for certain, there would not be two days of presents. Children’s Day was forever spoiled.
But remembering that happy and then tragic day, got me thinking about other holidays. What happens if your birthday falls on holiday? For instance, my youngest daughter’s birthday is on May 8. Every few years it occurs on Mother’s Day. Does she double-dip and score presents for both? Well, not from me. She’s not my mother!! I do know that when it happens, she celebrates her birthday with her family and usually has a Mother’s Day meal with her mother. It would be a double score except the cost of the meal comes out of her pocket.
However, the holiday I was really thinking about is Christmas. A few days ago I noticed on Facebook that a few of my friends had December 25 birthdays. And I was curious as to how this might work. Are their birthday presents placed under the tree with the rest of the presents? Do they get opened at the same time? Are there separate designated gifts for birthdays and Christmas? If you’re naughty, does Santa blow off your birthday present as well as the Christmas gift?
Wow! So many unimportant questions!! I’m either overthinking this or I have too much time on my hands. Probably both—no, definitely both.
I do want to get back to this Children’s Day thing. Despite how my mom felt, the holiday is real and is celebrated worldwide. The date in the United States varies but occurs during the second week in June. Two years ago it fell on my birthday—no one said anything—not a single word. Damn you—all of you. To those of you who are close enough to me that you usually get me a birthday present, you now owe me one retroactively for 2023. I’ll be waiting. Thanks in advance.