The Day After

People always comment on how lousy it is that Braedan’s birthday is Christmas Eve. And granted, it’s not ideal. He has a major crush of celebrations and presents all at once, with nothing to balance it out across the year. It all feels rushed and squeezed in amidst the many many other festivities.

But he loves it and is keenly aware of the reaction he gets from people when they ask him his birthday. He never ever answers “Christmas Eve,” but instead says December 24 and waits for them to pause and then go, “Oooohh, wow.”

He is always guaranteed to have large family gatherings take place on his actual birthday every single year. This is great now, at age eight, but I’m sure ten years from now he’d much rather be hanging out with his friends. And good luck finding an open bar on his 21st birthday!

But I am definitely of the mindset that it is better to have a birthday right before a major holiday than right after. I mean, think about today: December 26th. If you’re anything like me, you were tired and wanted to stay in your pj’s, stuffed from days of overindulging and intent only on separating out the reusable wrapping paper from that bound for the recycling bin. We did a puzzle and played a few rounds of Austin’s new Hungry Hippo and Numbers Zingo. We searched high and low for the right batteries for every new electronic toy. We tried on clothes and made piles of things to keep and things to return. But we certainly were in no mood for parties or cake or guests.

So we’ll take our December 24th child. And we won’t complain.