Gary Martin: Living in Santa’s shadow is no fun for Christmas babies

For most of us, birthdays take the cake when it comes to the personal highlight of the year — unless you are forced to share a big slice of it with Santa. This year, as we unwrap Christmas presents and savour the festive spirit, pause for a moment to consider those individuals who happen to celebrate their birthdays on December 25. They are unique because December 25 is the least common date of the year to be born on — excluding February 29 (which only occurs in leap years) — while blowing out birthday candles is often overshadowed by the excitement of what lies under the Christmas tree. Known as Christmas babes, forgotten elves or tinsel town toddlers, individuals born on December 25 regularly find themselves neglected because their day falls in the middle of festive celebrations. It is challenging enough to share a birthday with a friend or a relative. But imagine the added irritation of having your birthday coincide with a day that so many others celebrate. Swap birthday balloons for Christmas baubles and you will quickly understand why the seasonal sparkle can dim the light of any personal birthday celebration. Just imagine how the day might unfold. A fleeting birthday wish from relatives and then it is all over — your special day brushed aside like torn wrapping paper beneath the Christmas tree. Forget “Happy Birthday” and “Merry Christmas”. For tinsel-town toddlers, it tends to be “Merry Birthmas” or nothing at all. Not only is it efficient but economical — and completely overlooks the fact that Christmas babes are supposed to have two separate causes to celebrate. There is also the issue with gifts. Doubling up on the date can often mean the average birthday haul is halved. In other words, birthday gifts — which usually come wrapped in Christmas paper — end up being blended with a festive present to turn things into a single gift affair. To make matters worse, Christmas babes are likely to discover their birthday greetings are diminished to just a postscript in the Christmas card, rather than worthy of a dedicated birthday card. The birthday meal, too, can be overshadowed by traditional Christmas fare to leave little room for personal preference, not to mention the fact the excitement of Christmas morning often eclipses the quiet joy of a birthday breakfast in bed. While we are on the topic of food, a candle on top of a plum pudding or Christmas trifle will never match a proper birthday cake. Plus with most establishments closed for Christmas, the opportunity for unique birthday activities or a nice meal out is extremely limited. This means missing out on the typical birthday experiences like shopping to spend birthday gift vouchers, a drink at the pub or special meals at favourite restaurants. On top of all that, it is unlikely that birthday babes will get all those birthday well-wishes via social media since it is the one day of the year when many steer clear of the digital realm. All this is enough to leave some birthday celebrants feeling extremely short-changed. But surely it cannot be all bad. Having big parts of the whole world light up in celebration, singing carols and spreading joy on your birthday, must be exciting. Besides, a Christmas birthday always falls on a public holiday to all but guarantee a day off on this special occasion for you. Having a birthday on the same day as Christmas Day might mean double the celebrations but usually half the attention. So as we revel in the Christmas joy, let us not forget about those celebrating their birthdays in Santa’s shadow. A “Happy Birthday” amid the “Merry Christmas” cheers can mean the world to our friends born on December 25. Professor Gary Martin is CEO of AIM WA and a workplace and social affairs expert.