Sammy Carter celebrating her first birthday with her mum and sister. Photo / Supplied
Sammy Carter celebrating her first birthday with her mum and sister. Photo / Supplied
My birthday is on Christmas Eve.
You're probably thinking to yourself: "That must suck". Well, you wouldn't be the first.
There's a lot that comes with having a birthday so close to a public holiday.
I haven't had a birthday sleepover held for me ever and I get lots ofjoint presents for Christmas and my birthday. People often forget my birthday among Christmas stress too - you'd think it would be easy to remember given the special time of year.
When I was a kid, I was so jealous of my sister having a birthday at an irrelevant time of year. She's a March baby and got to have fabulous parties every year and all her friends could come - there wasn't a religious superstar's birthday to compete with unlike myself.
However, now that I'm older and big parties and joint presents don't bother me so much, I love having my birthday in the holiday period.
While my sister used to spend every birthday spoilt with attention, now she spends her birthday at university, studying in Wellington with mouldy ceilings, screaming wind and little to no family around.
Being born in the jolly season means no matter what, I'm always surrounded by family on my birthday. It is so special to have a birthday filled with the joy and company that comes with the Christmas festivities.
My sister admits that now she feels jealous of my birthday.
According to Stats NZ, Christmas Eve is the eighth rarest day to be born, meanwhile, my sister's birthday is the 232nd rarest day to be born.
While I share my birthday with a holiday, the other thing I share it with is my family.
Sammy Carter celebrating her first birthday with her mum and sister. Photo / Supplied
It comes as so many other families are able to enjoy their Christmas together after the Auckland border subsided.
Some families were separated for more than 100 days with the Auckland lockdown. After it lifted, a grandmother held her 3-month-old granddaughter in her arms for the first time after her daughter flew into Rotorua Airport.
Meanwhile, at Tauranga Airport, an auntie was reunited with her nephew and sister-in-law after four months and a father got to see his daughter, who hadn't been home in over a year, again.
When you are a kid, you love Christmas for the presents but when you are an adult, you love connecting with family members you've missed.
The beautiful moments of families reuniting after a long lockdown will spill into Christmas, and my birthday, making this year feel extra special.
Make the most out of Christmas this year because if the lockdowns have taught us anything, it's to cherish the time we get with loved ones.
