Here comes December! For the lucky few of us that means our birthday has finally arrived. However, December babies experience their birthdays different from everyone else.

1. “When’s your birthday?” “Oh that’s [insert number here] days before/after Christmas!”

Any mention of the month of December and most people’s minds go right to Christmas. While you try to enjoy the countdown to your birthday, they automatically make December all about Christmas (as usual).

2. “Here’s your Christmas/birthday gift!”

This might be one of the biggest pet peeves of any person with a December birthday. I think people forget that this is the only time of year we get a gift. By giving us a combo gift, you’re cheating us out of one special day that anyone with a non-December birthday gets to enjoy. Most family members understand this, but there’s always those long lost friends or cousins who send the dreed combo gift.

3. “What’s it like having a birthday near Christmas?”

Well I’d love to be able to tell you some special secret about having a birthday near Christmas, but I honestly don’t know anything different than a birthday near Christmas. I honestly enjoy getting in the holiday spirit and excitement leading up to Christmas and my birthday.

4. “We’ll get you that for your birthday!”

Most people are lucky enough to have the holidays and their birthday spread out. If they want a gift at a different point in the year, they don’t have to wait for the big gift giving season to come around. Not that Christmas or birthdays are all about presents, but when you only get them one time a year, you get easily frustrated when it’s June and you want another present.

5. December is more than just the holidays.

It’s easy to think of December as a month filled with holiday spirit, but when you’re birthday falls in the same month, it’s also easily forgotten. Even with constant reminders and marking the calendar, the stress of preparing for the holidays often overpowers your birthday. All I’m asking is that you remember those of us with December birthdays.

6. Most of your birthdays are spent with family instead of friends.

The holiday season means getting together with the family members you haven’t seen all year. For some that’s a great thing, but for others we miss being able to spend our birthday with our friends. Most people wouldn’t be able to attend your birthday anyway since they have a holiday party to go to. Everyone else gets a party so why can’t we?

7. Birthday presents will forever be wrapped in holiday paper.

Let’s face it- people are already spending so much money on holiday gifts that spending an extra few dollars on birthday wrapping paper is just out of the question. I personally enjoy the “Merry Christmas” crossed out and “Happy Birthday” written in sharpie paper most choose to use.

8. We go all out for everyone else’s birthdays because we know what it’s like for ours to be overlooked.

Don’t be surprised if you wake up and find a cake sitting on your front porch and balloons decorating your car. I will always go all out for your birthday because I’ve seen what it’s like to have Christmas decoration be used for your birthday party.

Unless you have a December birthday, you can’t comprehend how true this information is.