How in the world do you celebrate your birthday on December 25? Billions already celebrate the day as the birthday of the most-celebrated person in history, Jesus of Nazareth.
Most families in America and the Christian World already hold perhaps the largest celebration of their year. So, what do you do to celebrate Uncle Joe's December 25 birthday?
It's not an easy question to answer.
The most influential and best-loved person in the history of mankind has His birthday celebrated on December 25 – Jesus of Nazareth. The Messiah. The King of kings. The Christ. The Savior. Wonderful. Counselor. The Prince of Peace.
Across the world, the largest celebration of the year commemorates Jesus' birthday. Family home from afar. Christmas dinner. Opening of presents. Midnight mass or other services.
So, if you are one of the 1/365th of the population who share a birthdate with Jesus, what do your people do about observing your own December 25 birthday? And if you have a loved one with a December 25 birthday, do you just conveniently forget about Uncle Joe's birthday? Or what?
My own nephew, John Cole, in Charleston, was born on December 25. Over the years, his mom and family have been very careful to have something special just for John and his birthday — something not during Christmas celebrations, where it obviously would be overshadowed. All the family branches, in-laws and outlaws do their Christmas during the day on December 25. Then, they all gather at the birthday boy's house for his birthday party on Christmas night. There's one option.
Also, have you heard of Christmas in July? Well, birthday mom Jan Cole once had a birthday party in July for John Cole. It was actually a half-birthday. There's another option.
And what about birthday gifts? One thing that I disagree with is buying the birthday boy (or girl) something very special that is for both Christmas and the birthday. (Spend a little more. Shop a little more personally.) That doesn't work well. The gift is given under the Christmas tree, and the birthday is simply subsumed (there's a word!) by Christmas. The birthday is all but forgotten.
Another option is having a birthday party a few days before or after Christmas. Birthday gifts are given at the birthday party, not under the Christmas tree.
Some Jimmy Buffett fans use that approach. His birthday was December 25, 1946. He would have been 78 years old this Christmas but died September 1, 2023. For years, Buffett fans in different parts of the world have held Jimmy Buffett birthday parties, usually a few days after Christmas. That tradition continues, even with Buffett gone to that One Particular Harbor in the skies.
Buffett fans in California are having belated Buffett birthdays this year on December 26 and 28. They have hired a Buffett tribute band with a name that tells you exactly what music to expect – "Jimmy's Buffet'" Pronounced "buff A." Like the dinner all-you-can-eat. Can you believe it? A Buffett tribute band named "Jimmy's Buffet."
The band's name is so startlingly similar to Jimmy Buffett's name that I would not be surprised if they got a cease-and-desist letter from lawyers for the Buffett estate. We will see.
Details about the band and the belated Buffett birthday can be found here.
These Alabama folks have Christmas birthdays:
Kenny Stabler, quarterback at University of Alabama and Oakland Raiders.
Stan Givens, 1960. Mobile pastor and rescuer of floundering churches.
Steve Lewis, 1964. Sylacauga community and sports leader.
Wanda Willingham, Sylacauga community leader.
Bailey Kennon Wyatt, Miss Coastal Alabama 2016, therapist in Baldwin County.
Ibby Dickson, Miss University of Alabama 2022.
William Matthews, Madison. WVNN News Talk Radio.
Other notable Christmas birthdays are:
Justin Trudeau, 1971. Prime Minister of Canada. A difficult birthday this year.
Rod Serling, 1924. Writer, including TV’s “The Twilight Zone.”
Humphrey Bogart, 1899. Actor.
Anwar Sadat, 1918. Prime Minister of Egypt. A Muslim. Did he even observe Christmas?
Conrad Hilton, 1887. American business leader and hotelier. What hotel would he use to book a Christmas or birthday party?
Cab Calloway, 1907. “Scat” singer and jazz band leader. The Cotton Club in Harlem. Heidi Heidi ho.
Clara Barton, 1821. A co-founder of the Red Cross.
Karl Rove, 1950. Republican political consultant and commentator.
Larry Csonka, 1946. Super Bowl MVP, two rings.
Louis Chevrolet, 1870. Auto designer and racer.
Evangeline Cory Booth, 1865. Early General and expander of the Salvation Army.
Happy birthday, all you Christmas babies – and near-Christmas babies!
Jim' Zig' Zeigler writes about Alabama's people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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