Like most of us with a holiday birthday, the fact that I was born on February 14th is actually quite a miracle. My poor mother was two-weeks late giving birth to me (her actual due-date was January 31), and was in labor with me for 24 hours. Yes, one entire day. Although completely ironic, it’s also not surprising I was born on this day celebrating all things love and hearts, as that is who I am to my core. I fit the mold of being an Aquarius in being a deep-thinker, enjoying deep-conversations and loving people hard.
If your birthday is February 14, then you are used to hearing the usual “Aw, a Valentine’s Day baby!”, or “I bet your husband is in double-trouble!” when you tell someone your birth date. According to our birthday horoscope, we are known for being independent and brutally honest, so I thought I would be brutally honest by tackling how to embrace the pros and overcome the cons of having a birthday on the day LOVE is celebrated by millions.Because, in all honesty, it isn’t all chocolates, hearts and roses. But then again, what is?
We all know what Valentine’s Day brings each year: some adore the day of celebrating love and some loathe it, calling it a “made-up” holiday. Either way, having a birthday on any holiday can have its pluses and minuses. So, for those of you that may wonder what it is like to more specifically have what I call a “Valenbirthday,” I’ve got some answers for you…
Cons of A Valentine’s Day Birthday
Dining out for dinner is next to impossible.
You may have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting a dinner reservation (and minimal wait) to celebrate your love by dining out.
Although this could make planning a birthday dinner more difficult, I’ve been lucky enough to have the best parents that have always made a MUCH better meal at their home than you could even get at a restaurant (cue steak, lobster, #allthesides and #allthewine!). It’s become a tradition to invite over family, closest friends/couples and all dine together, enjoying each other’s company with no reservations and no long waits!
Even better is that we are all celebrating together. Not just my birthday, but the loves in our life and our loves of each other. Swoon!
Your friends already have plans.
This can definitely be something that puts a damper on celebrating your birthday. However, it’s also been understandable to me, especially in regards to those friends in marriages/relationships. Sometimes, people just want to be alone (together on Valentine’s Day, not wanting to have to celebrate anything else but their love for each other. I get it. Sometimes, the same goes for us with holiday birthdays! Sometimes we just want to focus on the holiday and not our birthday – because who wants to think about getting another year older? Ha!
I’ve overcome this by just doing what I mentioned above: having everyone together to celebrate allthethings! And, maybe that’s just what those that celebrate holiday birthdays get used to… it’s not a day just for us. I guess you could say, if nothing else, it makes us unselfish? 🙂
Double the gifts?
If you have a Valentine’s birthday (or I’m sure any holiday birthday for that matter), you will most likely have to accept the fact that you may get combined gifts.
Like I mentioned above, I was extremely lucky in the parent department. They never made me feel like I had a holiday birthday and always made sure to get me separate gifts for my birthday, and for Valentine’s Day, to make me feel special and celebrated.
Being single.
Being single on a day that celebrates love and relationships can be a bummer for many people, even if they don’t have a Valentine’s Day birthday. However, Valentine’s Day isn’t just for people in relationships. It can also be a magical day to celebrate being single, too! Whether you celebrate “Galentine’s Day” with some gal pals, or just indulge in heart-shaped chocolates and red wine while binge-watching Netflix, you can always find a way to celebrate whatever stage you are experiencing in the world of love and relationships.
Pros of A Valentine’s Day Birthday
People remember your birthday.
Hey! Lucky us, our birthdays are easy for others to remember!
Everyone is celebrating {LOVE} on your birthday.
How cool is that?! Whether they mean to or not, everyone is celebrating on our birthday! Most people can’t say that millions celebrate on their birthday, but us Valentine’s Day babies sure can… and how cool that they are celebrating love?!
Beautiful decorations surround you on your birthday everywhere you go.
Not everyone can say that people of all kinds and across the world decorate and/or get all dressed up for their birthday, but we can! Cool, huh?
Everyone receives kind gestures and gifts on your birthday.
For me, this is a pro! What fun that everyone gets to celebrate with gifts, flowers, chocolates and cards!
If you also have a holiday birthday, how do you celebrate and what pros and cons do you experience?? How do you embrace the pros and cons?
Make sure you never miss out: subscribe to our weekly Wichita Moms Blog newsletter! Be the first to know about our exclusive events, special offers and discounts, neighborhood group activities and, of course, local resources
and parenting voices powered by local Wichita moms!
