I don’t really know what it’s like to share a birthday with Christmas. It must kind of suck. (Or maybe not?) My sister’s birthday is a few days before Christmas, and my mom’s is a few days after Christmas. In our family, Christmas wasn’t a huge, overdone affair, and we always had birthday cake for my sister. I am pretty sure we did it for my mom, too. But moms are so often forgotten, no matter when their birthdays are, so I don’t want to say I’m positive we always did something for her birthday. (Sorry mom!)
I love having an October birthday. When the leaves start to change color, I always think of my birthday and it makes me feel special. (I am so self-centered, I know! But aren’t we all?) I don’t think I’d want to share my birthday with such a major event as Christmas.
My brother-in-law David’s birthday is today, Christmas Eve. I know it bums him out. I don’t blame him. Everyone is 100% focused on Christmas right now and it feels weird to celebrate a birthday in the middle of all that Christmasyness. So I just wanted to focus on David for a moment.
(You know, I think coming to Ethiopia next year might be the best thing for him to do. It’s not Christmas here tomorrow, so it’s just another day. We could go out to dinner anywhere we want for a birthday celebration. Something to think about, David!)
David came all the way to South Africa last year to visit us. The four of us (wait–almost five–I was pregnant at the time) all took a trip to Namibia together. Except for the one moment where Dan got us stuck in the sand (did he think he could just drive a car on sand dunes?), it was a fabulous weekend. Our dear friends let us stay at their beach condo in Swakopmund. Charlotte had a great time, and we were so happy to have Uncle David around. 
David is an awesome uncle to Charlotte and Willa. Thanks to him, there are always lots of presents under the tree at Christmas (I am a mean mommy and usually only get one gift for Charlotte–this year, each girl got one gift plus one to share). We wish Uncle David could be with us right now. We’d definitely take him out for birthday drinks!
