December is finally here, which means the holidays are fast approaching. Everyone is excited for the season of giving and receiving, hanging ornaments, wrapping gifts and tying bows.

However, as millions of Americans open gifts on Christmas Day, only a select few will be opening birthday gifts.

The most popular baby born on Christmas, of course, is Jesus Christ. However, in a study by Daily Viz, it is shown that there were 6,574 births on average on December 25 between 1994 and 2014. On New Year’s Eve, December 31, there is an average of 10,394 births based on the study conducted by Matt Stiles.

Here at Holt we have a lot of students born around the holidays.

“If I could I wouldn’t change having a birthday on New Year’s Eve, because to me, I don’t share a birthday with anybody else, and it makes me special,” said Avio’n Perkins (‘19).

Though the holidays are a very special time, they can somewhat be a struggle for those who have birthdays during this time. Instead of feeling special, some holiday babies may feel overlooked.

“I don’t really like my birthday because no one pays attention to it. Instead they are all catching up with each other during parties,” said Madison Schoenberger (‘20), whose birthday is New Year’s Day.

Schoenberger is not the only one with doubts about her holiday birthday.

“I don’t like having my birthday the day after Christmas because everyone is on the hype of Christmas and some people forget about it because they are too busy messing with the new gifts they got,” said Virginia Holmes (‘20).

Though some holiday birthdays may get lost in the hype of Christmas and New Year’s, those born during this time make sure that they are not forgotten.

“I enjoy having my birthday around Christmas because I get both Christmas and birthday presents at the same time,” said Perkins.

A time as special as both the holidays and a birthday calls for a memorable story as well. Jonathon Gutierrez (‘18) shares a memory that took him back a couple years to his first St. Louis Blues hockey game as both a birthday and Christmas present.

“It was so great. We won in overtime because of TJ Oshie, and even though my uncle was teaching me about it the entire time, I fell in love with the goalkeeper and the game,” said Gutierrez.

The holidays are not just a time of tying bows and hanging ornaments, they are time to make special moments and memories.