As a Christian I know that 25th December, is ‘Christmas Day’, a day of celebrating the birth of Christ, but for me it is also a day to reflect on what transpired 43 years ago, when I gave birth to another daughter, Roanne at 7.25am on Christmas Day 1969.
Due to my specialist being too intoxicated, the midwife ‘Sister Devine’ delivered her.
Roanne was actually due late February, not December 25th, but calculations are not always correct and in my case definitely not correct.
After the birth my doctor said: “She is perfectly cooked”, all very comforting to know.
With all the fuss around what happens at Christmas time, we as a family decided that we would make 25th December a very special day, by having two celebrations, one for Roanne’s birthday and the other Christmas celebrations.
Trying to make an already celebrative day like Christmas different from the celebration of a birthday has been impossible.
When we all got together as an extended family wishing one another “Merry Christmas”, I would continually say, “it is Roanne’s birthday too!”
I hated doing this having to remind the extended family members, but it was actually the only way she would get acknowledgement on her ‘special day’. I made yummy BIRTHDAY cakes with candles to prompt the ‘birthday wishes’, but even this became too much over the years.
Biggest disappointment for Roanne has been the dropping from two to one present for Christmas not her Birthday!
in Frenchs Forest, New South Wales, Australia
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