Getting short end of the candy cane
For most people, their birthday is for them alone to celebrate. The one day that is all about “you.” To be the center of attention. The king or queen of the day.
Cranston resident, Jodi Boudreau was born on Christmas Day at the Cranston General Hospital in 1971, and she has had to share her birthday with someone super famous all her life.
“Growing up in an Italian Christian family, the whole family would gather at my grandparents home for food, gift exchange and music. We would have cake and sing happy birthday to Jesus and then to me. I don’t know what it’s like not to have my birthday on Christmas,” she said.
Due to her unusual day, Jodi didn’t have many birthday parties growing up.
“Sometimes birthday gifts would be wrapped in Christmas wrapping. I did not tend to have birthday parties but I always had the day off from school and got to spend time with family,” she said.
Jodi has three children, and two of them have birthdays on holidays as well.
“One of them was born on Labor Day and one was born on Columbus Day. Even though they aren’t always on the same date they still occasionally fall on the holiday.
When people first learn of her unusual birthday they have a few different responses.
“Wow, really? You were born on Jesus’ birthday? What’s that like? Sometimes they feel badly for you. When I was little, my friends thought it was cool,” she said.
Jodi did say that she is happy with her name and was not given a ‘holiday’ name, and has never wanted a different birthday.
She remembers that her Grammie hosted a huge Sweet 16 party for her…thankfully, it wasn’t on Christmas.
