As a kid, I had a weird birthday tradition: getting the flu.

Every. Single. Year.

Early December would roll around, and like clockwork, I’d go from being excited for my birthday to “oh no, not this again!”.

The real villain? I’m guessing Thanksgiving. Everyone gathers around one giant buffet of turkey, stuffing, and shared germs. The next week back to school, including the germs. By the time my birthday showed up, the flu had made its rounds through the classroom. Hello birthday misery!

The bright side? I was usually fine by Christmas. Back to delicious Christmas stollen and not coughing on it.

At least now, I get to choose my own birthday traditions. Like getting the flu vaccine. Or at the very least, swapping NyQuil for cake. 😅