People born in December are often looked at with pity because their birthdays are so close to Christmas. Who wants to share their special day with one of the biggest holidays of the year?
But a new study shows that there may be some benefits to being born at the end of the year. The Journal of Ageing Research shows that people born in December are more likely to live to 100 (or even, more precisely, up to 105).
What’s more, people born in December are much nicer than the rest of us.
They tend to be less whiny and have less erratic mood swings. So, there’s another benefit to being a December baby. There’s plenty to be said for longevity and niceness.
But the benefits of being a December baby don’t stop there. Studies also show that people born at the tail end of the calendar year have a lower risk of heart disease. In fact, people born in December have a lower risk of major diseases overall.
There’s even more. Studies show December babies are more likely to be dentists, athletic (blame the extra Vitamin D from the summer months of pregnancy), and early risers.
Parents are natural worriers, even about things like their child’s birthday.
For parents of babies born in December, they tend to worry about how their child will enjoy his or her birthday since it’s so close to the holidays. But they also worry about their kiddo being one of the youngest in class while in school.
The research, however, shows that they shouldn’t stress about that. Being the youngest in a class is more likely to help a child than hurt them. But some parents are convinced that redshirting their child — that is, holding him or her back an extra year before starting school — is the best way to go.
“Especially for boys, there is thought to be a relative-age effect that persists across sports and over time,” said sociologist Hilary Levey Friedman. “Early investment of time and skill developments appears to have a more lasting impact.”
Data shows that children who are younger than their peers actually tend to have higher IQs.
Don’t worry if you (or your kids) have birthdays between Thanksgiving and New Years’ Day. You’re actually set on a solid path for academics.
“Few researchers would dispute that, in the immediate term, being relatively bigger, quicker, smarter, and stronger is a good thing,” wrote Maria Konnikova for The New Yorker. “Repeatedly, the studies found exactly that—older kindergarten students perform better on tests, receive better teacher evaluations, and do better socially. But then, something happens: after that early boost, their performance takes a nosedive. By the time they get to eighth grade, any disparity has largely evened out—and, by college, younger students repeatedly outperform older ones in any given year.”
Whether or not every December baby agrees with everything on that list, there’s something to be said for all these scientific studies.
Maybe there’s something to be said for the month when December babies are conceived (that would be February to March if you were wondering). Or maybe, as some researchers claim, it’s related to the extra vitamin D that pregnant women due in December enjoy during the sunny summer.
By the way, if you were born in December, you’re in good company. There are tons of celebrities and other notable people who were born in December too. From Woody Allen to Ozzy Osbourne to Bette Midler, December is a time for great people to join the human race.
You should also feel pretty special if you were born in December.
What’s the rarest time of year to be born — and the rarest birthdays to have? Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, of course. That might be good news for people who don’t want to share a birthday with One of the most famous People in history.
If you want to feel even more special, December-born baby boys are more likely to be left-handed. Talk about being unique. You get your own special scissors AND you’re born at the rarest time of the year. Of course, you also have to share a birthday with a very busy holiday season.
Of course, there are benefits to being born in any month.
People born in November, for example, are more likely to become CEOs. The December babies, meanwhile, will continue to be long-lived, less-cranky, left-handed superheroes … even if they have to deal with the dreaded combo birthday/Christmas presents.
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