Birthday buddies: Nicole Gilchrist and her grandmother Judy James get to turn 18 together this year, thanks to Judy’s leap year birthday.
Photo by
Grace Carter
Everyone can’t wait till the day they turn 18, but most people don’t have to wait quite as long as Judy James.
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That’s right, Judy was born on February 29, 1952. A leap year.
Judy said being able to celebrate her actual birthday every four years was rather exciting.
“You don’t feel any different, but when it is the 29th you think, oh yeah, I have got a birthday!”
She’s encountered technical difficulties only people born on February 29 can relate to.
“If you enter the 29th of February (in online forms), it won’t recognise it, so you have to put the year in first,” she said.
And the novelty of being born on such a unique date eventually wears off.
“Some people ask me, ‘What does it feel like being born on February 29?’ but really, you feel the same as anyone else. You still get a year older,” she said.
In her younger days, whenever a leap year came around, Judy would have an extra special celebration to mark the occasion. But when it’s not a leap year, she celebrates her birthday on February 28.
“When I was younger, I did (celebrate more during a leap year), but not as much now as I’m getting older,” Judy said.
“(I celebrate) on the 28th. Because my dad always said, you’re born in February, not March.”
Judy moved to Shepparton from Melbourne when she and her husband married in 1972.
They’ve got four children and nine grandchildren, and she’s about to hit 18 alongside one of them.
Judy gets to turn 18 with her granddaughter, Nicole Gilchrist, which, needless to say, is a rare occurrence.
“I mean, it’s really funny being 18 when my granddaughter’s 18,” Judy said.
“I suppose it wouldn’t happen very often.”
Party time: Nicole Gilchrist and her grandmother Judy James will celebrate turning 18 together.
Photo by
Grace Carter
Nicole’s birthday is February 27, 2006, two days before her nan’s. Meaning this year, Nicole will technically turn 18 before her grandmother, which she thinks is rather odd.
“It’s weird because Nan’s meant to be 18 before me,” she said.
But having birthdays near each other, the two have always been close and celebrated with each other, and this year will be no different.
“We’re doing a joint thing with family and friends,” Nicole said.
“We’ve always celebrated our birthdays together when we can.”
Although Judy will actually be turning 72 this year, she’s still 18 at heart!
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