National Twin Day is celebrated every year on Dec. 18 and is dedicated to honoring twins and recognizing the unique bond they share. In honor of National Twin Day, Blue Yonder associate Hannah Fresia shares what it’s really like to be a fraternal twin and the special bond she shares with her (one-minute younger) sister, Molly.  

Sometimes twins are known to have their very own language with each other. Did you and Molly have your own way of communicating at a young age?

Definitely! When we were little, if I was upset about something and my parents couldn’t understand what I was saying, Molly would “translate” for me.

What’s something unexpected twins experience that someone else may not?

When we had birthday parties growing up, sometimes we would get one present for us to share – as if we were the same person. As kids, we thought it was unfair because we would each bring our own gift to a birthday party for a friend.

Did you and Molly or your family try to differentiate yourselves from each other growing up?

When we were babies, our grandparents couldn’t tell us apart, so our parents wrote “H” and “M” in permanent marker to identify us!

Growing up Molly always had short hair, and I always had long hair. In second grade she decided she wanted glasses because they were cool, so we went to the optometrist. She was not pleased when we found out I was the one that ended up needing them!

What is the worst thing about being a twin?

The competitive aspect – even though it comes more from Molly than me! We used to be in every class together, but in second grade it was decided we couldn’t be in the same class because Molly was taking the competition aspect too far. My mom had to go to the principal to have us put in separate classes. We were competitive about everything, including friends, sports, and school.

We found quite different careers and hobbies, and a big reason for that was trying to establish our own identities and differentiate ourselves.

What is the best thing about being a twin?

Having a built-in friend. When we moved to Arizona, we were starting our senior year in high school. Our new school was very large attendance-wise compared to the one we went to in Colorado. Since most students already had their group of friends at this point, they weren’t interested in making new friends.

I’m so grateful to have had a friend in my sister! We would eat lunch together and hang out at school. Having someone there who knew exactly what I was going through made it a lot easier to adjust.

Anything else you would like to share?

Next year is going to be a big year for us as Molly and her husband are expecting a baby girl! I can’t wait to be an aunt and see Molly as a mom!