It's the Garden State's birthday... or is it?

Jessica Presinzano | NorthJersey

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Happy Birthday, New Jersey!

But is it right on time... or belated? Birthday wishes too early or too late can be embarrassing, and with the waters muddied around the birth of the home of Taylor Ham, disco fries and more celebs than one can shake a stick at, it can be hard to get it right.

The truth is, the state has two birthdays (maybe three), and it's not entirely clear which should be considered official. And the difference is not a matter of days, but over a century. Here's a breakdown.

New Jersey Day: June 24

On June 24, 1664 New Jersey came into the world — on paper. It's the first time the term "New Jersey" appeared on a document. That document was a royal grant issued by King Charles II's brother, James, Duke of York. From this stroke of a pen, the English colony of New Jersey toddled into the world and it is considered to be the state's "birth certificate," according to the New Jersey State Department.

The State Department considers New Jersey Day to be the state's birthday, with a second "birth certificate" in the form of the Declaration of Independence signed July 4, 1776.

National New Jersey Day: July 27

The "National" is key here. This day celebrates when the state ratified the Constitution and Bill of Rights, taking its place as the third state in the nation on July 27, 1787.

Confused? Here's the kicker — National New Jersey Day wasn't even a glimmer in anyone's eye until 2017, the 230th anniversary of the milestone.

The designation was made by National Day Calendar, a website which registers every commemorative day from National Hot Buttered Rum Day to National Nutrition Month. The designation for New Jersey is a part of the website's larger project which names national days for each state in the Union in the order they joined, following the July 4th holiday. It began last year, celebrating Delaware on July 17, 2017 and wrapping up with Hawaii on June 27.

So... which day should be regarded as New Jersey's birthday? Take our poll.

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