header coding

[FreshFroot]

I'm just having a little trouble editing the header template. I've built a nav bar on my customized skin and I'm trying to make a "today's birthday" box. Now I've made the box, however the birthdays don't show up.

I'm using the following code:

 <if condition="$show['birthdays']">
<!-- today's birthdays -->
$vbphrase[todays_birthdays]
<a href="calendar.php?$session[sessionurl]do=getday&amp;day=$today&amp;sb=1"></a>
  <div class="smallfont">$birthdays</div>
<!-- end today's birthdays -->
</if>

I've also tried to add a stats box with the stats variable, but they don't seem to show up for some odd reason?

Now Zach at vb said you cannot use variables in the header template, so there must be a way to work around this somehow? Can I create my own template and call it up in the header?

resolved now.