O/T Birthdays

Annabellethecat66 · ‎03-12-2010

Seeing Jane celebrate her birthday here made me think about birthdays past. Birthdays have always been a big deal in our house when my girls were growing up.

My husband always took the day off (no matter who's birthday it was) and we'd do fun stuff. All three of my girl's birthday are days when there is no school, so we'd spend the day doing what they wanted. The weather was always warm, so we'd get outside.

When they'd open the door to their bedroom that morning, there would be balloons surrounding the door. Streamers! Their birthday presents would be sitting at the floor!

We always had parties! Now that my girls are Moms they do the same thing for their children. I have to admit my daughter's two husbands sometimes gets frustrated that my girls expect a real deal to be made about their birthday. My husband would always host a dinner party for me at a restaurant and bla bla (won't bore you).

I know why I am like that. It all goes back to my difficult childhood. When I got to the age I could live my life like I used to dream about, my late husband and I did that. We had an amazing life.

What do you ladies do for your birthdays? Everyone celebrates in different ways. We all have ideas of how we want our birthdays to be. This summer my one daughter was in Hawaii with her family and husband's family for her birthday. The mother-in-law watched her 4 children and she spent the weekend with her husband on another Island. (He's learning).

Tell me about your birthdays. I don't think it's about the gifts (any fool can pay a lot of money for something). It's about someone taking the time to do something or make a card, etc).

Anyone want to tell me about your birthdays now that you're an adult? Just some of the things a loved one has done that you thought was nice.

Thanks ahead of time.

vmnsc · ‎03-09-2010

For a long time I didn't make a big deal about my B'day...My two girls were grown but my younger DD is now 32 and she has the mind of a 10-12y/o....she still makes a big deal out of it...the thing is my B'day is 12/22/**.....so after my 16th B'day all my gifts for Christmas became a Happy B'day/Merry Christmas! Now I have two sweet GC and my younger DD and GC make sure my oldest DD gets me a cake w/candles and my gifts are wrapped in B'day paper.... So now my family makes a big deal over my B'day and it means so much. The sweetest part is my GC and DD go in her room and I can hear them talking (they don't know I hear them)...but they are making my cards! I have kept everyone... Now, my GD was born on 12/27 so she has a B'day cake and gifts wrapped in B'day paper! As long as I live my GD will not have her B'day gifts combined with her Christmas gifts...

Boehm Collector · ‎03-09-2010

In addition to my parents always having a cake and some small gifts for our birthdays, my Mom would give me a pink rose for each year of my life. For example, when I turned 10, I received 10 pink roses. After I hit the age of 24 she would get me a dozen pink roses every year. Mom continued this tradition until she was about 80 years old when she could no longer get around on her own. Each year these roses came with a card in which Mom always wrote some really beautiful, meaningful words for her daughter. It didn't matter how old I was this was one of the most special parts of my birthdays. Mom has been gone for almost 5 years and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss her.... and my birthday is always one of the most difficult days without her.

Now, my DH always gets me a nice gift and takes me out to dinner. We usually get together with my brother and his family either the weekend before or the weekend after my birthday. They give me a gift and always have a cake for me.

LilacTree · ‎03-25-2012

We have family parties, nothing elaborate, tacos (or the like) and cake. The birthday girl (there's only one boy) gets a present from each of us, or sometimes we'll all chip in for something big (like a TV). We have such a good time together.

My grandchildren also have special days with their friends separate from the family gatherings.

Most of the time we wait for weekends to celebrate a birthday that occurs during the week, but we always celebrate them. There have to be some special things in life and that is one of them.

Formerly Ford1224
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel 1986

Mary Bailey · ‎03-09-2010

I can't remember that last time I had a birthday celebration or even a cake. I get cards and phone calls from my family. DH & I usually go out to eat.

My Mom wanted me to have a big party when I turned 50. I didn't want it.

They decorate cubicles at work & have everyone sign a card. I never let them decorate my cube This year I told them I don't want a card going around. I don't like the attention.