I got the most thoughtful email from my Father in law this week. He wished me a Happy Birthday, and told me how sorry he was that my birthday was the day after Christmas. What a sweet man he is. (No really. I just re-read that and it might sound snarky, but he was commenting how I can get lost in the shuffle of Christmas and young kids... it was thoughtful.)
Throughout my *cough cough* 25 years I have heard sympathy about my timing coming into this world almost as much as I've heard Happy Birthday! The thing is, A Christmas birthday is the best! I've always thought I was so special to be born the 26th. What a great time to celebrate. What could be bad about never going to school on your birthday? The whole world celebrates with lights. There are always delicious leftovers and yummy treats! Plus, shopping after Christmas sales on your birthday? Cool!
I think all the credit for my loving a December birthday rather than feeling gypped goes to my parents. Mom made a cake. Even when nobody wanted anything sweet, she'd make a cake. Dad made sure to wrap things in Birthday paper and to give me a gift even though they just had showered me on Christmas day!
I think it is great to celebrate birthdays. Share with me what makes YOUR birthday special. What do you do to make your kids birthdays Special?
11 comments:
Oh! My birthday is the second week of December and I have always hated it! Nobody wants to spend $$!
My Mom always made us what we wanted to eat and if we didn't have a choice she'd try out something new. My favorite memory is of a morning when I came down to breakfast and there was a place set at the little table in the kitchen. Pretty dishes and a darling card with a little girl on it that said happy birthday stuck into the cut grapefruit with a toothpick. It was so beautiful. Pretty much what makes it special to me is knowing that a few people are glad I was born. :) Family phone calls, cards, wanting to be with me. I love that.
PS Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday! I have boy/girl twins who were born on November 28th. Not Christmas but Thanksgiving. They are only 4 but I'm trying really hard to make their birthday stand out from the holidays. First off I have vowed to hold of decorating for Christmas until AFTER their party. And I try to always use birthday wrapping paper rather than Christmas. My kids expect streamers, balloons, and a pinata for their birthdays and if they get those three things they are satisfied. It makes them feel so special. I also want my twins to EACH feel special on their shared birthday so this year I made two cakes and we sang Happy Birthday individually. If they want separate parties when they are older I will try to accomodate that also.
As for my birthday...I hate celebrating my own birthday. The only thing I want is dinner out with my husband and maybe the kiddos.
Chiska, that is a beautiful memory.
Mandbrid, what a challenge you face with twins sharing the day, but feeling individual and special. It sounds like you are doing a great job.
When our oldest turned about 3 I realized how much his birthday meant to him and I have treated birthdays differently ever since. He wore a big birthday badge and every.single.person he saw told him happy birthday. I think he floated 6 inches off the ground all day. His cousins called and sang to him. He just felt so LOVED, I realized how simple it can be, and still be hugely meaningful to someone.
Our kids get "Party Muffins" for breakfast (homemade with colored sugar sprinkled on top before baking.) They are just SO AWESOME ;) Truly, they all love them and look forward to them as a special treat.
Mine is Jan. 9- I love all the Christmas leftovers. Whatever I didn't get for Christmas I collect on my birthday. Love the Birthday paper wrapping idea, because you know all that Christmas stuff is lying around! Your parents are great.
My birthday is special because I was born on Mothers Day.
In Mexico Mothers Day is celebrated every year on my birthday, May 10th, regardless of which day of the week it falls on.
One of the nicest gifts I ever received was from Robin. She sent me a bouquet of flowers on *her* birthday, May 18. She thanked me for giving her birth. Roland used to give his mother a thank you present on his birthday when she was alive. What a nice tradition.
were there any gingerbread house submissions/winners?
They get to choose the food for their birthday. This is such a big deal. And, I will make anything they want. Noah wanted lasagna on the hottest day of the year. We were at the cabin with no air conditioning. I made the lasagna. It was hot - he was happy!
Though it looks like the baby is going to be born in January it's still painfully close to Christmas. My sister Kelsy always felt cheated because she didn't get to celebrate her birthday at school, and if you wrapped a birthday present in Christmas paper you were toast.
So, we've decided to celebrate the baby's half birthday- when ever that may be. We'll cut a cake in half and have big presents then instead of her birthday. We'll probably still have a birthday cake on her birthday- but she'll know to expect the party and such in the summer time. we'll see if it works.
Though it looks like the baby is going to be born in January it's still painfully close to Christmas. My sister Kelsy always felt cheated because she didn't get to celebrate her birthday at school, and if you wrapped a birthday present in Christmas paper you were toast.
So, we've decided to celebrate the baby's half birthday- when ever that may be. We'll cut a cake in half and have big presents then instead of her birthday. We'll probably still have a birthday cake on her birthday- but she'll know to expect the party and such in the summer time. we'll see if it works.
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