This week's prompt is "Birthday". I realize that I have talked about my dislike for my birthday at length here on my blog. But, for the sake of linking up, let me just dive in a bit further. :)
Let me tell you friends, don't do it in March, just be celibate, it's not worth having a Christmas baby, I promise.
DECEMBER 24.
I was born around noontime Christmas eve, 1987. I ruined the whole day, just kidding, everyone was happy. Apparently, my mom's step dad was one of the first people to hold me. My Grandpa Marty is a pretty awesome guy.
Sure, having a birthday around Christmastime might be kind of cool for the kids who aren't in school yet, but... Once school starts, it's MISERABLE! Absolutely and positively miserable.
It's my birthday and I want to share it with my friends! Especially my school friends... But you see, my family celebrates Christmas on Christmas eve, I think it has to do with our Scandinavian heritage. Ah well.
Sure, having a birthday around Christmastime might be kind of cool for the kids who aren't in school yet, but... Once school starts, it's MISERABLE! Absolutely and positively miserable.
It's my birthday and I want to share it with my friends! Especially my school friends... But you see, my family celebrates Christmas on Christmas eve, I think it has to do with our Scandinavian heritage. Ah well.
Anyway, you get your invite list together and you start talking to your friends... One by one they all tell you "I'm sorry, we'll be out of town/spending time with family/etc." and your whole world is pretty much crushed. LE SIGH. Another birthday with just family... Boring!
You'll spend the morning waiting for lunchtime to roll around, that's because that's when you get to celebrate your birthday on this major holiday... Not the whole day, just around noontime. You'll feel gypped. You wont get "special dinners" because your family makes Palt every Christmas, because that's tradition. Sure, you get to pick what to have for lunch, but it cannot be too much, because we have to save room for dinner. SIGH.
You'll spend the morning waiting for lunchtime to roll around, that's because that's when you get to celebrate your birthday on this major holiday... Not the whole day, just around noontime. You'll feel gypped. You wont get "special dinners" because your family makes Palt every Christmas, because that's tradition. Sure, you get to pick what to have for lunch, but it cannot be too much, because we have to save room for dinner. SIGH.
When you get to high school, or to the school age when you get lockers, you'll want your friends to decorate your locker for your birthday! This wont happen, your friends will forget that your birthday is during the winter holiday/Christmas break, and that last day before the break starts, you'll be heartbroken that you were forgotten about again, year after year.
My mom always wanted me to celebrate my birthday earlier or later than my actual birthday, in hopes of having people show up for a party. It was a great idea, however, there were only a couple of times that this actually worked out, but it never felt the same. It wasn't really my birthday, and it wasn't that great. I gave up trying to celebrate my birthday on a different day, and later in life, I found that my real friends would come on my birthday and hang out with me.
In light of the above, I guess it wasn't ALL bad. I didn't have the horrible experience (that some fellow Christmas Eve birthday peeps have gone through) of getting ONE present for birthday and christmas, nor did I ever get christmas wrapping on my birthday presents. I did however, get considerably LESS presents (counting BOTH christmas and birthday presents) than compared to the other kids in my family around christmastime. I guess that taught me to appreciate what I have.
My mom always wanted me to celebrate my birthday earlier or later than my actual birthday, in hopes of having people show up for a party. It was a great idea, however, there were only a couple of times that this actually worked out, but it never felt the same. It wasn't really my birthday, and it wasn't that great. I gave up trying to celebrate my birthday on a different day, and later in life, I found that my real friends would come on my birthday and hang out with me.
In light of the above, I guess it wasn't ALL bad. I didn't have the horrible experience (that some fellow Christmas Eve birthday peeps have gone through) of getting ONE present for birthday and christmas, nor did I ever get christmas wrapping on my birthday presents. I did however, get considerably LESS presents (counting BOTH christmas and birthday presents) than compared to the other kids in my family around christmastime. I guess that taught me to appreciate what I have.
At 22 I had my first birthday celebration at a bar. At McMenamin's Edgefield in Troutdale, Oregon. We started late on the 23rd, and partied until the wee hours of the 24th. That has to be the best birthday I had. So many of my real friends showed up to celebrate, I will forever remember this birthday, until an even better one comes along!
Being older, 25 now, I've done my best to keep my chin up around the holidays. It's hard when living far away from family though. Nowadays my birthday is inviting a few close friends to gather around and eat some damn good food. Not that this is a bad way to spend my birthday, I am accepting it more and more as I am living internationally. I like the low-key stuff.
How do you celebrate your birthday? How did you celebrate your birthday when you were young?
Being older, 25 now, I've done my best to keep my chin up around the holidays. It's hard when living far away from family though. Nowadays my birthday is inviting a few close friends to gather around and eat some damn good food. Not that this is a bad way to spend my birthday, I am accepting it more and more as I am living internationally. I like the low-key stuff.
How do you celebrate your birthday? How did you celebrate your birthday when you were young?
I can only imagine how frustrating it was to have a birthday so close to the holidays. My parents usually had a party for me because it was during the summer perfect chance for a get together. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry your birthdays have been a let down. If we were friends back then, I would have done something special for you! If it makes you feel any better.. I never got my locker decorated either. Summer birthday.
ReplyDeleteUm... you're hilarious. "Don't do it in March." I died. I'm sorry you have to share your birthday with such a popular holiday. At least, if it HAD to be on a holiday, it could've been on one of the party holidays, like St. Patrick's or cinco de mayo.
ReplyDelete