I like turtles
My birthday seems to always be the same. My birthday is January 5. Normal birthday right... wrong! That day always seems to fall on the day before we go back to school from winter break, the day we go back to school or the day after we go back to school. So no mater what I can’t have a huge party or anything super late on my exact birthday. Normally it done at bother me that bad but sometime I wanna have a huge off the walls party. I I’ll then by birthday will consider of be waking up to my favorite breakfast strawberry crepes with waffles then open a couple parents and be on my way. If it’s a scoop day then still the strawberry crepes but no presents just off to school. When I get to school it’s a normal school day but what makes it special is that I share my birthday with a long time friend. All of our friends wish us happy birthday and we just go about the day and vibe. When I get home After practice id normally shower and then my family would go somewhere nice for dinner and desert. I end the day with my presents and head to bed. Then I wait to do it all agin the next year.
1
Throughout my lifetime, I have experienced many different themes and environments when celebrating my birthday, although they all seem to follow similar guidelines. Ever since i was young, i was never too much of a birthday party person, always preferring a dinner with my family. I always start the day with my parents waking me up and congratulating me on my birthday. They wish me a good day and proceed with their days. As the years pass, as usual, the amount of attention given slowly degrades slowly. This does not bother me, as i am not one to celebrate myself to a large extent. We usually open any presents given to me as a family, and wait for everyone at my house to be present. My mother still takes pictures of me with my presents, which is annoying yet pure, so I allow my mother to proceed with her camera. We then proceed to go out to eat, usually to Red Lobster, as it is my favorite place. This year we decided to change it up and visit a restaurant named Latin House, but Red Lobster was the constant pick for many years. After dinner, we return to my house and I either further inspect my gifts or just shower and head to bed.
My birthday rituals have always begun at the stroke of midnight. At 12:00 am my parents and sisters come to my room to wish me a Happy Birthday. The following morning my dad makes me a special birthday breakfast with waffles and berries. My day goes on as planned as I go to school or do homework on the weekend. Regardless, every birthday at 6:30 everyone of my family members that are nearby come over to play music and cut a cake. My birthday is a day that I share only with the closest people in my life, people that are my family, people that have earned my respect and care to be there on a day that is special to me.
1
For every year on my birthday, I just do the simple cutting cake. However, I do like to throw a big party on the weekend following suit. I hate celebrating my birthday myself, and love to spend it with others. They help me also realize who is going to come with me into my years to come in some way, and reminds me to appreciate those who are more precious to me.
1
For the past 16 years, my birthday has had different themes and invitees, but there have been many birthday rituals that have remained the same throughout my life. On my birthday, every year my mother wakes me up the same way by playing the song “Las Mañanitas” by Vicente Fernández. This song symbolizes the beginning of the day of one’s birth, which has always been played on my relative’s birthdays on my mother’s side of the family for many decades now. I believe this “ritual” that has been carried down from generation to generation symbolizes the celebration of not only my birthday but that of my Latin culture and past. I usually spend the evening with my immediate family at my home after school or work, depending on the day of the week that my birthday falls on. This allows myself to celebrate the most important day relating to my existence with those closest to me, which can also be seen as an aspect of my Hispanic culture, and the importance of family. My most memorable birthday was my 16th birthday because I was able to celebrate with my closest friends currently, from middle and high school. It was Hawaiian themed and everyone had a blast. We watched movies and played games and were able to connect extremely well. Overall, my birthday has always been very important in my life and has been put together through the years through celebration and rituals.
1
On my birthday (june 9) i usually go to an amusement park or some place like that with friends. When we get home from the fun place we eat cake and open gifts. We then go to a restaurant either the day before, the day of, and the day after.
On the Sunday before our birthday, all my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins that live near by, come to my house to celebrate. Me and my brother (I'm a twin) each get to chose our own type of cake and ice cream that my dad makes, and our favorite type of food for dinner. We exchange presents and it is a lot of fun.
basically pretty simple stuff usually happens in birthday I let my family do something simple like going out with family and friends have dinner then we go back home then my family and friends start talking about funny memories about my childhood and that's about it.
My birthday rituals can be very simple or they can be super complex. We usually do have a party. Last year it was a camping overnight birthday party! But the only things I actually NEED
in my birthday party, are: friends,family,happiness, love,smiles
and laughter!That is what makes my birthday special
Chocolate frosting on chocolate cake,
Just like how grandma used to make,
6 candles, mom said I was a big boy now,
But fire spreads quickly, savor every moment,
"Make a wish!" mamma whispered,
I knew what I wanted,
I blew out each flame,
A year more I had learned,
"What did you ask for," my dad inquired eagerly,
A secret to hold till my final seconds,
He smiled and produced an orange dinosaur,
How had he known?
I didn't question, I live in the present
On anyone's birthday in my family, our tradition is since we are all older and don't really want birthday parties, we decide that whoever birthday it is gets to decide what we will do for that day. Every decision must be made by the birthday person.
In my birthday I mostly spend time with my family and with friends. I don't do any specific rituals, have any traditions or a favorite dish to eat. Most of the time I celebrate it with friends or go to eat somewhere nice and have a good time.
My birthday rituals include my mom and dad taking me out to eat wherever I want. The funny thing is though every year I have to pick a different place, it can not be the same place. I think this is cool though because it gives you a chance to try a bunch of different fancy restaurants out. We then go home and I get to open all my presents from mom, dad, and brother. Then, my grandma either comes to my house or we go down there and I get to open my presents from her. We then just continue to celebrate throughout the night and that pretty much it.
Birthdays
On my birthday (November 30th) I usually have two celebrations:
1. My first celebration is with my family on November 30th this year on a Saturday we usually have cake as desert, and shortly after that I open presents.
2. For my second celebration we usually have it sometime in December. I usually invite some of my friends over and we go do some kind of activity, and then come back to the house to have cake, and open presents. Then we have a sleepover, and my friends get picked up in the morning.
And those are my birthday rituals.
-Isaac Becker
On my birthday, we like to invite one side of the family that lives closest to us over to our house. We then play with our cousins, eat pizza, and then cupcakes. After that, we open presents and just hang around. Days later, I invite friends to a party where we would go play laser tag, go to sky-zone (a trampoline park), or simply have a sleepover.
My favorite memory was a few years back when I invited three of my friends to play laser tag. At the end, the instructor told us that we would be playing team death match, where nobody could be revived. I remember when everyone got shot/tagged but me and one person on their team. I sat in one spot the entire time because I knew that he would walk their looking for me. And when the time came, I shot/tagged him, got him out, and won the game for us. I felt so happy. Finally, after that, we went to go eat somewhere.
Birthdays are really fun, and it acts as a small summer break. You don't have to deal with worrying about a test at school, an essay you have to write, or stress you dealt with the day before, because you will just forget about it. You will be with family, who protects you. And as George Bernard Shaw states, "Family is but an earlier heaven." In the end, I am grateful for the parties, but more thankful for my family and friends, and the time I get to spend with them, and the things they provide me. We are a very busy family with sports and work, so I cherish the time that I get with all of my family together.
Mascot
If I could choose the new school (University of Chicago Lab School) mascot I would choose: An Ocean. Because its big,
Powerful, and in the ocean, there are a-lot of creatures. And those creatures represent the teams that our school has. All of the creatures also are different in different ways, which symbolizes all the different places, coulters, and people we are.
And that is why I think our school mascot should be the ocean!
-Isaac Becker
On my birthday i tend to go out with some of my closest friends have some pizzas but over the years my birthday parties have become less and less exiting as for the past few years i have gone out with the same group of friends. My most memorable birthday party is when i went indoor surfing and it was a blast. Bur over the years it has turned into a sleep over and a few gift cards. But im fine with this because over the years that's what i have grown to like a night with my best friends all having fun. And these sleepovers is what i will remember and make the years memerable.
I think birthdays are silly. To me, they’re just another day of the year unless you’re a little infant or really really old. And, honestly… I’m not a huge fan of cake either. I always request cookies and/or ice cream when my mom asks what dessert I want for my special day. Also, one last thing: why are you giving ME gifts, I didn’t do anything! My mom is the one who deserves a trophy! Some people would say your birthday is a day once a year to celebrate your life, which I agree with, but part of me wants to ask why we don’t just celebrate our lives every day.
I say these things, but at the same time, I really enjoy other people’s birthdays, at least. And it’s not that I don’t enjoy mine, I just don’t like for people to make it a big deal, and I don’t like getting a ton of gifts. Like I said, it’s just another (but nonetheless wonderful) rising and falling of the sun, but it’s nice to be surprised by or reminded of people’s affection for you. That’s why I try to remember other people’s birthdays, even if I think birthdays in general are silly. You never know who hasn’t been reminded of their value that day, and you never know how telling that old friend “happy birthday” might make them smile. So if you want to have balloons and throw confetti, that’s great, enjoy those moments, but consider living so thankfully and happily every day; life will still be going on tomorrow, and after all, you will be a whole day older.
Birthdays are happy days, right? For me, the day itself is always a great because I get time to spend with those that care about me and I feel extra special. I get to eat a cake or some special sort of meal. I get to open some presents and always get something funny that will become an ongoing joke until next year. But my birthday unfortunately means more responsibility, and right now, I'm not sure if I can really deal with that.
There are days sometimes when I feel like giving up. I feel like my dreams are plagued by homework. I end up doing homework all day and being miserable, but when I take a break all I can think about is the time I could be spending doing homework. This vicious cycle compounds itself around birthdays because, frankly, as you get older, there is more to worry about.
For example, last year, freshman year of high school, was an easy year academically and a very fun year of branching out, making new friends, and trying a new sport. But sophomore year has been completely different. That one year has changed my perspective on free time at home, and it'll change again after my birthday next year.
1
I celebrate my birthday with my family and friends at my house or at a restaurant if my birthday is Friday my best friend usually stays over at my house for the weekend we play videogames and chill we go out to the mall to buy stuff with my birthday money and that's mostly what I do for my birthday every year
I celebrate my Birthday with friends coming over and we have a party, then I go out to dinner with my family. There are no particular activities or activities we do, but we do go out to dinner every time. My most memorable Birthday was mine that was 2 months ago, because that is the only one I remember.
For my birthday, I typically wake up pretty early because i'm very energized to see what my family has gotten for me. My birthday is in june, so I never have had school on my birthday ever. I'll put on a cute outfit for the day and if I have received any bday money my mom and I will go shopping! The day before my birthday it has always been a tradition for my grandma to take me shopping. She spoils me haha but I love her so much. Later in the afternoon I might just chill and do some online shopping or take a rest. Lastly, I have always eaten mexican food for my birthday this has also been an ongoing tradition for my birthday. I have always invited the same family members until my aunt, uncle, and cousins had moved to D.C. My most memorable birthday was my birthday when I turned 8. This was my favorite birthday because I got to invite whoever I wanted to my birthday party. It was at this tea place and you could have tea obviously, but you could also get your makeup done and get all dressed up in whatever you wanted to.
In my family the birthdays are not a big deal if it is only one person celebrating their birthday. Even the quinceañera is not a big deal, but the people of my family who turn years in February. They make a mega birthday party for them. It is not something that bothers me because I always end up having fun with my relatives. That's the way my family celebrates birthdays.
Though birthdays at my house are celebrated, they are never a huge deal. Because of how busy my family is, we can never find the time to devote an entire day to someone's birthday. We are either at school and work, at some sort of competition, or at a swim meet. The timing of the birthdays in my family also play a big role in their celebration. My dad's birthday is April 11th; my mom's is 6 days after his; my sister's 6 days after hers. With all of their birthdays so close together and approaching college exam time (both of my parents are college professors), we are often too busy to celebrate each individual birthday. We can usually carve out one weekend to go out to dinner and eat cake. I know, it sounds sad that all of their birthdays are neglected, but really we aren't too bothered by this. It's how we've always been.
My birthday, on the other hand, is in the beginning of August. You're probably thinking 'August? Your parents should be able to celebrate then!'. Unfortunately, this is usually around the time that my parents have to go back to work after the summer. I can usually go out to lunch with a few friends, have some cake, and then go back to lounging around the house. Sometimes, I wish that my family made a bigger deal about birthdays; that we were just a little more mainstream, but in the end, I'm thankful for the family time that we do get to spend together, even if it isn't as much as other families.
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@Uma Volety I have always celebrated and made a big deal out of the birthdays in my family. We almost always go to a cook at the table resturant and have many other celebrations throughout the day. To hear your completely different experience is eye opening to me. It allows me to see how lucky I am to be able to celebrate with my family. I'm glad that your traditions dont upset you becuase they are special too just in a different way.
I always do something different for my birthday every year and that's what makes it special to me. It's right at the beginning of summer so I have a lot of different opportunities. I don't really do birthday parties anymore. When I was little they were really fun but as I got older I realized I would rather just do something smaller with the people I'm closest to.
This past year I took two friends of mine to Myrtle Beach for the day. We went to Dave and Busters and ate a whole lot of ice cream. I had an awesome time. A different year my family too me down town and we did a scavenger hunt and ate lunch afterwards.
@Lily Elbel That's really interesting because I feel like my birthdays are the exact opposite! My birthday is near the beginning of the school year, but more than a month in so you know school has already ramped up in difficulty. I don't really have birthday parties either (except for the surprise party this past year that almost gave me a heart attack) but I do always spend extra time with my family and friends. And despite our opposite birthday timings and rituals, as I've gotten older I've found the exact same thing. On my birthday, I just want to spend time with those I am extremely close with and appreciate everything they do for me.
My birthday is in October. October is such a beautiful month with trees turning vibrant shades of red and orange and the crisp fall air that I can never get enough of. However, it's also extremely annoying to have your birthday at the beginning of the school year. The friends I make later in the year can't come to my birthday party until several months later once we return from summer break. Also, everybody forgets the birthdays at the beginning of the school year. Regardless, I'm quite glad to have been born in the fall.
Every year, my mom makes me a chocolate Guinness cake (the alcohol cooks off) with delicious cream cheese frosting. I wouldn't consider it my birthday without that scrumptious cake.
2
Every year since I was little i wake up to my mom bringing me cinnamon toast in bed. I then go downstairs and we always hang the same rainbow happy birthday sign. I open the cards they got me and my grandma always gives me the equal amount of money to how old i am turning plus an added dollar “for good luck” I then proceed through my day until we eat my favorite dinner chicken Parmesan that my mom makes and then her famous double chocolate cake.
My birthday is in the summer. I don’t really have a special ritual for it. I don’t have a party and the day doesn't really seem too special. I just get wishes from people that I know and am close to. Then at the end of the day just share a cake with my family. But other then that it’s just a normal day.
Whenever my birthday comes around, even i don't have the energy to celebrate. Early in january right after christmas so really to celebrate another holiday right after the other can be a little exhausting for everyone. So me and my family keep it pretty laid back. We have some family come over for a laid back party and all hang out. I'm definitely not the person who's crazy about celebrating my birthday so being comfortable with keeping things laid back and staying up to watch netflix and eat cereal all night is all I need right there.
My birthday is in spring break. For my birthday ritual we all go to Florida. I can have unlimited candy but my mom says I have to stop if I get sick. I go mini golfing and I get to have a root beer float on my birthday. This year we were going to go to Disney world, but we probably don't get to go because of the corona virus.
On my birthday, I celebrate it two days every year. While I celebrate one day with my mom and the other with my dad. Most years I commonly have friends to go out and celebrate with. Is joy my birthday each year because every year is a surprise to what we will sing with. While I do not like cake, we sing to something new each year.
It’s usally just a regular day in my life now since I’m older, and actually my bday is this Saturday and I’ll be tiring 19! Probably the oldest one in the school. But on my birthday we usually have a couple of my friends over and my grandma over and have dinner. We usually either eat out or order in. Last year we ordered domino’s pizza and for desert we had yellow cake with ice cream since I got to pick what I wanted to eat. I can rember that it was a big deal for me on my birthday since I was a little kid still. And I miss being not old! I don’t wanna grow up yet. Overall birthdays to me are just a regular day in my life.
Oh man, my B-day is not too much and not too little. (This year however I cheated and didn't do much due to Corona) I usually will make breakfast, if it hasn't already been made, dress in some good movie merch,(preferably comedy or good 80's action) play some good single-player games and go do really dumb stuff with my friends. Once the clock hits 12 if I hadn't already completed the morning shenanigans I probably go and watch a movie or continue being dumb with friends. The being dumb part is critical. Most importantly I make sure, at the end of the day, that my family is celebrating with me and to have a freaking good time. My birthday is not critically important to me but I am glad it is to others.
The importance of my birthday has decreased every year, making it more or less a normal day. On my birthday I still have my family over for lunch and to hangout for the afternoon which is always fun. Food wise we always have hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch and angel food cake and ice cream for dessert. While I may not have a traditional birthday party anymore like I used when I was younger, I still enjoy spending the day with my family and friends. I will also never forget all those bigs days, especially the one when I got my first real bike.
Birthday. Such a short little word, but the moment you say it, everyone links it with a special memory. Oddly enough, my brain has mixed birthday memories, and it’s a little blurry. But the birthday I remember is with me, and my family invited a lot of my friends to this restaurant near McAlister‘s. I’d always love their mac & cheese here, and I’m pretty sure that’s why we went there, and my dad will play his guitar for all of us, and I remember feeling like the specialist kid in the world.
Every kid has that special birthday that they can recall in a heartbeat. Just like the author, when she talks about the baby back ribs that were cooked time and time again. I love that ton of kids have their birthday memory, yet all of them are different in their way.
Birthdays used to be the number one thing I looked forward to when I was younger, counting down the days way too early than necessary. I would always get the presents I wanted and would have a lot of fun celebrating with my family. But the moments I remember most fondly of being really young was the birthday parties with my friends. I wasn't one of those kids who invited the whole class to my party, always taking only a few friends to do multiple fun things.
These days my birthday seems more in the background now. I stopped having birthday parties back in middle school, and slowly over time, they lowered in importance to me. I still have fun on my birthday, but that excitement and impatience for my big day to come has seemed to disappear. But even though my birthday is longer all that important to me, I think those memories of ceramics and trampoline parks as birthday parties will last for a long time.
My birthday is just another day of the year to me. To me, personal birthdays aren't very important because they have absolutely no effect on the rest of the world. I don't even want the traditional ‘birthday gifts’ from my friends and family most of the time. Instead, I would rather be gifted practical things that help me in my everyday life. Last year I only asked for a bike wheel and shorts and that's exactly what I recieved.
I used to ask for toys and games when I was younger but I began to realize they were rarely used and ended up being a waste of money. Too often I would neglect the presents my parents spent their hard earned money and time on. I would walk by dusty toys only to feel a pang of guilt.
Whenever it is someone in my family’s birthday, we all go to the restaurant of their choice. We end up going to Mellow Mushroom usually for all four of our birthdays during the year. I wouldn't consider this a ritual though; it's more out of convenience. Since we all like Mellow Mushroom's food and it is near our house it is always convenient.
I never really do look forward to my birthday but it does bring some cheer around to me once a year.
2
Birthday's have never been a huge deal to my family but, we definitely have certain traditions that follow with them. Usually whoever's birthday it is gets to pick something special for breakfast and get to chose someplace to go out to dinner. Then we usually come back home to cake and ice cream and the birthday person opens presents.
When my older brother and I were younger we would alternate years on who got to have a bigger party. So one year I would have a friend or two come over for a sleepover, and then the next I would get to invite all of my classmates and friends for a pretty typical birthday party.
I always look forward to my birthday and getting to do something with my friends, but it's never something that has been a huge deal to me or my family.
@Hayden Carroll My family does something similar. Whoever is having the birthday gets to choose what we eat for dinner. They can pick almost any meal or any restaurant. We usually keep it a family thing. Sometimes a friend will tag along.
I remember when my birthday was a huge deal but now that I'm older i'm glad I just get to spend time with close family and friends instead of a large group of people.
Birthdays are not considered a crazy big deal in my family but we do always celebrate. Typically if its during the week we will all come home get ready, sing happy birthday, and head out to dinner to the birthday persons place of choice. Later that night the birthday person then opens presents. But either way we always spend time with the family we have here.
In my family we have many important traditions. Whenever there is a birthday in my family, we hang a big felt sign that says happy birthday. This is very special because when the birthday person wakes up and walks into the living room, they get to see big sign congratulating them. Another thing my family does to celebrate birthdays is celebrate as a family. My grandma always makes my families favorite kind of cake, ice cream cake. It is always exciting when we light the candles and sing happy birthday. Whenever I have a birthday, I like to spread out opening presents through the day. This makes the whole day feel special. I enjoy spending time with my family on my birthday.
@Talan Our celebrations sound a bit alike.
My grandmother is an excellent cook. The best part of birthdays in my family is that she bakes you your favorite desert. My favorite birthday cake is German Chocolate Cake. This makes you feel super special, because it is baked with a lot of love. We also call each other if we are not together and sing happy birthday (badly) over the phone.
As I’ve gotten older, birthday celebrations have gone from elementary school class parties to sleep overs and now just family celebrations. My brother, father and I all have birthdays in the same week. So, June becomes one big birthday month. Sometimes we plan a family trip as a group birthday gift, because experiences are often more fun than things. Last year we went to New York City and had a blast together.
This year, I am excited for my sixteenth birthday, because I will get my driver’s license and take the next step toward becoming an adult. I can't wait to be able to drive myself around and be independent. It will be a birthday to remember.
2
Birthdays are considered a big deal in my family. On my birthday I wake up to my mom and my brothers singing happy birthday and asking me what I want for my birthday dinner. They take me out to the place I pick and then we go over to my grandma's house to have cookies and ice cream. I always look forward to my birthday because I get to spend quality time with my family.
I celebrate my birthday by hanging out with my family and friends. I remember on my 6th birthday when I went in the backyard and there was a huge pink bouncy castle waiting just for me and my friends. One of my best friends was born on the same day as me so we celebrated a birthday together at a place with trampolines called Isaute . I loved that birthday because I am a gymnast and I love doing flips on the trampoline.Every birthday is very special to my because I get to spend time with the people I love. :)
1
I celebrate my birthday with the people I love . I remembre one time In the morning I wak up and go down stairs VERY happy that it was my birthday to eat breakfast and suddenly I see my mom at the table with a tone of presents . I was so happy to open all those gifts. And a other time when I was sick on my birthday I was not very fun butbi just did it the next day instead . My birthday is the fifth of April. I often do traesor hunts on my birthday but it often changes . I am very lucky to be able to spend my birthday with the people I love.
-alexia
I am a twin so my birthday is always celebrated with my brother Ayden. I remember on my 7th birthday when we both walked down the stairs together and there was a big poster that said, "Happy Birthday Ayden and Shannon!" I loved that day because it really made me feel very special and connected to my brother. This year I am very exited because this is my first birthday with my new friends since we moved in August.
I love birthdays in my family. I remember my earliest birthday when I was five or six years old, and I came downstairs with my brother and my cousins, and everyone screamed happy birthday so loud that I almost fell. I ate such a good breakfast and got dressed, and then..they kicked me out. One of my cousins, my mom, and I went shopping and stuff, and then we went to this Mexican restaurant that was a whole hour away. The rest of my family met us there, and it was soo good. The hour was definitely worth it. And, of course, towards the end of the dinner, all these people came out and put a sombrero on my head and started to sing. When we got home, I was worn out, but the day wasn’t over. I walked in, and the whole living room and dining room and all the doorways were just covered in streamers and balloons and other decorations. There was a giant cake that my aunt brought out of the freezer, and then my dad popped this big balloon full of confetti on my head. We sat there all filled with food, and they watched me open my presents. I got a bike and a guitar. It was just so awesome, and I’m never gonna’ forget it. That became a tradition for all of our birthdays, and it’s still going today.
2
I’m one who loves birthdays. I will admit however, that buying gifts can be challenging because it makes me realize I want to shop for me too. All of the decorating, planning, and other festivities that come with someone's special day, make it all worth it when you can do something for someone else. My birthday falls the day after Halloween which sometimes can be tricky to plan around. I am a big football fan so usually every season there is a game on or near my birthday, at my highschool, where I can hangout with my friends more conveniently. Another bonus is that it’s around the same time as homecoming, so I use that as another excuse to dress up and take pictures with my friends. Having a birthday in the fall tends to limit activities for a party. Most of my friends have spring or summer birthdays so they can plan more preferably. I always have looked forward to my birthdays but recently I turned 16 and it made me think of how much closer I’m getting to being an adult. Since I was a kid, I’ve always wanted to be an adult and be responsible but as that future sets into reality, I want things to slow down. I think it’s important that we focus on what's happening around us so that we don't get all caught up in planning for the future. It’s good to be prepared but sometimes you just need to live in the moment.
2
Although I don't get too excited for my birthday, my parents do. They do that whole "You're growing up too fast" thing. I usually treat myself to a new outfit or something. I wear that to school and then after school we go to dinner and open gifts. My family lets me choose any restaurant for dinner. We invite my grandparents and my best friend plus her family. My sister usually plays with toys or my dads IPad. I used to have birthday parties but last year I kind of forgot. My friends ended up throwing me a surprise party. This year, it was my sweet sixteen so my parents took me and two friends on a cruise to the Bahamas for my birthday which was AMAZING! I loved every minute of it. Although my birthday isn't a big deal to me, my parents love it!
3
I usually celebrate my birthday with my family. I’ll be woken up by my sister excitedly knocking on my door, eager for me to open my presents. My mom will be waiting downstairs having made me double chocolate waffles with whipped cream and strawberries. My father and my brother will be sitting at the table ready to tease me about being older. A neat little stack of presents will be displayed by the fireplace. I’ll be getting sporadic text messages from other family members and friends throughout the day (with some phone calls mixed in). In the afternoon, we’ll all go to a restaurant of my choosing, all of us dressed up in semi-fancy clothes, and have a good time.
When I was younger, my birthdays were a completely different story. I would invite as many friends as my mom would allow me to, and I’d spend the whole day with them only to spend a few moments with my family just before going to sleep. That all changed when I moved; we were so far away from all of our extended family and our friends that I realized how important it was to spend as much time with each other as possible. Before my birthday represented a long day of socializing and having to clean up after others but now it represents the love I have for my family and the knowledge that we’ll always stick together.
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My family loves birthdays. Every year on our birthday we wake up and go downstairs to whatever breakfast we chose for our dad to make us. We then open one present of the pile on the kitchen table before we head off to school. After school it’s tradition that you choose the restaurant we all eat dinner at that night with a group of family friends. After dinner we all go to our house for cake, ice cream, and opening the rest of the presents. The whole day is just a blast and really special.
@Autumn Klein My family celebrates birthdays very similarly. We also get to have our breakfast and dinner of choice, breakfast prepared by my parents and dinner at a restaurant. Both my sister and I's birthdays fall during the summer, so typically we don't have to worry about working around school. My brother's birthday does fall during the school year, and we celebrate pretty comparably. Typically each of us will have a party of some sort as well, but I personally love spending the morning and evening eating my favorite food with my family. If I have a party, I like to try and schedule it on a different day than my actual birthday just because I like to spend time with them. My whole family is always very busy, so using a birthday as an excuse to find time for all of us together is a rare opportunity that we all love taking advantage of.
My birthday really doesn’t hold much importance to me, yeah it was the day I was born, big whoop. My parents will say something when I get up, but this year we both forgot and no one said anything till I got to school. My parents will usually get me something small like a wallet or a shirt and I’ll go and visit my grandparents. Birthdays, for me, are mainly just an excuse to see family that I don’t see regularly, it’s a way to connect with my grandparents who can’t come out and visit me as much as they use to. So what I do is I take my birthdays with a grain of salt and think, is this more for me, or is my birthday more for the bigger picture and my family.
My birthday had some rituals in the past that started to fade as I got older. When we were younger you would get woken up by the rest of the family with a donut and a candle and they would sing to you. After that you would eat the breakfast you chose and open you present. After school you would do whatever you wanted if it was have a nice dinner somewhere or just chill at home relaxing it was your choice. Along with those “day of” rituals we did a thing called birthday week. Whenever it was the week of your birthday you got to choose where we ate and basically what we did.
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My birthday is always so much fun. Every year when I wake up my brother or boyfriend takes me to breakfast wherever I want to go, and we hang out in town for a bit. After that we head home and it’s like the day revolves around me so that is always awesome. After we have completed our activities for the day we get dressed up and go to dinner where I choose I go with my parents and brother and I usually bring a friend. We have cherry chip cake and presents after we go to dinner. The weekend after I have a birthday party with my friends.
Every year for my birthday I wake up and my mom has my gifts set out on the kitchen island. Usually my birthday is on a school day and the week of homecoming. We always go out to eat with an intermediate family and I can bring one friend. After dinner, I will attend whatever homecoming event there is or we go back to my house and we celebrate with cake, ice cream and presents. My birthday is very special to me, and always has been growing up. I look forward to it every year.
When I was a child celebrating my birthday, I always had birthday parties with my family which I started planning a week or so ahead. Now, my birthday is rather low-key; I don’t have any special rituals other than having my favorite cake: German Chocolate. I have spent my birthday with just my family for many years now. One of my most memorable birthdays was when I turned ten because my uncle always likes to mess with me and did by making me “smell” the cake and I ended with it all over my face instead.
When I was a child celebrating my birthday, I always had birthday parties which I start planning months in advance. Now, my birthday is rather low-key; I don’t have any special rituals anymore. I usually watch one of my favorite movies in the evening. I eat one of my favorite kinds of cake (e.g. red velvet, cheesecake, ice cream cake). I’ve often had steak for dinner with fresh corn on the cob. I go to my grandparents’ house either the day of or a day close to my birthday. I receive phone calls from relatives. In recent years, I have spent my birthday with just my family. One of my most memorable birthdays was when I turned ten because my cousins arrived from Florida the morning of my birthday for a few days visit. I also had my birthday party that day so they participated in a few activities, and I was preparing for the party while they were there.
I don’t usually do anything too special for my birthday, but there is one tradition that I have kept for the past 5-6 years or so. Since my birthday is around the time as Halloween, every year I have gone with my friends to a haunted house, in honor of Halloween and my birthday. The first year I went I must have been 11 or 12 years old and I loved it, I liked the feeling of being scared and I’ve gone to a different haunted house each year after that. Outside of that I usually go out to dinner with my family or my mom will make one of my favorite dishes. In the last my mom has made simple cakes for our birthdays with her iconic and colorful cool whip frosting; however, more recently we have strayed from that and we usually buy just a single slice of cake from a bakery or a couple cupcakes to enjoy. Overall, my birthday is nothing special, but it’s a reason to have fun with friends, eat delicious food, and indulge a little bit.
Normally on my birthday I am woken up at 12:00 am, and told that it’s officially my birthday and the big day has started. However, I fall back asleep most of the time and wake up at 6:20 am from my alarm clock. During the 10 minutes it takes me to get my day started my mom prepares me a special breakfast. When I walk down the stairs of my house I am greeted with a birthday card on the table and breakfast. When I turned eight, my mom taught my brother a tradition that she grew up on, which was that you had to pull the birthday person's ear the age that they are turning and one more time for goodluck. So when I walk down the stairs my brother pulls my ear. Later in the day, my family will come over and my dad would cook a big meal and we’ll have food and cake. When we sing happy birthday we sing it in English then Italian.
Personally my birthday is kind of “meh.” I don’t actually do anything extremely exciting. All I do is eat cake and worry about the standardized test I have to do the next day. The date of my birthday couldn’t have been any worse. It’s right when I have to take a big test and worry. Also, I don’t tell many people my birthday so I don’t get any presents. My parents don’t buy me presents either. I don’t throw birthday parties because there’s nothing fun to do at my house. However, the few birthday parties I have been to were fun. It makes me envy those people, since I can’t have one of my own. It could be much worse, though. At least I have birthday cake!
My birthday is on April Fools Day, and this leads to a lot of people calling me a joke. I don't mind it, but it annoys me how people think it is still funny. I get it entirely too much for it to be funny anymore. I can prank people without getting in trouble because it is my birthday, though. We usually don't do much for my birthday. I usually have a small gathering with friends and then eat a cake with my family. Last year, my birthday was on Spring Break, but this year it isn't. I hope schools are closed so I don't have to go to school on their birthday.
For birthdays in my family, we like to throw a party with just family members. I have 14 siblings and some of my siblings have kids of their own, so the parties are usually big. Everyone brings a gift for the birthday girl/boy. Usually the birthday girl/boy gets to choose what is on the menu and they either get to pick out their cake or bake it themself. The party usually happens at night because most birthdays fall on weekdays and everyone has either school or work. The parties are very fun and usually end around 10 p.m.
My Birthday falls on an interesting date. It’s the very first day of winter which means that it is the shortest day of the year and the longest night. I enjoy my birthday very much as many of the times I am off of school or finishing up classes. However since I started high school my birthday has fallen on the day of finals a few times. But many rituals I do on the day consists of my family getting donuts for everyone and attending a family dinner. It’s usually a few relaxing day with my family and friends.
I've never liked my birthday. Growing up, I loved Peter Pan, and I always wished I lived on Neverland and would never grow up. For me, my birthday means that my childhood is ending, and that real world issues are coming into play. I just recently turned 16, which is a milestone birthday. I asked my grandpa what's so special about 16 and he told me it's one of those birthdays where you just realize things about life; he told me that 25 was a big one for him. He said that was when he fully realized that was an adult, responsibility for his family and realization about his life suddenly weighed down on him.
Every year I have tried to lessen the weight I have on myself. I realize it sounds crazy or sad that I'm not one to look forward to my birthday, but it's true, and it's something I wish I didn't have stress about. In life, you have to realize all that matters is what is happening right now. It only matters the age you are at right now.
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@Sofia Noonan
I've never really thought about birthdays in that sense, but I do see your point. The older people get, the more responsibilities are thrust upon their shoulders. I do, however, think that we shouldn't let our stresses and worries of the future hinder the time we spend with our friends and family, especially on our birthdays. If we’re always focused on what comes next, we’ll never really appreciate what we have in the present.
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