Are you this happy about birthdays? Well, maybe you would be if you got a purple cake to match your purple dress. 🙂 But most of us grow up to find our own ways of having fun on our birthdays. Thanks to those of you who shared your happy birthday fun when you entered my annual Birthday Giveaway. Still a few days to enter. I’ll draw for the winners on Sunday September 18, 2016. Check out the prizes and more on my News & Events Page.
But now let’s see if I can get some ideas on how to celebrate my birthday tomorrow. Sometimes we challenge ourselves but I confess I’m not ready to celebrate like Anna or Cathie. But I admire their birthday courage.
Anna – On my last birthday in March, I took the day off from work and went to the beach. Did a polar bear plunge on my own – felt really good and reminded me that life is so very good.
Cathie – One fun thing I did on my birthday was when I turned fifty, I decided to push away my extreme fear of falling, by climbing a rock wall. The going up was a piece of cake. Climbing this one, you got to the top, stepped onto a ledge, and had to step back off to make the climb down. That was the more challenging part for me, but, I did it! lol A perfect birthday would be, a morning walk; an hour of yoga; a visit with my kids and grandkids; a time to draw and time to read!
But I can agree with some of those things on Cathie’s perfect birthday, but no rock climbing for me. My sisters and I always take time to celebrate birthdays with one another but we live close together. Shirley and her sister celebrate long distance but still have fun.
Shirley – This year I turned 82 years young/old (depends on how I feel that day). By the time the day came I had already opened every one of the gifts my sister had sent to me. We send little, mostly inexpensive gifts that would be appreciated only by us. One of her gifts to me (not so inexpensive) was a music box with the words “Forever my sister, Always my friend” and two butterflies on the top of it, and it plays “You Are My Sunshine”, a song very special to us when we were little girls. Since we live about 1,200 miles apart our celebrations are via mail, phone, Facebook, email.
Elaine and her husband came up with a unique and fun way to celebrate some of those zero birthdays.
Elaine – For MY birthday, well, I shared it when I turned 40 and my husband turned 50. We hosted a 90th birthday dance for friends and family. They were told to dress extremely comfortably (most were in jeans or shorts, while I included slippers for my attire). We hired a DJ and rented the hall. Our families provided snacks on the tables and a midnight snack for everybody. Now THAT was fun! I hope we . can do it again for our 130th birthday in three years’ time!
And then sometimes the simple things make birthdays fun.
Nancy – Once, I read a book while my hubby did the dishes. It sort of felt weird but fun anyway.
(Sounds like you should do that more often. :))
Lois – Just for fun I tried to climb a tree a couple of years ago, it was very laughable. A very fun birthday.
(Love your birthday spirit, Lois.)
Robin’s simple pleasure made me smile and think I could go wild and do that for MY birthday!
Robin – Last year I had a banana split for lunch, just because it was my birthday! I’m sure you’re in shock reading about my walk on the wild side, but I had to share my boldness. Birthdays rule!!
She’s right. Birthdays do rule. And if you’ve having a birthday this year, and I’m guessing you are, then have some fun, get excited and enjoy the day.
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All fixed! Success!
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Yay! Thanks for giving it another try, Paula.
Happy Bithday, Ann
Love all the comments.
I’m testing again to see if I can leave a comment after almost a month of not being able to. Here’s hoping!
Up until the last few years of her life, my mom would make us a birthday meal if whatever we wanted and our favorite cake. One year my two good friends surprised me with tickets to see the Lippizaner stallions. It was amazing.
Mostly though, I remember other people’s birthdays.
Hope you had a great Birthday.
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Moms are the best when it comes to birthdays, Ann. Mom used to cook a big meal for the whole family when we celebrated a birthday and then when she got older she’d take us sisters out for out birthdays. That was always a fun time too. Now I get together with my sisters and we remember mom.
Up until the last few years of her life, my mom would make us a birthday meal if whatever we wanted and our favorite cake. One year my two good friends surprised me with tickets to see the Lippizaner stallions. It was amazing.
Mostly though, I remember other people’s birthdays.
“Happy Birthday, Ann!!” I hope you took the entire day to read, write, or whatever you most love to do, and that you enjoyed some of your favorite treats and people.
Since my birthday is Dec. 25th, my grandmother’s birthday was Dec. 22nd, and my sister-in-law’s is on Dec. 5th – there’s never been much fanfare about mine, with the exception of one party when I turned 16 years old. It never really felt like my birthday amidst the Christmas excitement – opening both Christmas and birthday gifts at the same time, having candles added to the Christmas dessert, etc.. UNTIL: 2014, when my sister-in-law surprised me by making the day all about me. Fave foods, decorations, cake, gifts, numerous happy birthday greetings, etc.. It was, indeed, a special day!!
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity, Ann!!
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What a sweet story, Bonnie. Your sister-in-law must love you very much. And it was time somebody made the day a good birthday party for you. I’ve always thought it might be better to celebrate a year and a half for people who have birthdays on major holidays. Instead of Christmas in July, it could be birthday in July. Or whatever month you picked.
If you feel like it sometime, we need to meet halfway and get together for lunch.
Ann, Birthday Blessings to you and I hope your day was wonderful, full of joy and happiness with a little reading too! I always enjoy looking at the pictures you take and I hope you got to see some wonderful views of God’s creation and creatures on your special day.
My best birthday lately was my 5oth one. That year I had 3 cancer surgeries, ended up in a coma due to a surgeons mistake, among other things on that journey. I was just getting my appetite back and we went out to dinner and had a little cake. I was just so happy to be celebrating with my family. God is so good.
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I can understand why you were celebrating a new birthday, Maryann. Nothing like wondering if you will get to another birthday to make us rejoice in having a that next birthday. Especially after you hear that dreaded word cancer and for you three times with complications on top of the cancer. I pray that you will continue to feel better and better and be able to enjoy life to the fullest.
I appreciate you joining in with the fun on Facebook. I love sharing pictures with all of you.
And sometimes doing nothing on our birthdays makes it a very special day!! Hope you enjoyed it!!!
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Doing nothing much is good. I’m still going to take some time to read a book though, Betsy, as soon as I get some writing chores done. And I have promised myself I’ll wash my windows, but it’s easy to put that kind of thing off.
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How fun to see the photo of the little girl with her purple birthday cake. It reminded me of when my younger sister was five. She insisted on having a purple cake and purple ice cream! My mom pulled it off and made Karla very happy. I have one of those milestone birthdays that end in 0 coming up next month. It will also be the first without my mom. My kids are no longer living at home (my daughter plans to come the weekend after my birthday) but it’s on a Wednesday so I’ll go to work as usual (at an elementary school) and volunteer at my church’s HIS Kids program that evening. Hopefully I’ll be busy enough that I won’t think too much about being older! I hope you have a wonderful birthday, Ann.
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Sounds like you have a good plan for just letting that 0 birthday be like any other, Pam. We’re actually only a day older whenever those birthdays come. Each day a blessing. My daughter didn’t get to come home for my birthday either, but all the kids called and one family came to supper tonight. They live close so it’s easier for them to visit and I’m always glad to see them and my other kids too. And all my friends here and on Facebook made the day fun with so many kind wishes.
Oh & I forgot to say: Happy Happy Birthday Ann!!! I hope you are having a special day with family !!!
On my 60th birthday, my husband & girls held a surprise birthday party for me!!! One daughter had to drive 6+ hrs each way to help!!! That was extra special!!! I was mostly surprised – knew something was “brewing” but had no idea they were going to the extent that they did! Even my brother & siter-in-law + sister & her friend made the drive down which was an hour + for them!!!
My husband went so far as to do his “Elvis ” impersonation one last time singing “Love Me Tender” & ” Blue Suede Shoes”!!!! That was quite memorable & very special birthday!
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Fun, Betsy. Sounds like your family made it a very special time for you. The parties are nice, but the love that goes into them is the best. And thanks for your birthday wishes. So far, I’ve just been doing not much of anything.
Happy Birthday Ann, wishing you the best birthday ever !!!!
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Thanks, Evelyn. I do enjoy having birthdays. I just stop counting up all the years. 🙂
On my 75th birthday my son and daughter-in-law had a surprise birthday party for me at my church.
The fun part of the party was people brought presents in the amounts of 75!
I got 75 marshmellows; 75 bookmarks; 75 jelly beans; 75 etc. and the list goes on and on. My son decorated with 75 helium balloons! The car ride to the church showed my son with a car full of balloons! What a surprise for me!
The unique idea came from our Pastor’s wife; very clever. One birthday I will never forget!
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That was a fun way to celebrate, Pat. Your church family obviously loves you very much to come up with such a great idea. Thanks for sharing.
How special and what forethought!!!
Thanks for sharing how others have celebrated their birthdays! I’m proud of the lady that put aside her fear of heights and climbed a rock wall. Perhaps next year she’ll try sky diving!!! LOL
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She might, but not me, Karen. I might climb a tree though. LOL.
Traditionally, on our 50th birthday, my sisters and I have celebrated the “birthday lady” with 50 gifts to unwrap! Some of the gifts have been a little more expensive, some inexpensive, and some gag gifts. We have split up the gifts to equal 50 between three of us for the birthday sister. It has made each of us feel really special and loved on that day! Another fun part has also been surprising them with the birthday boxes since we all four live in different states!
Another special memory was our 18th birthday when growing up. Our mom sewed a lot and every time she made us a new dress when we were younger she would put a square of that material in a coffee can. For our 18th birthday, she surprised us with a tied comforter that was made from our dresses! A very special birthday gift!
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I love both of these, Wanda. What a great way to make your birthdays special. Aren’t sisters the best? But 50 gifts. That would take some thought. I have to think hard to come up with one good gift for my sisters on their birthdays. And that was such a wonderful think your Mom did with those memory scraps from your dresses. Indeed, a very, very special gift. My aunt sewed a lot of us and it would have been a treasure to have a comforter to remember all those dresses made with love.