Birthday Traditions

One of the traditions we've kind of started here is to make a cake each month to honor everyone we know that has a birthday in that month. We've skipped a few months here and there but I'm really trying to get better at it as I think it's really important. I haven't quite figured out why yet - it's just what I feel.

Growing up, we'd always have ALL of the family over to celebrate a birthday. Actually, it was pretty much the same fan fare as any of the major holidays, which made it all the more special when your birthday rolled around and everyone gathered to share a meal, eat a special cake that was made just for you and watch you open up your gifts.

When my sisters and I got older it got even better as we were able to choose what to eat and what kind of cake/pie/cookie we wanted. Then when we got a little more older we were allowed to invite a friend over to celebrate. Then later we got to invite more friends until we got to the point of sleep overs and all of that.

Once we were teenagers and thought we were too cool to hang with the family, we'd stop inviting the friends and usually do something with them separately but always, ALWAYS, shared a meal of our choosing with the family and have a special cake/pie/cookie made just for us.

There was rarely any decorations (I do have fond memories of window clings stuck to a large mirror in our entry way). Rarer yet was balloons or themed plates, napkins, cups or table clothes. And the goody bags? Those were the leftovers stuffed in Cool Whip and butter tubs for everyone to take home. Ah, those were the days where things were nice and simple (my mom probably begs to differ on that statement!).

But, times have changed and we find ourselves scattered across the land so family get-togethers just aren't possible for us. And I have entered the world of themed birthday parties that have more kids than adults in attendance and trying to figure out what to put in goody bags and why can't I just buy pink plates instead of princess plates and why we should invite everyone we've ever talked to so as not to offend anyone or because they invited us to theirs and on and on and on it goes. Whew! Makes my head spin!

So, in order to help me tone it down and remember exactly what the celebration should be all about, I want to take an afternoon each month to bake a cake and decorate it with the girls and really let them help me with it. That gives me a chance to talk/tell them about who we are making it for. And then, after a nice family meal, we can sing Happy Birthday, make a wish, blow out the candles and send out our love to those we are honoring.