How I celebrate

Non-tradtional

My birthday falls this month. The traditional way to celebrate a birthday is cake candles presents singing blah, blah, blah. I am not so much into, all that. I even prefer we cut the cake and then let the birthday person spit on their own piece of cake...I mean blow out the candle that is in that piece. 

I don't want to hear the dreaded happy birthday or see it on my facebook. It is not the getting older aspect I just feel uncomfortable with the attention. I have a nephew who cries when someone sings Happy Birthday. I know his pain. If someone I know sings I cry happy song, sad song, it doesn't matter I am that woman in the back with a case of chronic sniffles. And have you seen your own face when you cry? SCARY!!! There is usually little children around and traumatizing a toddler is not my goal but I have seen my face crying and it is soooo not good. So nope, no birthday for me. 

Several years ago ( I can't remember how long ago, as I am getting older after all) I started a fun tradition of giving my parents gifts on my birthday. 

One year I had a local bakery make a cake and my sister served as my go-to person by picking it up and delivering it for me. 

One year they got a gift certificate to a wonderful steak house that they enjoy. My brother helped with that one.

One year they each got a gift of their own. Amazon helped with that one.

One year my Dad got a gift and my Mother got flowers. Amazon and the flower shop helped with that one.

The year my father passed  we were pre-occuppied with the funeral and I am sad to say I did not honor this non-traditional tradition I had started. 

The next year my Mother got a beautiful dress that she made look great!

The point here is not the gift, the point here is I have had a good time giving back to my folks who sacrificed so much just to have me.  

I also noticed I have really good siblings who help out whenever they can. I really appreciate that. 

Mothers and Fathers day are wonderful days to celebrate parents but I really enjoy spending my birthday giving rather than receiving. 

What non-traditional traditions do you have?