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January is a big birthday month in our mountain home. Not only did I turn 31 earlier this month, but Big E turns 5 in just a few weeks. I always get excited about birthdays, so much so that I celebrate a birthday week (or longer). That way I can do all the fun things I want to do and not have to cram them into one day.
Have a party? Sure. Go snowboarding. Of course. Fancy dinner with Mountain Dad. Yes, please. Birthdays are a time for joy and celebration and I’d love to share our special month with all of you. Please leave a comment with any fun birthday traditions you have in your home. Here are a few of ours:
1. Special Birthday Meals – Ever since I was a girl, the Birthday Boy or Girl chooses what the family eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As a kid that meant Lucky Charms and chicken nuggets. Now it’s more likely to involve anything I don’t have to prepare myself.
2. Favorite Memories – During the Birthday Dinner everyone at the table says a favorite positive memory of the Birthday Boy or Girl. Good times.
3. Heavy Heavy Hang Over – When opening presents, the Birthday Boy or Girl gets bumped on the head with the gift in time to this little rhyme:
Heavy, Heavy, hangover, thy poor head. What do you wish with a BUMP on your head?
I’m not sure how this rhyme came to be, or why it was used in my family growing up (especially since my parents didn’t drink and therefore never had hangovers) but now it’s a tradition.
4. Cookies, Candles and Ice Cream – Of course the Birthday Boy or Girl chooses what flavor of dessert they want, but in our house we rarely have cake for a birthday. I prefer Mrs. Fields’ decorated cookie cakes, Mountain Dad is an ice cream fiend and Big E is allergic to wheat so he usually gets rice krispie treats. Little G doesn’t have an opinion yet.
5. Parties – I love parties, so every month I convince our extended family to get together and celebrate something. Among my two parents, eight siblings, their spouses and my twenty two (soon to be twenty five) nieces and nephews, there’s always someone’s birthday to celebrate.
Whatever your family birthday traditions are, I hope they make your day something special. Happy Birthday!
