New Birthday Traditions

by Alan
(Manchester)

Growing up as a child my family were not 'big' on birthdays and had no real birthday traditions. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't neglected or anything and didn't feel deprived, it was just that birthdays were always low-key in our household.

Having no children of my own I couldn't pass this 'birthday tradition' of having a muted celebration to anyone and as I advanced into my adult years birthdays became just another day, not much different to any other.

This all changed when I met my current partner. She had two young kids and made a big thing of their birthdays when they came round. It was really nice to be involved in something so different and great to be a part of making their birthdays something special.

The biggest surprise came when it was my birthday. Having not experienced much as a child I just expected another day as I was now an adult, even although I knew my partner made a real special occasion for her children.

What a great shock (in a nice way) when I woke up on my birthday morning to find that she had decorated the room with banners, balloons and had a huge helium balloon for me. The children and her came into the room with a beautiful birthday cake with candles singing 'Happy Birthday To You'.

We had coffee and cake in bed whilst I opened the lovely presents they had bought for me. It was such a great special occasion and a complete surprise to me that I was really overcome and felt my eyes filling with tears. A big, tough 30-something, red-blooded male close to tears because of a simple birthday surprise! I'll never forget that first birthday we were together!

So every year now we have the same new 'birthday tradition' and I love it! I'm in my 40s now and won't get tired of this. I know it's probably no different to what lots of people experience on their birthdays but to me it is so special.

Our final new birthday tradition is bursting the helium balloon a few days later and having a great laugh as we all talk and sing in squeaky voices after breathing in the helium.

Sophie Says

This is a wonderful piece about birthday traditions. It brought a tear to my eye too! All these are very 'traditional traditions' and sums up what a birthday is all about. Thank you for sharing.