I always wondered about the kids whose birthdays fell on holidays – how did they feel when their birthdays rolled around each year?
Did they feel cheated or blessed or a little of both? Did they just hang around waiting to see what got celebrated first?
My birthday occasionally (maybe once or twice, I can’t remember, but it did?!) fell the day after Thanksgiving, and I felt a bit cheated for my celebration.
No, wait, it was because my birthday fell on the deer hunting season, and everyone was gone or busy cleaning the guts out of hanging deer. Not exactly my favorite way to celebrate. That was probably the year I decided, “Nah, birthdays aren’t all they are cracked up to be.”
There’s that darn Grinch mode creeping in. GRR…go away!
Where was I?
Oh yes, kids born around holidays, namely Christmas. How did they survive?
Thirty years ago I met and married someone whose birthday is 3 days before Christmas, and I didn’t have to wonder anymore. He filled me in on the real deal. He has plenty of wisdom from his first-hand stories of the tales of Christmases and birthdays past that I can learn from.
Easy stuff like how it is important to ask for everything you want. And to be okay with the list split in two so you receive half of the presents wrapped in birthday wrap and the other half wrapped in Christmas wrap.
After a few years of marriage, buying each other practical stuff for the house instead of each other for our birthdays (brooms, staples, chairs, toilet paper, etc.), we had kids.
What can I say, fall was a cozy time around our house.
They were both born around the 4th of July, so we didn’t have to use his expertise for how to split gifts between holidays. We just had to split the budget for gifts between kids.
The thrills of gift buying for each other didn’t seem as appropriate on a child-rearing budget, so we stopped buying gifts for each other. We’re both okay with that, we kind of buy what we want need when needed.
We learned to do little things for each other instead buy gifts.
Okay, I confess, the real one of the reason(s) I married him is because he COOKS, it had nothing everything to do with his practical gift-giving techniques.
He cooks really well.
One of his traditions that I immediately fell in love with was he cooked his own birthday meals.
Wow…I had never heard of such a thing. But damn, it’s nice…just sayin’.
Since I hadn’t really bought him much for his birthday this year (except for the deductible on a $22k hospitalization, increased property taxes, and Black Friday holiday shopping bills…sh*t, dang, wow…yikes is right), I told him after all these years, I’d just make him his birthday dinner this year.
He could be the ol’ dog and hang out and relax for the day.
Strangely, he jumped on the opportunity, even knowing that I hadn’t cooked a meal in quite some time (neither one of us could remember how long ago it was)?
Mr: “Hell ya, you can cook.”
Me: “We should have wine with dinner.”
Mr: “Okay, what kind?”
Me: “I’ll decide. Oh, look I found the bottle of wine I bought you when I went to the Cambridge Winery in October – let’s have that! It’s a $38 bottle of wine, it should be good.”
So I got busy in the kitchen.
I set the table, took some photos of my handiwork.
I cooked a recipe that I know is easy and always turns out. I even baked a butter braid we bought from our oldest daughter’s work fund-raiser. It’s strange, we thought throwing $ at fund-raising would stop once there was an empty nest?
But I digress.
After successfully preparing and getting the main dish into the oven, (it had been long enough since I had cooked or baked, it was best to not be under the influence of anything other than a cup of Matcha) I asked Mr. if he’d share a glass of his birthday wine with me and he could open up his birthday present.
I handed him the gift I bought him this year (Black Friday Shopping, pre-getting the hospital bills), wrapped in festive red plaid paper. Just in case I wanted to give it to him for Christmas instead. I couldn’t decide…
Me: “Cheers to you, glad you liked the gift – go rest some more, dinner isn’t quite ready.”
Mr: At the speed of light, exiting the room as fast a possible…”Okay, this is nice…I like not cooking.”
I set my glass of wine on the counter, next to the bottle and reflected.
The bottle of wine I bought the day before his hospitalization. I’m damn glad we paid attention to the signs and that he’s here to celebrate another birthday.
Cheers to another year together.
Since he left the bottle behind, and I make pour choices…
Mr. returned to chat with the cook of the day (guard the bottle).
Mr: “So…how does it feel to be in the kitchen cooking?”
Me: “Strange…but nice, too. Awkward, actually, I’m glad I made a familiar recipe.”
Mr: “That’s good…is this a new tradition then or something that might happen more often…?”
Me: “We’ll have to see, we haven’t eaten it yet…and I’m glad you bought a cake, there was no way I would’ve gotten that done, whew…I’m tired.”
Mr: “Yeah, I bet, I have no idea what that feels like…Wink, Wink…!”
Post birthday news…we all survived, his dear parents joined us for dinner. They are the sweetest people. They call him every year at 10:20 am to sing him Happy Birthday. He’s their #1 son (only one)!
We all enjoyed my cooking (due to poor choices, I completely forgot to take a photo of the main course so YOU have to just believe in miracles).
As we enjoyed each bite, the in-laws, too, reminded me it had been a long time since I had cooked. And, asked me if it was a new trend? Playful sarcasm is a gift that also runs in the family.
Post Inspiration – Winter Holiday Birthdays, Sunday Stills Red and Lens Artists Reflections
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
May you treasure the true meaning of Christmas as you celebrate family gatherings and good cheer!
PS – What are your secrets for celebrating birthdays around the holidays? Do you cook for your spouse on their birthday or do they like to cook their own meal? What’s your favorite childhood birthday story…does it involve reindeer too?
Lovely family, Shelley! You’re husband is a looker even in his younger years. You both are actually.
Aw, thank you, Winnie! He’s a keeper, that’s for sure :-). Your family is beautiful, too – we’re both darn lucky, aren’t we? 🙂
You’re welcome, Shelley! So very true! Aww! Thank you also.
Merry Christmas from my family to yours!
:-)!!!!!!
I want some of that bread! Merry Christmas to you and yours, Shelley. Hope 2019 brings all you hope for.
Thank you, Janet! I wish the same to you and your family! Merry Christmas!!!
We had a lot of birthdays in December, including my brother Jim. We always celebrated his birthday the same as any other and separate from the holiday. No reason he shouldn’t have the same level of celebration as the rest of us.
Wonderful family traditions – you’re right, no reason he shouldn’t have the same level of celebration! Thanks for sharing, John – Merry Christmas to you and Mary!
What a nice post Shelley – I can’t cook, never could. My birthday has fallen on Easter a few times, even on Good Friday as well. My mom was a Valentine’s Day baby. We would go out for lunch if her birthday fell on a weekend, but other than that, just impossible to get into a restaurant unless you have a reservation on Valentine’s Day. I used to get her two gifts, a small one for the holiday and a bigger one for her birthday.
Thank you, Linda – I appreciate hearing your take on this post. Your mom no-doubt appreciated you taking time to recognize both special occasions, and I trust she did the same for you! Merry Christmas, I treasure your blogging friendship!
Well, it is extra-special folks who have holiday birthdays … I treasure our blogging friendship as well Shelley. I don’t know how you keep up the pace of a daily post … I am doing it now as my boss is on vacation and it is the holidays, but it is amazing you can do a daily post.
Thank you, Linda! Blogging daily (except for the last two days) is like a dose of daily therapy, it’s fun for me. And…it’s really hard to get back into the groove when I’ve been gone from it! We’ll see how today goes!
It is hard and I took yesterday off – I said before that I don’t normally blog every day, except on holidays when I have more time. I actually wanted to do a post today – I wrote most of it, a rough draft anyway, while I was uploading my pictures yesterday. I spent about three hours at the Park as our weather has been sunny and clear – we are getting 60 degrees on Friday! But then I’ve kinda dragged my butt today. It is hard to get back into any groove, the older you get. 🙂 I’m messed up on the dates – my boss has been gone since Wednesday night and left no work for a change. I keep thinking today is Monday, all weekend I was off as well.
I understand your pain! Way to enjoy the weather while it’s nice. You’re doing great balancing posting, walking and working!
Thanks – the more I walk though, the more I have to surpass next year – it will make me toe the line anyway!
Every 7 years my birthday falls on Thanksgiving. It’s a burden for sure. So what I have done, when Thanksgiving falls on my birthday, is give everyone a free turkey. Apparently it’s working.
Thanks yet once again for another great topic.
How do you think of all these fabulous ideas???
That’s a nice idea – giving away a turkey on my birthday. Thank you for your words of encouragement. As far as ideas go? Typically whatever is happening in life or my photos are the inspirations for blog post ideas. Where do you get your ideas from? I wish I could come up with great titles like you do!
Thanks Shelley. I’m addicted to current events. I read most all day into the night. Love it! I also read a lot of articles written about retirement. I’m a walking know-it-all. LOL.
Thanks Shelley. I’m an avid reader and I’m obsessed with current events, trends and retirement. I read from morning to night. I’m a walking know-it-all. LOL.
Oops, this comment came up twice. I didn’t see it posted when I first sent it so I did it again. That’s two times the fun. 🙂