How Do You Usually Celebrate Your Birthday?

Canada
January 31, 2009 2:06am CST
Those who have read the last two discussions I started will know that today, January 30th, 2009, was my 27th birthday. My husband and I had a great time! First we went to Stone Road Mall, where he bought me a caramel apple, and a chocolate covered strawberry. Then we went to The Second Cup, where we had a mocha latte, and I ate my strawberry. I am saving the apple for tomorrow, as I knew I'd be stuffed after a big dinner tonight. From The Second Cup we went to The Greek Garden, and stuffed ourselves. We shared a plate of dips (there was a hummus dip, and a whipped red caviar dip) with some bred, and a shrimp dish with marinary sauce and fetta cheese. For our main courses we each chose something different. I had the lamb souvlaki with a greek salad, and he has the Mousaka with Greek salad. Both plates came with potatoes and rice. For dessert we had baklava, and I ordered Greek coffee. My baklava came with a candle in it. ;) He also introduced me to the wonderful world of Ouzo. That stuff is great! For those who have never had ouzo, it's an anise liqueur that'll knock you flat after a few shots. My husband says they call it Ouzo because you "Ooozzzzzzzeee-o" right out the door if you've had too much. LOL My Grandfather died in 2007 a few months after I turned 25, and when I turned 26 i was in Arizona. This being my first birthday back home in Canada since he died was a little sad, but my husband cheered me up. Morfar (Danish for Mom's Dad) would have appreciated the fact that we went to the candy store, for one. Standing in that store reminded me of my 16th birthday when Eatons went under (1998) and everything was 96% off. Morfar bought out the entire chocolate section, and split it with me! ;)
11 people like this
54 responses
@patgalca (18391)
• Orangeville, Ontario
31 Jan 09
Sounds like you had a great birthday. Unfortunately as you get older the celebrations diminish, especially when you have kids. I believe I had a meeting at church the night of my last birthday, hubby worked all day, so really nothing much happened. My 12yo was complaining this week that she didn't get a birthday party last year (August). I asked her when the last time I had a birthday cake was but that was irrelevant to her. Heck, she had a birthday cake in PEI and then I surprised her with a lovely soccer girl birthday cake at her soccer game the night of her birthday. When I think about upcoming birthdays and what to do, I shudder. Lack of money is part of it. My older daughter was born around Easter so that causes problems too. And my husband was born around Mother's Day. There is just too much going on in our lives to have time to stop and celebrate. My older daughter will be 16 this year. She didn't have a party last year because she wanted to "save up" (unfortunately that didn't mean financially) for her 16th. Now as it approaches I ask her what she wants to do and she doesn't know. She originally thought she wanted to have a spa day with a couple of her close friends, until she realized the cost. Here, we're lucky to have a birthday cake for our birthdays. Happy Birthday, Dane!
1 person likes this
• Philippines
31 Jan 09
Back in high school, my birthday usually was on exam week, so I had my nose in the books then. The usual drill is that we go out to a restaurant for dinner after everyone's out from school/work. And then that's it. Birthdays aren't that much celebrated here at home.
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
31 Jan 09
It sounds as though you had a beautiful birthday and a lot of food lol!! To be honest with you most of the time my birthday falls on days where my family are all working or at school. In the past when my birthday has fallen on a weekend day we have either had new babies to look after or no money to do anything and then when I hit thirty I just stopped wanting to celebrate them as I hate getting older!!!
1 person likes this
@forslahiri (1042)
• India
31 Jan 09
Hi, Happy Birthady(be late than ever).Have a GREAT YEAR,2009! I spend quitely.I spend half day with my family.Take them out enjoy nature,have lunch/dinner uotside together.Never forget to tell them I love You.Next half I spend with the Old-Age-Home friends.We sing,recite,tell stories, cut cake there,distribute fruits and sweets,enjoy with them for 3-4 hours.Their smile, blessings are my Best Birtday Gifts. =lahiri,Kolkata,India.
• Philippines
31 Jan 09
My birthday falls on a summer season so I usually celebrate it by going to a beach with my family. If my birthday falls on a weekday, we'd definitely move the celebration to the coming weekends so that everyone's already free. Last year, we went to a very nice beach and stayed at the nearest apartment for 2 days. We had so much fun! My mom had prepared marinated meat so while we were swimming, she cooked barbeque, steamed fish and prepared rice on banana leaves. We also played volleyball and what's cool about it was there were just few other people there so it was like we owned the whole place. I actually don't expect to receive gifts during my birthday. For me, as long as I am with my family, that's already more than any material gift that anyone can get.
@galileo2008 (1168)
• Philippines
31 Jan 09
hey, belated happy birthday! When I turned 23, I went to church and thanked HIM for another year, and then spent the entire day at home. I invited a few of my friends over for dinner and spent the night with my significant others.
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Feb 09
I am so glad you had a wonderful birthday. There are few days in the year you hope go well and your birthday is one of them. My birthday is January &th. So as long as I can remember I have had two plans for my birthday. One if it doesn't snow and another if it does snow. Being Canadian you may find this silly but here in Northern Virginia the mention of snow makes schools and shops close.Thankfully it hasn't snowed on my birthday in a long, long time.What I love to do is do a little shopping and eat at Uno's . Uno's has the best Chicago deep dish pizza.so most years we go to my favorite mall and then to Uno's. This year, I saw the movie Frost Nixon instead.I got to Uno's and had my birthday cake. It was a great.
@gtdonna (1738)
3 Feb 09
Happy belated birthday. WOW! You had a grand birthday celebration.... I can't imagine what it is like to buy out an entire chocolate section...how long did those chocolates last if you don't mind me asking.
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
31 Jan 09
Nothing to exciting. I usually go to dinner with family. maybe a friend or two will tag along. These days its more special to celebrate kids birthdays.
1 person likes this
• United States
6 Feb 09
Sounds like an interesting day. Happy late birthday! My partner and I have our own birthday traditions. We plan the others day, buy interesting gifts for eachother, and throw a party before of after for people we know who wanted to be apart of it.
@pxhnchsh (142)
• China
18 Feb 09
I never celebrate my birthday.Maybe my family attach little importance to it.
• China
31 Jan 09
Hi,danishcanadian! Happy birthday to you! I admire that you have a great birthday. I usually celebrate my bithday at home. My hubby usually makes dumplings for dinner. I buy a new coat or a pair of trousers because my bithday is in winter. Others are not unusual.
1 person likes this
@ank_47 (1959)
• India
3 Feb 09
lately also happy birthday to u. i don;t know and didn;t eat the recipes u have told. so u have a great day on that day. my celebration: my husband brings cake for me and i will cut in house with him. we don;t do in a big party way. i like to go outside for dinner and so my husband takes me to dinner in a good restaurent which is famous here.
• United States
18 Feb 09
I love, love baklava! I have not had it in over 10 years. My latest birthday was simply terrible. I turned 31 and it went down with a big bang. And not a very good one. My mother went apeshit for some reason or other (I had been living with her at the time, and just had a cesarean section only 2.5 weeks prior), and attacked my friends (like, almost hurling the carseat at a friend), yelled at my children and I, and just... lost it. It was horrible. *shudder*
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
2 Feb 09
hehe, Ouzo is great however I have had more Raki - wich is the turkish version of the same thing. A few shots is more than enough *lol* Greek food is also lovely.. sounds like your birthday was great! For my birthday I usually just go out to dinner with my family and then party with friends at night =)
@Mirita (2668)
• United States
2 Feb 09
Well, Happy Birthday to you! It really sounds like a fun celebration. I usually go out to dinner and I love to eat cake with ice cream.
• Malaysia
2 Feb 09
usually during my birthday i would take the day off if i'm working. i like to spend my birthday with my loved ones..there's no other finer way. sometimes i also like to go for a vacation on my birthday ..btw, happy belated birthday to you! glad to know that you had a wonderful time!
• Philippines
2 Feb 09
I don't celebrate my birthday,what i always do is just watch my favorite movies and lock myself up in my room--i turn the lights off and my phone as well--i never bother to celebrate it since i don't see any good reason why i should celebrate it anyway when each birthday i have there's always something ahead happening that can definitely make me think why i was even born at the first place
@Carolyn63 (1403)
• United States
2 Feb 09
Each year I try to do something different. One year I had a facial, not the kind with makeup, a deep cleansing. It was very soothing and relaxing. One year I had a hot and cold stone therapy done. Ahhhh, very nice. Last year I had a makeover and had photos done. I was struck with Bell's Palsy a year ago and still have some affects from it. This was the first I felt comfortable having my picture made since. So, after the makeover the hubby and I huddled together for photos which we gave our families for Christmas. I ended up having a great day. Wishing you a wonderful birthday!
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
2 Feb 09
Happy birthday to you! I would sing to you but fortunately for you MyLot has no sound! It looks as though your husband made sure you had a great day. I celebrate my birthday by inviting family over for coffee and cake but after reading about your special day I have decided I might just do something different this year. I have plenty of time to think about it because my birthday is in June!