How did/do you celebrate your birthday growing up/now?

[Hisgirl]

My birthday is coming up this week and I was just thinking how different adult birthdays are. My parents are too old to take me out to lunch anymore, most all of my friends have moved out of state so no lunches out, but best of all, my kids will take me to dinner.

I'm VERY happy to go to dinner with my kids. I don't get to see them much anymore so it's a gift in itself!

Growing up, it was a day of celebration! Each person got to have a homemade poundcake with pale pink seven minute icing made by my grandmama! And of course no one can reproduce that icing!

We would have supper made of all your favorite foods and open gifts after dinner. Nothing too fancy, maybe flowery sheets, or a new jacket but wrapped pretty and also something you needed.

I used to love to celebrate my kids! Wake them up to a special breakfast, a card, gifts, maybe even a balloon or two.


So how are birthdays celebrated in your house?

 

[DisneyHardin]

Birthdays are a big deal in our family. When I was a kid, I always had a birthday party - my mom preferred these parties to NOT be at our house, so they were usually at the Skating Rink, Mr. Gattis, etc.

Now that I am an adult, my Dad and stepmom have a birthday dinner for each person with a big dinner of their favorite foods, cake, gifts, etc. My sister got married about a month ago and we did her new husband's birthday dinner Saturday night. He couldn't believe that we did all that for him because in his family once you are an adult you get a "Happy Birthday" phone call, but that's it. His parents and siblings don't do gifts for birthdays, so he was surprised that he had a stack of gifts Saturday.

 

[design_mom]

Kid's birthdays around here are usually celebrated by either dinner of their choice at home, or a restaurant of their choice (within reason) on their actual birthday. Then, we have the family over (grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins) for pizza and cake on the closest weekend. That's when we do gifts. (One year, my daughter's birthday fell on the weekend so we did her "party" on her actual birthday. I thought it was neat because we got to celebrate with everyone on her actual birthday. She cried because she felt like she got cheated out of being celebrated twice. Who knew!)

For adult birthdays, my mom still makes me my favorite dinner (her spaghetti and meatballs) and my favorite dessert (ice cream pie.) She's 76. I'll miss it when she's not able to do that anymore.

My parents spend their winters in Florida and aren't usually home for their February birthdays, but my sister and I make an effort to make over them from a distance. For my inlaws' birthdays, we usually try to get together for a family dinner (usually ordering something in at their house) then either SIL or I will make a cake. ANd we'll do presents, of course.

Edited to add: When I was a kid, birthdays usually included a favorite dinner and cake. From there, it depended on the kid. My birthday was in the summer and we were often on vacation for my birthday so "vacation" was my fun thing. If we were home, I usually chose a family activity (like going to the amusement park or mini golfing, etc.) My sister's birthday is in November. She usually chose to have friends over for a sleepover.

 

[Klayfish]

When I was growing up, did a lot of traditional "kid" b-day stuff. Had a party, usually at home, that weekend. My parents would make me a "birthday dinner" which was whatever I wanted.

Now, as an adult, we honestly don't celebrate my b-day at all. I don't want to, and pretty much insist we don't. DW b-day was last week and we didn't do a lot. Sang happy b-day to her and got a cake. I bought some small presents for the kids to give to her.

For our kids, at ages 14, 11, 11 they don't care much anymore either. Yes, of course, we still get them presents and sing to them...but we don't do parties or anything. They're really not that interested in it.

Basically, b-days in our family aren't that big of a deal.

 

[MamaLema]

Birthday parties are no big deal in our family. Growing up both my and DH’s families never had birthday parties for us.
My mom is a health nut so once a year she would take me to McDonalds even though it killed her inside and she didn’t order for herself.

We have 3 teens and I bake them a cake made from scratch and give them money to pay for a group of their friends to go the movies, go karting, etc

 

[Meriweather]

As a kid, parties for awhile......home, restaurants, bowling alley, skate rink, etc.

Now, the family gets together on all family birthdays, there are the 7 of us, and birthday person picks the restaurant, the kind of cake they want. Eat, open presents at someone's house and then cake.

 

[aprilchem]

We're pretty low-key for birthdays at our house. We do have a cake for our kids (ages 9, 11, 12) but we've never really done presents for them unless they really want something (which is not too frequent). We allow them to choose something that they'd like to do in honor of their birthday, and for the last three years they've all three chosen to go out to eat at a fancy restaurant. My oldest son will turn 13 at the end of this month, and he's asked to go to the Melting Pot. My middle son will turn 12 in April, and he's asked to go to brunch at this restaurant near our city that you have to book 6 months in advance, so I've got on the calendar to book it. I'm thankful that they choose to do these types of things, because I really like them too.

DH and I don't do much on our birthdays; maybe a cake at the end of dinner that day.

 

[ronandannette]

When I was elementary school aged my DMom always threw a traditional party with balloons, party games, loot bags and a special cake. She invited practically everybody my age and they all came home with me on the school bus. That ended when I was 12, I think, because I was a rude, snarky hormonal adolescent and pitched a fit at the idea of "pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey" once I got to jr. high. (Sorry Mom - you were the best ).

Nowadays, 40 years later, there's no set way to celebrate. Sometimes we host a party at our house, sometimes DH plans a small group at a restaurant, some years we've travelled, sometimes friends surprise me. The day generally doesn't go unnoticed but one thing DH and I don't do is exchange birthday gifts. Not sure why, we just don't.

 

[mombrontrent]

Adult birthdays are no big deal in our family. We send cards and make phone calls. We don’t exchange gifts, me and my dh don’t really celebrate beyond going out for dinner with our family and that’s it.

For the kids when they were younger they had a birthday party with friends either at home or some fun place and we bought them a couple small gifts. Now that they are older (19,16 and 12) we go out to dinner to a place of their choosing and buy them one bigger gift. Examples have been concert tickets, gift cards, a new phone or laptop ect. If they needed it.

 

[Princessclab]

Birthdays are no big deal until a person stops having one.
IMHO each one is to be celebrated. I know of people who stopped having birthdays quite young.
Even a small 'celebration' honors your life and one is lucky to have each birthday.
We always do something whether it be a dinner, a trip or something else.

Happy birthday all!

 

[Floridaman999]

I just wish they'd stop coming so fast the older I get.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

When I was a kid, I would usually have a birthday party with my friends (sleepovers once we were old enough) The general rule of thumb was I could invite as many friends as my age. Which was very clever of my mother, because I typically only had about 6-10 girls in my small catholic school class, so it all worked out that everyone was invited.

On the occasional year when she would remember, we would have a family birthday party, but my mother was/is famous for combining events and since my birthday is near Memorial Day, she would usually just bring a cake to the Memorial Day picnic and they would sing happy birthday to me. No gifts, though.

Now, I share a birthday with my MIL, so I do everything I can every year to stay low and hide so nobody remembers it. MIL calls in the morning and we go through the entire "Happy Birthday", then I say "Same to you!", then we laugh, and she says something to the effect of how lucky DH is to only have to remember one birthday for both his mom and his wife, I laugh again, we tell each other to have a good day, and I hang up. For the Past.28.Birthdays.

 

[bjscheel]

Today is my birthday! I am planning on picking up DD17 from school at lunch (she has 3 hours of online in the middle of the day so she's not missing anything) and we'll go out because she'll have musical practice this evening. I have invited my parents and waiting to see what they respond to my email. I hope they come because Dad hasn't been out of the house in 2 weeks and Mom needs more activity. IDK if DH will suggest going out tonight, it seems we've eaten out a lot lately so I don't care if we do. DD20's birthday is 2 days before mine, so my birthday has been a little overshadowed the last two decades

When I was a little kid the main thing I remember is celebrating at my grandparents. My grandma would make an angel food cake and put little plastic toys on top to decorate. I would get presents from them, my parents, and my aunt.

 

[KPeterso]

As a kid, my Mom did a party for me each year. And then either she made me a favorite meal or we went out just my parents and I (and Grandma too before she passed).

As an adult, it is basically still a dinner at home with my parents. And then we go out with the "extended" family to a restaurant of my choosing (always Benihana). So that my parents do not spend too much, I tell them who I want invited each year instead of all 20+ that might otherwise come. We usually end up around 10-12 people now and they are those I am closest too.

 

[Kae]

I had a bonfire with friends for mine last weekend. Some Expresso Martini's, My friend made me her famous Banana Cake. Great weekend.

Kae

 

[dotfurio]

As a kid my mom made a cake and a bunch of kids came to my house to play and eat cake.

As an adult we go out for a family dinner and have a dessert at home- ice cream, or cupcakes, or pie. My friends and I usually get together for lunch on a weekend near whoever’s birthday it is.

 

[SC Minnie]

My brother's birthday is exactly a week before mine. We only had a few birthday parties, most of the time it was spent with family. We would have a cake- almost always home made. I have many birthday pictures blowing out candles with mine on one half and his on the other. We had to share birthday cakes.

As an adult, I married someone who has the same birthday as me so I still have to share a birthday cake (if we get one). One year after DH and I got married by Mom put all 3 of us on the same cake. Typically now for our birthdays we'll plan a trip (we usually go to F&W at EPCOT since it's in Oct). This year we're going to Hawaii-- 5-0 for my big 5-0.

 

[Squirlz]

As a kid we would get a special meal and a cake for our birthday. My cake was spice cake with caramel frosting. We would get presents after dinner and cake. As an adult I would typically go to dinner with someone, and now for the 10 years since I have been with my Wife we usually travel for birthdays. Since we are only 3 weeks apart we can't do two big trips, so we'll do maybe Chicago for me and Key West for my Wife.

This year we did Key West for me last month because it was a special birthday. Had a trip to Mackinac Island planned for her next week, but she bought an authentic Atocha coin in Key West, so that's her present this year!

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Now at my house we get cake on our birthdays-last year I was 50, so I also got money to use at the casino on my birthday from everyone in the house. As a kid, our birthdays were always celebrated on the closest weekend to the day at home where we'd have a party. My Mom baked the cake and we'd have pretzels and potato chips and Dixie cups of half-chocolate and half vanilla ice cream. We were also allowed soda on that day and I really remember pouring a bit of soda on the Dixie cup...so yummy!

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I celebrated my birthday the same way for the first 33 years of my life. My cousin and I were raised in the same house, he and I are like siblings. also, our birthdays are only days apart so we shared a family birthday party every year with potluck food and 2 birthday cakes, until he moved away a few years ago. My first solo party was rough--I was so sad! We've now celebrated 4 birthdays separately and I guess I'm getting used to it now because this last birthday wasn't so depressing and lonely.

My family loves to do big get-togethers for every little thing and it can be overwhelming at times, so with my kids I tried to start traditions that focused on us as a smaller family unit. So within our own immediate family, we celebrate with a special dinner and dessert on the actual day of birth. Attendance is mandatory and everyone has to try their best to make it the best day ever for the honoree. Birthday person gets to choose the entire menu and I cook whatever they request--one year my son wanted a Death Star cake which I baked in bowls and decorated and he already told me that this year he wants me to make Ratatouille like Remy makes it in the movie. It's not always home-cooked meals and desserts, sometimes it's takeout and store-bought cake, whatever the birthday person wants.