I have no sympathy for people who get their feelings hurt because someone forgot their birthday. It's YOUR birthday; take charge! This being said, please forgive me for being lacks in the annual 12 days of Catherine campaign.
I loved birthdays growing up, I don't care who was having one in our family. If it was mom's birthday you can almost bet Tom and I would fix her breakfast in bed. She was always so awesome about eating it.....blah! Once I saved Big Bonus stamps and bought her a new set of drinking glasses for the house.
Bill, Glory and David would sometimes drive down from Houston for birthdays and or special events. I enjoyed these times so much because even though they were grown and living in the big city, when they came to visit their presence always made our house feel more like home.
My birthday is November 12 (it's been that day my whole life). I noticed very early that the build up and anticipation of a birthday always last longer than the actual day itself. It can be anticlimactic. A day is too short to celebrate me or anyone else for that matter. And frankly, if you celebrate your birthday on just one day, when it’s over, it’s OVER: no more presents, no more cake, and worse of all, no more attention.
So to everyone I say, give yourself a week (minimum). You’ll have to grab the birthday bull by the horns. For example, when I taught I introduced the 12 day to my students on November 1st. For 12 day I had on the chalkboard gift they could buy me at the local grocery story: toilet paper, cotton balls, Q-tips or maybe a Brita filters, etc. Every year they came through like champs. Exploitative? Yes, but I am shameless. My campaign was so effective that once I ran into an ex-student at a local coffee shop and after our initial "how ya doing?" she looked up in the air like she was counting then she smiled and said, "Happy 5th day of Hanna." OMG that was awesome.
So drag it out, you’ll be doing your friends a service because one day is easy to miss, but celebrating for more than one day gives everyone a chance to be involved at a time that is more convenient for them.
Finally, another good reason to drag out your birthday is when it's over, you’re SATISFIED.
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3 comments:
Blatant Birthday Prostitution!!
Actually it's more along the lines of carpe diem, or in my case carpe 12 diem.
So, blatant yes. And why? Because "tomorrow we may die".
I am all about birthday weeks. Or months. Or unbirthdays. :) Do you celebreate the joyous occasions of your UNbirthday? They're fabulous, I tell you!!! And, much like you, I am a present ho...and shameless.
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