This Saturday is my birthday! Even though I don’t get excited like I did as a kid, there is still something special about celebrating birthdays. Hopefully, I will never get too old to thank God for another revolution around the sun. ~smile~
Birthdays have a way of making us feel an exceptional level of appreciation and compassion towards the birthday boy or girl.
On my sixth birthday, I cut my hair with my grandma’s hedge clippers. It was a mistake that would haunt my hair for the next twenty-four years – yes, years. That night, I fearfully faced my mother. She did not even notice my new hairdo at first because she was so excited about me opening my gifts. But, at my Dad’s prompting, I told her what I had done. Then I exclaimed, “You can’t spank me! It’s my birthday!” And I was not spanked – I was saved by the birthday!
Extra Special Treatment
Don’t you feel the need to treat people with extra special care on their birthdays? When Eric has a birthday, I want him to feel like a king. It is not a day of the year I would expect him to take out the trash, wash the car, or run errands after work. It is as if he can do no wrong on his birthday – mostly. ~smile~
If your family didn’t make a big deal out of birthdays, I would challenge you to change that custom in your future family. Celebrating birthdays is like celebrating God’s creation. Make it a day of worship (of God, not the person ~smile~), fun, and rejoicing. And, go out of your way to make your sweetie and kids feel incredibly loved on their birthdays.
Connecting on Your Sweetie’s Birthday
If you are not much of a planner, I would recommend getting someone to help you plan something heartfelt and sweet for your honey’s next birthday. If you have been dating a while, you probably know your sweetie better than most; so, customize his or her birthday treatment to fit his or her personality. Don’t plan a giant surprise party for 6pm on a work night if your sweetheart is a low key, “keeps to herself” kind of gal. And don’t plan a scenic hike for your man if he is a “mosquito repellant to take out the trash” kind of guy. Your honey may not have high expectations for his or her birthday celebration, but most people appreciate having something tailored just for them.
For one of my twenty-something birthdays, my friends and Eric got together and threw me a Gilmore Girls birthday party. Pizza, ice-cream, random candy, and everyone dressed the part. One friend was Sookie and another played Rory. Eric strategically picked out my outfit to fit Lorelai, and Eric was Luke (and he transformed right behind me as we entered the apartment so even that was a surprise!). ~grin~ It was a fun afternoon and I felt so special! The party took some effort, though not a crazy amount, and I will fondly remember it throughout the years.
What special treat can you plan for your sweetie’s birthday this year – something he or she will remember for years to come?
Connecting on Your Birthday
A few years ago, my brother-in-law paid for our meal on his birthday. It felt so wrong, but it was sweet and impactful. Our birthdays don’t only have to be a time to receive. We can also make a point of giving more on our birthdays as a way of celebrating all God has given to us!
So why not put a twist on your next birthday. Plan something special for your honey on your birthday. Maybe you could leave them a note or card that says, “You treat me like a king every day, and having you in my life makes my birthdays extra special. So, I wanted to (fill in the blank here) to show you how much you mean to me.” Don’t overdo it since you don’t want to downplay anything he or she has planned for you. ~smile~ Which are you more likely to remember? Receiving something sweet on your birthday when you are expecting it, or on your sweetie’s birthday when you are least expecting it?
Try it and see what happens. ~smile~
Since I enjoy celebrating, I consider birthdays to be great excuses to have a lot of fun with loved ones. How do you celebrate birthdays? How does your sweetie celebrate them? Talk about it and see what birthday customs you have in common and which ones you can blend into your future festivities!
Happy early or belated birthday to you all!
How did you and your sweetie connect on your last birthday? How do you plan to connect on future birthdays?