This weeks Flashback Friday is in honor of Linda's sister's birthday. Why not click here and join in on the fun. Here's the prompt:
What were birthdays like when you were growing up? Were they a big deal or understated? Did you have parties? Get to choose what or where the family ate for dinner? Are there any particular birthday traditions that you remember? Is there any birthday that stands out (good OR bad!), either due to the events surrounding it or due to the particular present(s) you received?
Birthdays were very simple when we were growing up. Mom would bake us a chocolate cake and we'd get a gift. No parties or tons of gifts. But it was still special and I don't ever remember feeling cheated about not having parties. Actually we've always kept it fairly simple for our girls too. They got to have a party when they turned 5, 10 and 15 or 16 if they preferred. They always get to pick where we go out to eat for their birthday and they get gifts from us and a cake. It's worked well for us.
Simple is always best in my book!
ReplyDeleteBlessings
R
Birthdays were small at my house too. You either got choose where you wanted to go out to eat or have mom cook something for you. When I was in my teens I was allowed to have 1 friend stay over.
ReplyDeleteBut then it stunk that my cousins birthday was on the 17th, mine on the 18th and then my uncle on the 19th. So we would get together at my grandmotehrs and have one cake with the entire family. Now that I am older I still feel like every year on my birthday my cousin & uncles names are missing off my cake?????
Whew! Glad to know I'm not the only party-less gal! LOL
ReplyDeleteIt's the sweet family times that are the best. I've always been a bit horrified at the huge productions people make out of their children's birthdays.
Simple worked FINE for us back in the "olden days", didn't it?! My granddaughter went to a party last weekend that had a moon bounce AND a magician! She's five. It's CRAZY!
ReplyDeleteWe all got parties when we turned 5 in my family too! That must have been the BIG one back then!
Ours were simpler too...I'm not sure the craziness that happens alot today is any more fun than simple.
ReplyDeleteI like how you say you never feel cheated. I didn't either but probably because we didn't know any better. These days other kids have soooo much it pressures our kids to want the same things.
ReplyDeleteWe prefer simple as well, although sometimes that doesn't always work! lol
ReplyDeleteBlessings~
Laura
WE SHARE A LOT ...
ReplyDeletefun memories :)
Ours were always fairly simple as well. It doesn't take a great amount of money to make someone feel special.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of a party every 5 years or so. They are allot of work. We do dinner and gifts too!
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with simple.
Sounds like you celebrate birthdays the same way we do.
ReplyDeleteWhen my daughter turned 16, she wanted a fancy meal at a nice restaurant for her...and 15 of her friends, with the bill on us. That's what her friends all got, and why can't she have it too? Lol...
I think simple is better. I wish that we had done birthday's like that. Saves money too. :) We started doing that just recently. They celebrate their Bday with one special friend...instead of a big party.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a nice tradition.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Bethany
I'm amazed as I read these memories at how many similarities we can find with other bloggers, partly the times.
ReplyDeleteChocolate cake always my favorite.
Simple--this week I heard a neat story. A former student just came back from spring break missions trip to DR. When asked what the highlight was, she said her BD. In past years she didn't do much. On her day, in a foreign country, away from family, she prayed for something special. Young shoe-shine boys were begging almost pestering, i.e. very insistent to shine their footwear, no matter what type, even flip-flops! She prayed for an alternate idea so they would not feel totally rejected. It came to her to play games. With limited language skills, she simply tagged one and ran. At first they appeared perplexed, but soon caught on. The group enjoyed an hour of fun. The boys clung to them when it was time to go. Both parties had been blessed. Looking back on it, Tiffany recognized that had been her birthday gift-- one of her favorite activities is playing with kids!