January 16, 2025 ~ Thursday (mild/going for a walk before all hell breaks loose tomorrow)
Birth days … unless you are E.T. or have been hatched, you have one. The day you were born was your birth day. The anniversary of that date is your birthday.
I’ve known several people born on this date – now all gone … including my mom who was born in 1929 and passed last year just shy of her 95th.
I was thinking in bed last night, just before Mr. Sandman paid me a visit (late as he was) about birthdays and their celebrations and traditions (and why we do/don’t celebrate) in other countries/places? And who started that god awful “Happy Birthday” song? (And so you know … it was Mildred and Patty Smith Hill, sisters, who first published the song in 1893.)
So, with all that in my head … it got me thinking enough to have today’s word be … BIRTHDAY.
And so it goes … your birthday … another 365 days (unless it’s a leap year) under your belt. Another wild ride around the sun. Another day to do something special for yourself (or not) – and enjoy a little extra attention (or not). You do you, it’s YOUR birthday!
When the kids were little we always had dog and cat birthday parties! Such fun we had! Dog bone cakes for the dogs. Fish shaped cakes for the cats. Hats for everyone. I’m sure the animals just LOVED those days!
I was watching Oh God! the other day (w/John Denver and George Burns/circa 1977) … it was so awfully authentic with the shag carpeting and harvest gold colors everywhere – including kitchen appliances, cars, clothing. Dreadful! Anyway, there was good ol’ John – looking so young and peppy. And good ol’ George looking like he was 300 years old already! He lived to be 100 (and 5 weeks). Good for him.
He was in good company. The other centenarians that I was familiar with from my youth included: Bob Hope, Irving Berlin, Grandma Moses, Kirk Douglas, Olivia de Havilland, Queen Elizabeth, Norman Lear, Eva Marie Saint (who is still alive) … and, unbeknownst to me, over two HUNDRED others who are now 100+. The list was so long – I quit counting! Amazing!
And, in case you are wondering … the oldest person alive now is a Brazilian nun … Inah Canabarro Lucas. She looks pretty damn good for being 116 years and 221 days old! There is a very gray area around who the oldest person on record was (and I’m not sure I believe this!) … but there are a few people (two Turks and an Egyptian) who are said to have lived to be OVER 157 years old! WHAT???? That is a lot of birthday cake over the years and enough candles to set off your smoke alarm!
Longevity doesn’t seem to have a common denominator as far as diet or routine though but it sounds like a positive attitude and staying active is vastly helpful.
In any case – if you have a birthday coming up and want to celebrate it in a different way than you usually do (cake/candles) … maybe take one of these traditions and spice things up!
In Brazil – people decorate their homes with banners and brightly colored paper flowers and children eat fruit and vegetable shaped candies.
In Spain – friends will pull your ear, once for every year, and end with a big tug. It makes me wonder if old people in Spain have long ears?!
In China – people slurp long noodles … symbolizing longevity.
In Korea – it is customary to eat seaweed soup for breakfast in honor of your mother.
In Australia – it’s Fairy Bread they eat … bread with butter and sprinkles. Yum!
In Viet Nam – everyone celebrates their birthday on New Year’s Day!
And in the Netherlands, it is polite to entertain friends with sweets and tea or coffee. Friends come for a few hours early in the day and family for a few hours at a later time. They sit in a circle (called circle parties) and you stay seated for the party. Make sure you congratulate the birthday person – as well as all the guests. I have friends from the Netherlands and honestly, it sounds exhausting!
I think I’ll stay with cake and candles! And for what it’s worth … Happy Birthday, Mom.