Birthdays are arguably
the most anticipated days on the year. However, with age people do tend to tag
them as just another day, but that’s mostly pretense J. I can’t imagine anyone not being excited about
his/her birthday, irrespective of the age. When we are kids our parents make it
special by doing everything they can, when we are in college our friends and
girls friends turn the day into an event, after marriage our spouses make us
feel special (at least for the first few years J) on this day by planning some lovely surprises,
though as parenthood arrives the story changes and we get involved in planning the
same for our kids. And thereafter, it gradually becomes just another day J.
But there are many
things about the birthdays that make it the most special day of the year and
whose memories are itched deep in our hearts.
The school times euphoria. By far the best birthday memories that I have are from
my school days. I still remember how we used to plan for our birthdays well in
advance and this used to be that one day where we really felt like the kings
and queens of the world. That used to be that one day where we were allowed to
not wear the uniform and new clothes were bought for the day. The entire class
used to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ for you and then you go on to distribute
chocolates to everyone in the class, (our special friends always getting some
extra candies). Then our best friend was selected to escort us to every
classroom in the school to help us give chocolates to every teacher around. The
evenings were marked with the big ticket party at home which were orchestrated
by mom and dad. Mom being busy in baking cake, icing them with our favorite cream
and topping it with multi-colored gems and Dad taking some time off from the
work to blow up those balloons and decorate the house with the festivity props.
The excitement used to continue till the time all our beloved friends have left
our house and we finally get our hands on those exciting gift wrapped boxes. So
much for an exciting b ’day celebration which can’t be bettered in any which
way J.
The college b’ day bonanza. Having lived in the hostel with scores of amazing
friends, I will always cherish my b ’days in college too. Though, every time it
started with the ritual of a thorough unwarranted massage aka b’ day bums where
dozens of your friends toss you up and down and fulfill their FIFA skills with
full gusto. The day ahead used to be characterized by those special surprises
from your close friends and girlfriends. And the dinner used to be reserved with your chosen set of special
friends whom you can accommodate in your limited budget and treat them well
with a sumptuous meal, about which you can brag for the rest of the year and
also earn the right to taunt the ones who try and evade from doing the same on
their birthdays J. A day, a celebration that can only be met with the
same set of friends in the very same setting J.
The 30+ Drama. Now as we grow older and move towards the more sedate
way of celebrating birthdays, which are marked by cutting a cake at midnight,
followed by an exquisite dinner next day with a select set of friends or
relatives. The key highlight revolves around receiving wishes throughout the
day over the phone or on Facebook. But a common and a hilarious sight happens
when someone turns 30, especially with the gals. They sound so sad and dull by
the very thought of having turned 30 as if till the day before they were not 29
but 21 instead and all the guys were literally swooning over them. And when you
wish them for the day they will invariably go on ranting, ‘ I am not even happy now, I don’t like my b’ days
anymore, and can you believe it, I am 30 now!!!’ For god’s sake someone tell them ‘Sister,
we very well believe it, you please get a life, as not many care whether you
are 30 or 24. Say thank you and tell us where the party is J’.
The gift hesitancy. Kids love being gifted something on their birthdays,
so does every school or college goer. But as we grow old (and unwise), we tend
to shy away from being gifted something on our birthdays. And this happens more
so with our parents, the common plea being please
don’t get anything for us, as we have everything and if we need anything we
will tell you. And that anything never comes. But trust me, be it a kid or
be it our grandparents, howsoever obstinate they may be about not being gifted
anything, look at the smile and the happiness on their faces, even when you
gift them the smallest of things. It’s truly priceless! There is no one
literally no one in this world, (barring those Himalayan saints may be) who
would not feel good about being gifted something. And birthday gifts especially
are the most sought after and cherished gifts of the year. So for those who really want to spread some real happiness in the
world, my birthday falls on 4th of Feb every single year J.
As we age, we tend to
underrate the importance of our birthdays, or at least we pretend to do so in
front of others. May be because we feel not many actually care for our
birthdays now or we have turned too old to celebrate it that the way we used to
once. But deep down, this is one day that everyone waits for the entire year. You
are genuinely happy on this day and you inherently feel special on this day
even if nothing special is planned for the day. But unless you celebrate your own
b’ day with some fervor, even if it calls for proactively throwing a b ‘day
dinner for your close friends, how can you expect someone else to make it
special for you. A birthday should always be celebrated in the same vein as it
was being celebrated when we were kids, if not literally then at least in the
same spirit. Only then it will continue to be a bonanza day every year.
Here’s wishing a very joyous
and a happy birthday to everyone who’s celebrating their b’ days today,
tomorrow and days after!
--
kin…
