The ever so exciting, Birthday Bonanza !

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 4^th 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!

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