There are presents, cake, making a wish and blowing out candles, maybe even a surprise party. Everyone is excited to celebrate with you, and you enjoy all the fuss. As Buddy The Elf might say, it's like having your very own Christmas! Parties were the best. I remember being out with my Nana & Pop-Pop one night close to my birthday, and when they brought me home, my entire family was there with a cake. And having my entire 4th grade class come to a party at McDonald's. They all had on blue paper McDonald's hats, and kept calling me "manager". I had no idea that my hat was different, but indeed, it was orange, and said manager.
But then you get older, and birthdays take on a different feel. Like turning 25, and you realize, I'm a quarter century old! Then the numbers keep adding up, and it's fun to track your age in Roman Numerals, like the Super Bowl. Instead of 38, I was XXVIII. But when they got to 50, it was just Super Bowl 50, not Super Bowl L. How boring! (except that Peyton Manning made being old look cool). Surrounding yourself with friends, because most of your family is either gone or too far away... laughing at your parents when they send a card that says "We're too young to have a son as old as you!" Not because it's funny, so much as them doing it 2 years in a row.
Then there is Facebook. Isn't Facebook wonderful? Even as little as 10 years ago, I could count on a birthday card from my parents, maybe a few others, but as for anyone else even knowing it was my birthday? Only if I told them. So as I said, Facebook is wonderful. Where else can I get 62 birthday greetings before 11 AM? Yes, today is my birthday. Yes, I qualify for membership in AARP. Yes, we will probably go out to eat, and (insert Buddy The Elf joke) I might be able to say "I'm in a restaurant and they're singing!" No, there will not be a forest fire on top of my cake. We quit doing that about 20 years ago!
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