posted by Aunty Cindy aka Loucinda McGary
That's what a former boss of mine used to say instead of Happy Birthday. Only within the last few years have I begun to appreciate the
significance.
Yes, today is my birthday, and no, I don't wanna talk about it, particularly my age, which really is older than dirt!
And yes, it truly SUX to have your birthday the week before Christmas. First you have to wait ALL YEAR to get any presents, then they all come at once. Second, your birthday gets lost in the shuffle. Parties never come off because everyone is BUSY with the holidays. The weather is crappy (great rationalization to move to the Southern Hemisphere!). Forget anything that's not Christmas themed. My mother was the only person who NEVER wrapped my birthday present in Christmas paper. Sometimes she had to use the comic section of the newspaper, but NEVER Christmas paper.
Finally, DO NOT get me started on the people who try to pull the old "This is your birthday and Christmas present COMBINED" scam! Of course your old Aunty has the perfect cure for that one. I just smile and say, "Really? This is YOUR birthday and Christmas present COMBINED." And when the person looks shocked and says, "But my birthday is in July!" I simply reply, "Too bad."
In recent years, my favorite way to spend my birthday (besides hiding under
the bed in the fetal position) has been on board a cruise ship. I've done this twice in the past four years and highly recommend it! The wait staff (who are generally young, good-looking men with accents) make a fuss, bring me my own little cake and sing to me. AHHH! Doesn't get much better than that!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all you other December Babies! May you NEVER receive a combined birthday and Christmas present.
That's what a former boss of mine used to say instead of Happy Birthday. Only within the last few years have I begun to appreciate the
significance.Yes, today is my birthday, and no, I don't wanna talk about it, particularly my age, which really is older than dirt!
And yes, it truly SUX to have your birthday the week before Christmas. First you have to wait ALL YEAR to get any presents, then they all come at once. Second, your birthday gets lost in the shuffle. Parties never come off because everyone is BUSY with the holidays. The weather is crappy (great rationalization to move to the Southern Hemisphere!). Forget anything that's not Christmas themed. My mother was the only person who NEVER wrapped my birthday present in Christmas paper. Sometimes she had to use the comic section of the newspaper, but NEVER Christmas paper.
Finally, DO NOT get me started on the people who try to pull the old "This is your birthday and Christmas present COMBINED" scam! Of course your old Aunty has the perfect cure for that one. I just smile and say, "Really? This is YOUR birthday and Christmas present COMBINED." And when the person looks shocked and says, "But my birthday is in July!" I simply reply, "Too bad."
In recent years, my favorite way to spend my birthday (besides hiding under
the bed in the fetal position) has been on board a cruise ship. I've done this twice in the past four years and highly recommend it! The wait staff (who are generally young, good-looking men with accents) make a fuss, bring me my own little cake and sing to me. AHHH! Doesn't get much better than that!HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all you other December Babies! May you NEVER receive a combined birthday and Christmas present.
You know, Aunt Cindy, I have several friends whose birthdays collide with Christmas, and two whose natal day coincides with Thanksgiving with depressing regularity.
ReplyDeleteAll of you agree a holiday birthday has few upsides.
Celebrating with a cruise sounds like as excellant antidote.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUNTY CINDY!
ReplyDeleteA cruise sounds fabulous...hope you're doing something special this year too. Here's to many more years above ground, being waited on by hot foreigners!
*clinks glass*
Happy Birthday, Cindy! Today is my daughter Anna's birthday too. She's 13. I've never given her a combination gift, and I've never wrapped her present in Christmas paper which is probably why she's never complained about having a Christmas birthday. Heck, the only reason she wasn't born on Christmas day was because my OBGYN was going on vacation and I relished the idea of a pregnancy that lasted less than 10 months.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day!
Robin:)
Happy Birthday Cindy. So sorry yours is so close to Christmas. You should do like the Queen, have an official birthday in June! That's what my husband always says about his, 'cause he's December too.
ReplyDeleteHappy HAPPY Birthday to Cindy and to Robin's Anna. I can picture you giving the "combined" gift with the "too bad" comment. LOL! Hope you have a wonderful day with lots of good fun!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, AC!
ReplyDeleteMy BD is the 28th. I hear you loud and clear!!!!
Hot foreigners,huh? Sounds FAB!!!
Happy Birthday, Cindy! My cousin's birthday is ON Christmas--she hates it. She always tells me, if she gets one more Christmas themed birthday present she's going to go crazy! I suppose I shouldn't send her the ornament I bought her ;)
ReplyDeleteHave a FABULOUS day!
Happy Birthday, Cindy! One of my coworkers was born on Christmas day and since we're all there today, and she wouldn't tell us what day her birthday was, BUT celebrates all of ours, we're making it a big surprise today. But I love your way of celebrating your birthday! Sounds great!
ReplyDeleteHappy, HAPPY birthday Cindy dear! I do hope you are sunning it up in some tropical locale. Sounds delightful - the gorgeous foreign guys an added bonus.
ReplyDeleteMy son was born two days after Thanksgiving, so his birthday always follows around that time, depending on how the third Thursday falls. Parties were tough when he was young as so many of his friends would be gone. The upside is that he would get the family celebration on his real birthday and then another kid party the weekend before or after! Being born on or near Christmas would really suck. Sorry!
Thanx for the birthday wishes everyone. And VERY BIG THANX for not mentioning my age!
ReplyDeleteI WISH I were on a cruise right now, considering it is 37 degrees outside. I know, I know, you mid-westerners and even some East Coasters think that sounds warm. Trust me, for this part of NorCal it is COLD!
AC
Robin,
ReplyDeleteHAPPY HAPPY Bday to your Anna! You sound like my mom, doing a great job of making sure her birthday remains a birthday. WTG!
My youngest niece was born on my birthday, so we are bday twins! :-) When the doc said she was due on Christmas Eve, I told my brother and SIL, "Nope, it will be MY birthday and another girl!" (They already had 3 daughters) And I was RIGHT!
Six days later, my nephew (baby bro's oldest) was born on Boxing Day, so we have a cluster of Christmas birthdays.
Michele,
ReplyDeleteYour DH is onto something with the "official" birthday in June. I tried to do that, but only ONE of my friends/family ever cooperated. :-(
Cheryl,
The 28th isn't much better than the 18th, is it? I say we hie ourselves down to LA and hop aboard the first cruise liner with an available cabin. This time of year they are ALL going to a nice warm locale, and we can have those lovely waiters catering to us right away!
AC
Thanx Marie!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I really have made that exact comment... MORE THAN ONCE! However, I've never had to make it more than once to the same person. :-P
My condolences to your cousin, Danielle, and no, I think you better save that ornament for yourself. I'm just sayin.....
AC
Terry,
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice thing to do for your co-worker. I think I've had ONE surprise party in my life. I hope yours comes off without a hitch (or a blabby sister who spoils the surprise)! LOL!
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteI WISH I were sunning it up, but ye olde travel budget is shot after the trip to Turkey. :-(
Your son's T.giving bday sounds almost as bad as mine. Actually, having bday parties for kids during any of the winter months can be a challenge. The rest of us (born Nov. Dec. and Feb.) were jealous of my brother born in August. He had THE BEST birthday parties... outside, in the water, watermelon for dessert...
Yet another reason to move DownUnder!
AC
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Aunty Cindy I do hope you have a wonderful day. My DIL's birthday is Christmas Eve and I always make sure I give her a lovely birhday card and seperate gift my birthday is in April so I don't have this problem and now I have 2 grandsons who have birthdays in Dec 13th and 16th and I will always make sure they have wonderful birthdays.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day
Have Fun
Helen
Thanx a BUNCh, Helen!
ReplyDeleteWhat a special holiday season this year is for you! I know Corey and Jake will NEVER receive birthday presents wrapped in Christmas paper from Nana. ;-)
AC
Happy birthday! My friend's bday is the 23rd, and I admit, I use Christmas wrapping! I'll stop that. But I always give her separate gifts.
ReplyDelete3 of my students have Dec. bdays and their moms said they couldn't find regular bday cupcakes! Sad.
Huge happy belated birthday wishes, AC! I'm a December birthday, too, and wish I'd thought of returning the combined gift favor years ago! ;) (Yep, still bitter ;))
ReplyDeleteHope you had a lovely day, with some special celebrating all your own!
Thanx for popping in Mary and Fedora!
ReplyDeleteI had a lovely evening going out to dinner with 3 friends and then going to a musical called "Forever Plaid," lots of fun with great old music from Sam Cooke and the Beatles to Tennessee Ernie Ford and Perry Como.
Happy Holidays to all!
AC
Happy Birthday my birthday is also on the 18th. I have been lucky in that my family and friends never combine my presents.
ReplyDelete