AS far as I can recall, I was already eight or nine when I had a real birthday celebration.
It was because I saw a couple of photos and I was dressed “nicely”, blowing candles on a cake I shared with my younger brother, Sonnie, who was also born in the same month I was born. Guess it is because I don’t remember having one prior to it or it was totally a very simple “family affair”, meaning we just had dinner in a restaurant or something to that effect. Or maybe because I don’t see any old photos of me blowing candles in a cake that would prove that I had one. Or maybe I never had one!
One way or the other, having birthdays parties or not doesn’t make one a better person. I guess it is from within that makes a person what he or she is. All I can remember is that we (my parents and some of my siblings) would attend mass and light a candle on my special day (and theirs, too). What I can’t remember is what happens afterwards. Did we go out to eat to celebrate my birthday? Or did I have ice cream (that was really a BIG treat before!)? Or did I receive a toy? Or money in a red envelope? Whatever it is, I just can’t seem to have any idea at all! Poor me!
Having a cake and ice cream was already considered grandiose for a child and I am sure this hold true to the many young kids of today. Having a great party complete with mascots, fun and games is truly exceptional. But I never have those and I don’t think I ever will. Well, except if I intend to have a “kiddie” team party when I turn a year older next year and would also request all my guests to come in their most ridiculous kiddie get-ups!
Before, having a roasted pig in a party is considered “wow”. But nowadays, it seems to be very ordinary. Somehow, we still look forward to it but it has somewhat lost its extraordinary “touch”! Most of the food items then during the party would consist of big noodles (for long life) or spaghetti, macaroni salad, fried chicken, bar-b-que, “humba” or “adobo”, rice and some desserts like fruit salad, jelly roll, ice cream and of course, the wonderful birthday cake! Nothing fancy. All home cooked. And also, upon waking up, my mom would already be very busy in the kitchen preparing “misua” with meatballs and hardboiled eggs which we still do until today. Don’t ask me why, but I do remember we have been doing this since my grandparent’s time!
As we grow older, my late sister, Gloria would prepare foods for everyone’s birthday in the family. And that is where I come in, helping her out in the chores. It is just so natural and easy for her to prepare a “lauriat” meal with several desserts. Sometimes it is all Pinoy foods, sometime it is Italian, sometimes, just plain grilled sea foods. It seems that there is always a celebration every month and we always look forward to Gloria’s gourmet dishes! Something new and of course, always mouth-watering!
I also got the privilege to bake and decorate one-of-a-kind birthday cakes for my nephews and nieces then, who are mostly married now and have kids of their own. My sister Gloria and me used to do a lot for their parties like preparing all sorts of “kiddie” foods, games & giveaways since party organizers were unheard of before.
The only time my children had a “big” party was when they turned one. The cake was always bigger than the celebrants, of course! But as they aged, the cake gets smaller. How ironic! After that, the party became a “close” family affair. Blame it on the economy!
Two of the most memorable birthday celebrations I had were the ones I celebrated together with my passing the local nursing board exams 30 years ago. I had friends and classmates and of course, family members in attendance. We had so much fun. That marked a milestone in my colourful life, finally as a registered nurse. The second one was when I passed my New York nursing licensure board examinations which coincided also with my birthday. Since I was staying in the nurse residence of Bronx Municipal Hospital Center in New York, all of my co-nurses were around to help me in the preparations.
http://www.goldstardailynews.com/content.php?sectionid=4&id=6517
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