Birthday Memories

14 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Monday, December 24, 2007 about 6:12 PM PST

After 61 years I have a lot of birthday memories some good, some bad and some neutral. That's the way with birthdays and memories. One of the fondest memories I have isn't of my own birthday, but the birthdays of several of my classmates in grade school. Those students who had birthdays when school was in session were able to celebrate their birthday in class. No on received presents, but the entire class could eat ice cream and cake. We sang Happy Birthday and sometimes, depending on the teacher, played games.

My own birthday falls on the day before Christmas. I had birthday parties, but never on my birthday. I didn't mind that because it was fun celebrating without having to get my birthday present from under the Christmas Tree. Having a birthday party on a day besides Christmas Eve made my birthday special.

On Christmas Eve there was always a birthday cake and candles. My family celebrated my birthday. I opened my birthday presents and each of my three siblings got to open one of their Christmas presents. I never did understand that growing up, but I do now.

The one thing I miss having this year is a birthday cake. I didn't have a birthday cake. I received birthday greeting through e-mail. I had a friend, passed into the next world now, who sent me a birthday card ever year through snail mail. It's strange the things we miss as we get older. I love receiving greeting through e-mail. Still I miss the card that Marge always sent through the postal system.