Author: Jenn Goddu

Jenn Goddu http://www.birthdayarebest.com I am a writer, editor, and writing coach who also blogs about birthdays!

Furry Friend Birthdays No Folly

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Do you fete your dog or cat for their birthday? The pet friendly industry is booming (Americans spent $58 Billion on their pets in 2014), so I was wondering if and how you mark the passing of a birthday for your beloved furry friend.

birthday dog

Photo credit: SimonWhitaker / Foter / CC BY-NC

My parents used to give their dog a pound of raw ground beef that I would decorate with doggie bones. My own dog would love the cake pictured here:

canine cake

Photo credit: TheGiantVermin / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

I tend instead to give her an extra rawhide that day and maybe a squeaky toy with seventeen squeakers to try and excavate from the poor stuffed animal by day’s end.

Feline fun

Photo credit: jfiess / Foter / CC BY

Cats strike me as harder to encourage to embrace any festivities. But this plate would likely help!

Birthday feline

Photo credit: Finn Frode (DK) / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

These birthday treats are not as tasty as ours, but we can still let our furry friends feel the love, right?

Let me know how you celebrate a pet’s birthday. I can’t even think what an iguana owner would do. Does a hamster get an extra special exercise wheel? Do goldfish get extra food? Or do you think marking an animal’s birthday is a crazy idea? Tell me why.

Fabulous Fall Birthdays

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Earlier this month a UK columnist chimed in with “11 reasons October birthdays are the best.”

She had some I agree with:

  1. “Everyone can celebrate with you.” You’re in school with your friends. Weddings that conflict aren’t as common. The holidays haven’t made budgets tight.
  2. “You will look fabulous. Everyone knows that the autumn wardrobe is the best wardrobe.” I always wondered if I thought this way just because it was my birthday season…but at least I’m not alone.
  3. She’s also keen on the connection to Halloween for the chance to wear costumes. I’ll agree that is great for kiddos.

Then her no. 11 is “beautiful scenery for a beautiful birthday.” Have to agree there. It’s a lovely time of year to get away and see some fall foliage. Check out this Budget Travel slideshow of beautiful fall colors if you don’t agree.

October Awesome Birthday

Photo credit: Puzzler4879 / Foter / CC BY-NC

Now, I’m not sold on the rest of her points. Sharing a birthday with Simon Cowell and other stars, the “beautiful birthstone,” and several UK-specific reasons don’t really “wow” me. Nevertheless, I’d add:

  • A fall birthday means you can comfortably enjoy a fire outside. I’ve enjoyed Smores at the family fire pit on weeknight birthdays.
  • Candy. There’s a lot of candy around with Halloween on tap for the end of the month.
  • It’s cool enough for a hot chai or a hot chocolate outside in the fresh air without feeling as if you are going to sweat off 16 pounds (although that may not be the worst thing if you’ve indulged too much already in the aforementioned candy).

Obviously I’m biased to October birthdays. What are the reasons your birthday month is the best?

No birthday is stupid

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Really, I’m not trying to pick on scarymommy.com bloggers, but they recently posted another birthday-themed blog, saying half birthdays are stupid.

Half Birthday banner

Photo credit: shinyai / Foter / CC BY-NC

One of my best friends from college had an Aug 14 birthday and her mom also celebrated her half birthday. Decades later I’m still sending her half birthday cards because half birthdays are one more opportunity to celebrate and share the love. (All friends now feeling slighted that they’ve never received a half birthday card, please private message me and I will try to remedy this wrong).

Half birthday festivities are an overall good idea for people who celebrate summer birthdays. Such as my son’s awesome teacher assistant. All the kids love her, so they’re excited to make cards for her at her half birthday during the school year since they won’t see her on her actual birthday. How is this stupid?

When my son was six months my husband I hosted a half birthday super salad party for friends at our house. Would I have gone to the trouble of hosting a party if I wasn’t a crazy birthday freak? Likely no. But we all had fun, and I have a happy memory of that party. No one had to come, and we were adamant against gifts. So, what’s stupid about that?

It’s challenging enough to find opportunities to come together and celebrate and be happy. Do we need to label someone’s event as stupid? Maybe a 3/4 ounce weight gain party for a cockatoo would seem extreme. Yet if your friend wants to celebrate, and you love them, isn’t this reason enough to make an effort to be there for them? Tell me below what you think!

Birthdays are for sharing the love

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A loyal reader recently asked me to weigh in on an article she’d seen about refusing to have a birthday for a one-year-old. Surprisingly, I actually agree with many of the points Jennifer Canavan makes on scarymommy.com (paraphrased with some of my own editorializing below):

  • The baby is not old enough to remember
  • Pinterest has made party hosting a nightmare for the not-so-crafty Mom
  • It’s exhausting to host a party and do thank you’s when you feel lucky enough to shower.

This reminded me of my son’s Charlie Brown first birthday party. It was only a play date, really, but I was disappointed when no one was actually able to join us (illness and hospital visits intervened). So, I took the monkey cupcakes I’d made to daycare the next day and felt better about him celebrating with his buddies there.

Certainly, if a parent doesn’t have the time, energy, or money to fete a first year birthday, they shouldn’t feel guilty. The main thing is that a birthday is a day to celebrate our loved ones and share that love. So, party or not, as long as the birthdayee (yep, that’s a new word for you to use #tweetit) feels the love — again, at any age — the party is just icing on the cake. Or, borrowing another suggestion from the same loyal, lovely reader, extra yum of another sweet treat for those (weird) kids who don’t like cake.

Birthday alone

Photo credit: / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Bonne fête to me and my blog!

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Birthday Blog

Photo credit: GotCredit / Foter / CC BY

Yes, it is a year since I launched this blog…which completely and uncoincidentally I started on my own birthday. Yes, I too am another year older, but you’ll have to go back to the first blog and do the math to know how old I am today.

Since this is my birthday blog, I can write whatever I want to. Because you can tell that I’ve been feeling inhibited other days!

First, thank you to all those who have followed this blog. It is terribly rewarding to see other people share my interest in this special day.

OK, followers, I thanked you. Can you comment more in the coming year? I’m often asking questions and inviting you to share your experience but it’s like my virtual hand is up there for a high five and you’re leaving me hanging. Not cool.

Second, follow me on twitter too. You’ll get scrumptious recipe ideas #yummybday and keep up with famous folks who share your birthday via #bdaywishes. Intrigued? There’s a link letting you connect to me on twitter just over here <—.

Still, the best birthday present you could give me is responding and offering feedback, so I can make this blog better. Here’s a few possible questions you might answer for me since I’m being such a birthday diva and making demands:

  • What’s something you have always wondered about birthdays?
  • What’s the worst or best birthday present you have received or given?
  • What is the best or worst thing about birthdays in your mind?
  • What year was your favorite birthday age (and why)?
  • What else do you want me to write or do to make this a better blog (other than dancing or playing volleyball — I am not talented at either).

Answer one of these questions. Answer all of them. Write something else in the comment box below. It’s my birthday request of you.

What the survey says about birthdays!

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Ok, growing up one of my favorite shows to watch when my parents left me unattended was Family Feud. Yep, I have just admitted that publicly for the world to see.

Birthday Fun Fact

Photo credit: jacorbett70 / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Now, as an adult, I still love to learn what a good “survey says.” So imagine my delight to discover that someone did a survey to discover what would be the happiest day to have a birthday!

Turns out that in the UK it’s June 20. The Mirror tells us this is because it is the day with the most daylight.

Apparently, of the 2,000 people surveyed, those who had birthdays in June were the happiest with the month of their celebrations. While August celebrants came in a close second in terms of satisfaction with their birthday month.

November birthday celebrants were least likely to be content with their lot. The Mirror further reported: “The bleakest day for a November birthday was revealed as the 10th, with the highest number of people (54 per cent) of respondents claiming that they weren’t happy with the day.”

To me these results go against all common wisdom about birthdays! Those who have summer birthdays never got to celebrate in school and have to deal with friends and family summer vacations when trying to set up a party.

Or what about the difficulties suffered by the December and January babies who have to compete with holidays and the malaise that follows the crush of December gift-giving and fetes?

I’m going to argue these results are skewed due to a small sample size, being offered only to Britons, and somehow influenced by the survey sponsor being Mars Bar Cakes. In the meantime, I will continue with my wholehearted belief that October 6 remains the very best day for a birthday. Come on fellow Libra — who is with me?

Brilliant Birthday Cakes

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I’ve written recently about birthday disasters and birthday generosity. But who doesn’t love a good piece of cake?

Birthday cake

Photo credit: Smithsonian’s National Zoo / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Today I want to celebrate the birthday as a day to get creative with cakes. Herewith a gallery of fun birthday cakes I found doing a simple search on the fantabulously useful Foter.com:

The Ghostbusters sheet cake:

Birthday cake

Photo credit: poppet with a camera / Foter / CC BY

Or the Super Mario cake (I tried this birthday theme when my son turned five and am NOT sharing my efforts although they were certainly creative…hey, at least it tasted good).

Birthday cake

Photo credit: Fays cakes / Foter / CC BY-ND

Or this Lego one (which looks like even I could make it with some sheet pans and cupcakes):

Birthday cake

Photo credit: fd / Foter / CC BY-NC

Or this one Angry Birds-themed delicacy:

Birthday cake

Photo credit: Wicked Little Cake Company / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Or this delicate looking one:

Birthday cake

Photo credit: distopiandreamgirl / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Or this cake presumably tailored to a photographer in the family:

Birthday cake

Photo credit: ayos lang / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

I truly admire the originality people put on display when they want to serve up something special to friends and family. It’s one more reason that birthdays are so beautiful!

Birthday cake

Photo credit: Jamie Anderson / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Please share your great designs below. I’d love to see them!

Birthday Kindness — Pass It On.

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Regular readers of this blog will already know how much I love reporting on people using their birthdays to be generous and share love. #bdaygenerosity is a great thing to see whether it is someone hosting a birthday donation drive for a local food bank or animal shelter or an organization making sure that underprivileged or hospitalized children get to celebrate their special day.

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So, allow me to share another thoughtful act done by a father and daughter in England. A 32-year-old Dad and his 7-year-old daughter together decided to mark their birthdays by performing 39 random acts of kindness including:

• Hiding treats for the Dad’s co-workers and emailing them on the Dad’s birthday to look in his desk to claim their rewards for giving him the day off

• Writing thank-you letters to teachers

• Picking up trash at a park

• Registering for organ donation

• Giving art supplies to a children’s hospital and books to a children’s library

• Dropping chocolates off at local police and fire stations

• Donating to a homeless shelter, a mental-health program, and a nonprofit helping wild birds

My personal favorites were their leaving pennies by a fountain for people to make wishes and leaving coins by kids’ rides to enable other children to take a surprise spin.

Today.com reports the duo is already planning on doing 41 acts of kindness next year. Maybe someone reading this blog will be prompted to do the same?

Social Media Birthday Bash

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Maybe you’ve seen a shared request on social media asking you to help a birthday someone to receive a landslide of likes or retweets or birthday cards or other greetings.

One woman recently went to Facebook to ask people in Roanake, Va. to come celebrate her son’s birthday at a local park with a water balloon fight. “I thought maybe a few people on my friends list would bring their kids,“ the nine-year-old’s mom wrote. “Instead it has reached people from all over the world.”

Balloon Birthday Bash

Photo credit: Steve Wilhelm / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

Yahoo Parenting took the opportunity to interview some experts about whether this approach was a good idea. Yep, let’s just consider Yahoo Parenting the birthday buzzkill from now on.

One expert suggested the birthday could make the child feel alienated. Another suggested the mom wasn’t empowering her son. Both agreed labeling the child as someone who needs help making friends was not a wise move.

There were also concerns about the singular focus on the birthday and one of the experts suggested instead this should have been embraced as a special family day.

Photo credit: garrellmillhouse / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

Photo credit: garrellmillhouse / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

Now, my seven-year-old will be the first to tell you I am no parenting expert, but I wonder why facilitating your son having a crazy wild water balloon party and giving him the opportunity to meet with all kinds of new people (who might become friends) is a bad thing. At least this Mom’s turn to social media involved actual human interaction rather than those pleas that ask for messages or tweets or likes and represent nothing more than a bunch of strangers pushing a button on social media.

Me, I’m going to applaud this Mom for taking initiative. She helped her home-schooled son get out there for an opportunity to interact with more kids and gave him a party he won’t soon forget.

Birthday Snub Shooting

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Reading about a Minnesota man getting sentenced to nearly 28 years for shooting three people when they didn’t sing the Birthday song for his girlfriend has made me rethink my view on birthday catastrophes.

I used to think a birthday disaster was about who came or didn’t come to your party. Like in middle school the worst thing that might happen is the cute boy you had a crush on not coming to the party…Or the cute boy attending your party and then there being spin the bottle and you getting picked to kiss him but having the most gross breath ever. TRAGEDY.

But then I read about this shooting. The guy brought his girlfriend to a birthday party for someone else and was incensed that they didn’t sing for his girl, who happened to share the same birthday.

In trying to find this Birthday Song story again, I also came across other articles about shootings at birthday parties. Before this I might have thought the girl who’s 16th birthday invite went viral and ended up with rioting in the streets was the worst I’d heard.

There are also many social media videos posted of people’s hair catching fire while blowing out the cake candles Or of the candles causing other decorations and the entire room to catch on fire. Another top ten list will leave you grimacing.

This is just depressing to see all this bad associated with birthdays. So, to turn it around, here’s a fun birthday video from Mr. Bean who celebrates solo but in style.

Birthday cake candle

Photo credit: fmgbain / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND