'Happy Bithday to You', is perhaps one of the most used phrases of the world like the magical I love You.
I have a thing for birthdays and strongly believe that birthdays should be celebrated irrespective of a person's age. I don't understand why some people say that birthdays are meant to be celebrated only in childhood. I pity the people who do not celebrate their birthday. It's a day when someone should be given full attention, appreciation and off course a present. On a birthday, a birthday boy or birthday girl should be given royal treatment. I try to make the birthdays of my near and dear special. I text them and wish them on WhatsApp or Facebook. Text messaging is followed by a phone call, one in the morning to wish them and the second one in the evening to ask them how their special day went by. I make sure that I get a befitting gift/surprise chocolate cake for them. Telling a birthday boy/girl about all the good qualities he or she possesses is mandatory.
My birthdays have always been special. My family and I see to it that they are. When I was a kid my father would bring me a gift the day before my special day. Whole night I would keep fantasizing about and guessing what the wrapped box kept on top shelf of the cupboard contains. Some schools in Shimla gave students the liberty to wear whatever they
wanted on their birthdays. But we had to wear our boring school uniform
that day also. I hated it when my birthdays came on Sundays. I didn't
believe in belated wishes or celebrations. I got all kinds of gifts like
cards, pens, bracelets, slam books and quotations from my friends. I had this habit of piling up my gifts and opening them all at a time.
Sometimes I would cajole my sister into giving me the gift money instead
of the gift so that I could give a better treat to my friends. I used to distribute sweets, candies, sometimes pastries and samosas among my classmates when I was in school. In university also while most of the students shied away from celebrating their birthdays I continued this tradition.
Now when I have grown up my siblings are the ones responsible for making my birthdays special. I get two-three surprises on that day regarding which discussion behind closed kitchen doors goes on for days before my special day. Mom takes me to the temple in the morning. My sister prepares a playlist of my favorite songs and plays them whole day on repeat mode, Evening time is party time when we feast on cake, samosas, pepsi, lays, kurkure and rasgullas.
Birthdays are meant to be special guys. Make them special. Whether it's your birthday or that of a friend or family member celebrate it to the fullest. Tell them how good they have been, pamper them the whole day and yes, don't forget a
gift.
