Non-Challege Day 5 - Birthdays

Day 5 What do you prefer to do on your birthday? If you have children, what do you prefer to do for their birthday?

I’m going to just jump in here on Day 5.  That’s what’s great about two people blogging, we can totally steal each other’s ideas!  (Sometimes I also steal Allison’s t-shirts, but that’s a story for another day.)

Thinking about this question made the few neurons who are straggling to stay awake in my brain do a little happy dance.  I never really thought about it before, I’m not really into big celebrations on by birthday, but I do love to celebrate with treats.  And, not just any treats, but chocolate filled doughnut treats.  

Can I get an “Mmmmmmmmm?”

“Gee, Jen, why do you like to celebrate with donuts?”  

Well, dear reader, let me tell you.  It all goes back to my childhood.

My birthday is in September, so when I was in elementary school I was always one of the first kids to bring treats for the class.  I’m not positive how the donut thing started; my guess is that with both of my parent’s working, my mom didn’t have time to undertake all of her usual motherly duties, plus bake a cake for my at home birthday bash, plus get my present ready, PLUS make a treat for me to take into school.  Enter her solution, order a couple dozen donuts from our local Dunkin’ Donuts.  

I was always psyched to bring donuts in because they’re BIG and that must mean they’re better, right?  Plus, it was awesome getting to walk down the aisles of my classroom every year and give my friends the option to choose which kind of donut they wanted.  We’re not talking about everyone getting the same old treat on my birthday, no ma’am.  

I always snagged a chocolate filled one and to this day still prefer donuts to cake on my birthday.

January is pretty far away still, so we haven’t chatted about what we’ll do for The Bean’s first birthday.  I know smash cakes are big in the U.S., but I don’t think they really even exist in Canada.  Plus, when my nephew turned one and was presented with his smash cake, he got kinda freaked out.  Parents spend so much time trying to get their kids NOT to play with their food, then we give them this cake who’s only purpose is to be played with.  Hello mixed message!

Whatever traditions are established for The Bean, I want him to look forward to his birthdays and when he’s an adult, to be able to look back on them fondly.