BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

 

      Growing up, birthdays and birthday celebrations were extremely important family occasions. It wasn’t that anyone received expensive gifts, but that the family recognized “your” special day. I continued that into my married life with my family; however, it now seems to have reached a point where there is little to no celebration of any one family member’s birthday.

My daddy became a baker, so while the presents may not have been terribly expensive, the cake was always superb and the desired flavor. Daddy eventually learned how to decorate, so I believe our cakes were decorated by him at some point. I always looked forward to my “special” day and cannot remember ever being horribly disappointed by the gifts, cake, ice cream or celebration.

Once I began celebrating birthdays in my own home, I always asked the celebrant what kind of cake was wanted. Then, I tried to bring this desire to fruition. It wasn’t always easy, i.e., there was the time one son asked for a cake that had like eight layers. It took an entire day just to bake the damn cake. The other son was easy and always wanted German chocolate. John wasn’t much of a cake person and preferred pies, i.e., lemon meringue, cocoanut, butterscotch…any of those would do.

Right up until the year of John’s death followed six months later by Covid, I still prepared a dinner and a cake for family members. Of course, with Covid, there was no gatherings to celebrate any event whatsoever. And, since Covid restrictions have been more or less eliminated, it seems that folks are happy with the celebrations implemented during that period. 

Still, with the youngest son’s forty-fifth birthday in the near future, I’m going to miss making baked potato soup and German chocolate cake. But, even more than the food, I’m going to miss having all the family around the table to celebrate.