Birthdays and Significance for me

Overview
The day that we come into existence on Earth, wherever we have been born into, what family and circumstances we have been tossed in, and whichever forms we may take, it is a birth. Every year on the anniversary of our birth, that becomes our birthday / birthdate.

Traditions and Milestones
With every year that passes by, our age goes up by one numerical figure as well. There would be celebrations like parties held at home or at cafes / McDonalds; there would be  photo studio shots to commemorate every stage of our lives, or there would be cosy celebrations at home with loved ones over cakes and a mini feast.

There are presents and gifts in all manners or forms, which may form some of the best parts of their birthdays for some people.

Each age brings us closer to something, and each stage is a marker of how much we have grown, went through and attained. We started attended schools, we started dating, we started working - we were waiting for the date in order to be able to watch a certain genre of movies at the theaters or be allowed into certain clubs or to be given certain tasks within certain religious groups.

Being an Aries

Photo source: http://forum.matngu12chomsao.com/threads/wallpaper-cho-bach-duong.4802/page-2

Arians are of the fiery signs and thus are passionate, energetic, gregarious, versatile, creative and independent. Hmmm... while I posess most of the above, unfortunately I also posess some of the negative traits such as being a little insensitive at times, and the famous Aries temper, as well being a little impulsive in the single-mindedness to attain something fast.

Some famous celebrities under the same star signs are Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Jackie Chan, Lady Gaga, Leonardo Da Vinci, Reese Witherspoon, Keira Knightley, Emma Watson, Kirsten Stewart, Aretha Franklin and Robert Frost etc.

Celebrations / Significance in the Past
In the past, my birthday was a very huge event to me.

It was the day I felt most special, and I liked it that people remembered my birthdays. I even reminded good friends when they forgot to at least send me a well-wish.

There were the gifts to look forward to, the surprises which I anticipated lovingly, the holiday trips that I knew I was entitled to etc. And of course the partying wherein I would be the Belle of the Ball, and everyone toasted me, made me drink shots and celebrated for the "Birthday Girl".

It did not matter who were the well-wishers or who gave me gifts, I savoured them all greedily. I thanked everyone who wished me happy birthday on social media platforms, including friends of friends whom I've never met or knew of their existence.

I mean, they were being sweet, so I should bask in the extra attention and their well-wishes, no?

My Recent Birthday Celebrations
In the recent two years and counting, though, I prefer toned-down, initimate meals or mini soirees with just the close friends in my life.

I don't need huge parties where half the attendees are strangers (partners of friends' friends, or table-crashers around the clubs) singing birthday songs for me, and half the time they probably didn't know who I was except the one sponsoring the food and drinks. Haha.

I don't need hundreds of wall posts on my social media platforms to remind acquaintances of my birthdate, or strangers wishing me happy birthday, perhaps typing the words out of convenience or diplomacy.  Which is why I have also chosen to hide my date of birth display on social media platforms.

I don't need loads of presents and surprises to show me how much my friends love or treasure me. These days with hectic lives, when they care enough to remember and ask me out just for a treat or drink, it means alot. Hell, *Freya and *N even forgot to wish me happy birthday until now, but I'm not disappointed - because I know that they are friends who have shown their friendship + worthiness are way, way beyond what a forgotten wish was worth.

So the family members started with first round of celebration for me, as was customary.

I have enough friends in reality, collected over the years from different walks of life, to share the special occasion with me in quiet, initimate and fun meals over catching-up at the same time. From the beginning of the month until now, I have been meeting up with friends over dinners and drinks as part of the celebratory process. These are people who genuinely care that I am happy with the gifts or treats, and people I know will still be in my life to spend another 10, 20 birthdays with me hopefully, as I them.

Maybe it's a sign of growing old, or the fact that you are able to buy whatever gifts anyone else could ever give you - that makes one start to look deeper. Start to appreciate and treasure gifts that are beyond material worth, things that money can never buy.

In retrospect, these people in my life, are the most precious, and best presents I could ever hope to receive ever. You know who you are, thank you my gifts!