Birthday celebrations at your house?

[steve-in-kville]

Years ago, we did away with giving individual Christmas gifts to the children for a variety of reasons. We decided to put more energy and money into their birthdays instead.

We allow them to pick a menu for their birthday meal, which can get interesting at times. The older ones get cash money to spend as they please. The younger ones get a gift to unwrap. All in all, seems to be a good system.

Between my wife and I, we simply let each other spend money on something we want, within reason.

What are the customs at your house?

[QuietlyListening]

When our children were little they got a shaped cake and sometimes my parents tried to make it- we lived 4-8 hours away depending where we were. As they got older they chose the meal and cake and we gave them a gift.
Now we still have them choose the meal- in laws too- and the dessert and give a bigger gift then Christmas which I try to do more hand crafted things. For the grands we give gifts but their parents do the meal.
Each child had one or 2 parties- all at our house with a few friends. But mostly it was a family thing.
For my husband he chooses the meal and my youngest chooses the dessert- they are 2 days apart and getting the family together one time around T'giving is hard enough- 2 would be impossible.
For my birthday the kids get together at one of their homes and we have a meal together of food I like.

[MaxPC]

Years ago, we did away with giving individual Christmas gifts to the children for a variety of reasons. We decided to put more energy and money into their birthdays instead.

We allow them to pick a menu for their birthday meal, which can get interesting at times. The older ones get cash money to spend as they please. The younger ones get a gift to unwrap. All in all, seems to be a good system.

Between my wife and I, we simply let each other spend money on something we want, within reason.

What are the customs at your house?

Our celebrations are quite similar to yours. We view Christmas as a Holy Day, with focus upon God. Birthdays are celebrated modestly with special foods chosen by the celebrant. We have done the wrapped gifts until they are 18. After 18, it is simply their favorite meal and family time as by that age, they are earning their own money.

[Neto]

The only birthday gifts I received (at home) were when I turned 7 (a Bible), and when I turned 18 (a suitcase, because I was going away to Bible institute the following Fall).

Birthday cakes until including my 11th, and "licks" - "one for each year and one to grow on", until including my tenth. The evening meal was according to the birthday person's choice.

The first birthday party I ever had was put on by some Bible college friends when I was 23. (I remember the year because it was put on by my former roommate and his wife, at their apartment, after he had graduated. When I walked in, they had the Beatles 'Birthday Song' playing.)

Then some friends in Portuguese language school made a cake and a party when I was 30. (The cake was in the shape of OKLAHOMA, with a big 30 on it. But Oklahoma was actually 78.... )

In our own family, we give gifts to our grandchildren, and while my wife used to make a special meal (also according to the birthday person's choice) but now we go out to eat at a place of their choice, often now combining two or more birthdays. We initially paid the entire bill, but now our adult children who are NOT celebrating a birthday will pay their own. Kinda' depends on how our 'cash flow' is going.

[mike]

We give gifts at birthdays, and have a party where their grandparents and sometimes a few friends are invited. They get to either make or request the type of cake, and pick the meal. After 18, we don't do parties for them per se, but my wife might still make them a cake or something.