Happy Birthday (season) to me!
When I was a little girl, growing up in a small town in western PA, we had a very close knit neighborhood. Most of the Dads were veterans of WWII, many had served together, in the same unit, during the war, and a few had even migrated to the neighborhood from a nearby farming community. Most of us were related to at least one other neighborhood family, in at least a distant way. We went to school together, played together, and celebrated our birthdays together.
Birthdays were never fancy affairs in our neighborhood. I don't remember anyone even having balloons or streamers on the day, but we looked forward to the celebrations, nonetheless. Sometime, after supper, we would be invited inside the celebrating child's house, and offered cake and ice cream and, sometimes, a soft drink (which was served to mark only special occasions). There were never any gifts given by the neighboring children (although the parents had certainly given gifts, privately, earlier in the day). But, if the child was extremely lucky, there would be small gifts at hand to give out to everyone who had come to this very special celebration. What I remember most about that time is that every child in the neighborhood had to be included; there was to be no picking and choosing who could or could not be included. The neighborhood was like a family, we were made to understand, and birthdays were for families.
I moved far away from that neighborhood, many years ago. But, I still like to celebrate my birthday in the way that I did all those years ago, by inviting all of my neighborhood friends into my house to help me celebrate. While my Orange County cul-de-sac has been a poor place to get to know my neighbors, I have found a great new neighborhood in Caid!
Every year, for the past 6 years, we have celebrated my birthday (and the birthday of our entire SCA household) in a somewhat grander fashion, admittedly. Usually, we choose a silly theme (last year we took the "known world tour" to Britain and a few other places) and we spend months planning and preparing for this summer celebration. While the birthday celebration is our own, each year we include others on the guest list who we consider to have been, during the past year, our virtual neighbors and, therefore, distant family members. We do exchange simple gifts and cards among ourselves, but the greatest gift, to me, is still the warm feeling of these neighborhood friends stopping by to join in the family celebration. We do make a big effort to see to their need and comforts, and to ensure that everyone enjoys themselves. Some years, that is a tall order. :-)
This year, there were Pirates on the Loch, with the Buidhe Roger flying overhead. We had a treasure hunt, plague rat, fun noodle regatta and quite a few table games, such as Pirate Chess, Liar's Dice, Loot and Morgan's Revenge. We had a feast of homemade sauerkraut and sausage, rat on a stick, fresh fruits, potatoes, corn on the cob, beans, mango cucumber salad, and a seafood salmagundi (4# shrimp, 2-1/2# tilapia, 2# cod, 1# lobster claws, pickled eggs, hearts of palm, avocado, vine ripened tomatoes) and then enjoyed rum cake and key lime pie and coconut custard for dessert. We had a very comfortable gathering fire and a great time singing sea shanties together. We ended our celebration with a household sleepover, and all agreed that this year was our greatest party yet!
It was. But, the best part is still the gathering together of all our family and neighbors. Loch Sloy! I love you all.
Happy Birthday to
beathog,
bardelder,
miss_eabha,
azdoglady, Morgan,
caitlincw,
dieppe,
estokien,
laumlyu,
rampantmouse,
tuqutey, Denenwulf,
usqueba, and our two young wards, T and A!
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We celebrate your Natal Day when you were first a pup
And raise our tankards to your health now that you're all grown up
This special day, a holiday - Your Sainted Mother's Whelping Day!
We celebrate your Natal Day when you were first a pup.
Birthdays were never fancy affairs in our neighborhood. I don't remember anyone even having balloons or streamers on the day, but we looked forward to the celebrations, nonetheless. Sometime, after supper, we would be invited inside the celebrating child's house, and offered cake and ice cream and, sometimes, a soft drink (which was served to mark only special occasions). There were never any gifts given by the neighboring children (although the parents had certainly given gifts, privately, earlier in the day). But, if the child was extremely lucky, there would be small gifts at hand to give out to everyone who had come to this very special celebration. What I remember most about that time is that every child in the neighborhood had to be included; there was to be no picking and choosing who could or could not be included. The neighborhood was like a family, we were made to understand, and birthdays were for families.
I moved far away from that neighborhood, many years ago. But, I still like to celebrate my birthday in the way that I did all those years ago, by inviting all of my neighborhood friends into my house to help me celebrate. While my Orange County cul-de-sac has been a poor place to get to know my neighbors, I have found a great new neighborhood in Caid!
Every year, for the past 6 years, we have celebrated my birthday (and the birthday of our entire SCA household) in a somewhat grander fashion, admittedly. Usually, we choose a silly theme (last year we took the "known world tour" to Britain and a few other places) and we spend months planning and preparing for this summer celebration. While the birthday celebration is our own, each year we include others on the guest list who we consider to have been, during the past year, our virtual neighbors and, therefore, distant family members. We do exchange simple gifts and cards among ourselves, but the greatest gift, to me, is still the warm feeling of these neighborhood friends stopping by to join in the family celebration. We do make a big effort to see to their need and comforts, and to ensure that everyone enjoys themselves. Some years, that is a tall order. :-)
This year, there were Pirates on the Loch, with the Buidhe Roger flying overhead. We had a treasure hunt, plague rat, fun noodle regatta and quite a few table games, such as Pirate Chess, Liar's Dice, Loot and Morgan's Revenge. We had a feast of homemade sauerkraut and sausage, rat on a stick, fresh fruits, potatoes, corn on the cob, beans, mango cucumber salad, and a seafood salmagundi (4# shrimp, 2-1/2# tilapia, 2# cod, 1# lobster claws, pickled eggs, hearts of palm, avocado, vine ripened tomatoes) and then enjoyed rum cake and key lime pie and coconut custard for dessert. We had a very comfortable gathering fire and a great time singing sea shanties together. We ended our celebration with a household sleepover, and all agreed that this year was our greatest party yet!
It was. But, the best part is still the gathering together of all our family and neighbors. Loch Sloy! I love you all.
Happy Birthday to
beathog,
bardelder,
miss_eabha,
azdoglady, Morgan,
caitlincw,
dieppe,
estokien,
laumlyu,
rampantmouse,
tuqutey, Denenwulf,
usqueba, and our two young wards, T and A!
---------
We celebrate your Natal Day when you were first a pup
And raise our tankards to your health now that you're all grown up
This special day, a holiday - Your Sainted Mother's Whelping Day!
We celebrate your Natal Day when you were first a pup.