My birthday is this weekend, and I’m feeling…
…a little sad. My birthday usually means I’m on the dance floor with friends until the wee hours of the morning, or at the very least, having dinner at a favorite hole-in-the-wall with twinkly lights and tiramisu. We talk loudly and laugh, eating joyfully — swapping dishes, insisting everyone taste what’s on our plates, ordering bottles of wine, and sharing desserts until the place is almost closed.
This birthday will look nothing like that.
Just like everything else this year, celebrations are viewed through a lens of unfamiliarity. Nothing looks the way we expected it to look, and it can make you really sad when you think about it. Then it occurred to me that this year almost all of us have had quarantine birthdays. Whether solo, with roommates, or with families, we’ve figured out a way to make it okay, despite our worlds turning upside down.
My favorite celebration this year was my friend Emily’s birthday picnic in the park. Everyone brought a blanket and Prosecco to cheers with, six feet apart. It also happened to be the day Biden won the election, so spontaneous dancing and cheering followed, and the whole city partied together day and night.
As much as I would love to be dancing in the street, or close talking with friends, I’ll settle for a really good cake, and a slow dance. Perhaps 33 will be an “elegant older lady” year. It will definitely be one to remember.
What did your birthday look like this year? I’d love to hear!
P.S. 14 birthday traditions from around the world and which birthday cake do you like?
(Photo from Broad City.)