I don't mind my birthday considering the alternative. I like to treat the day with a little bit of specialty but not fuss. DH threw me a big 40th birthday, told me he took care of everything-which he did, but forgot to invite most of my friends! It ended up being a few of his friends/couples friends and family. That being said, my family is huge so still a big deal. I'm pretty good from now on in the birthday front. I do like celebrating others birthdays. This year those have had to be low key-not even a nice dinner out.
Saturday though was my sister's 60th birthday. Now if there was ever was a year to celebrate a milestone birthday for someone, 2020 for her was it. She lost her husband very unexpectedly on March 11th. She couldn't even have a regular visitation and service as that was part of the first version of Stay at Home, before things really shut down in Minnesota, so was still limited to a socially distanced service with limits. Then, bars and restaurants shut down. Guess where she works? So now, suddenly widowed and unemployed, she had three months of stay at home life before she could return to work, on reduced hours. I hope for her sake they do not close the restaurants as she works in a family style, no alcohol place. I think the upsurge in cases is more from the bars and people not distancing themselves as they wander with drinks in hand.
Still with group size limitations to 25 and under, the party was a spread out affair with people spread 6 or more feet apart inside, and spread as best we could on her deck. I think she still had a great time. She is an avid Minnesota Twins baseball fan, so many gifts were baseball and Twins themed. I put together a classic peanuts, popcorn bubblegum, and sunflower seed gift bag-as did one of my sister. Her's had beer money in the card. I had made the photo collage poster. She was quite overwhelmed with the night, and seemed to enjoy it immensely.
I don't think every birthday needs to be a blow out event, but it was so good to try and lighten a really crappy year for her. Have you been part of any good birthday celebrations recently? How have you celebrated during the pandemic?
Hi- so glad you don't have the big ads! I don't mind smaller ones- especially if you get revenue from them. You know your sister can now collect social security as a widow and still make up to $18,240 without losing benefits and then you lose $1 for every $2. I did that myself and one of my sister's friends collects half the year and then stops because she's earned the limit. We don't do a lot of big birthday celebrations here but when my aunt in Iowa turned 80, we nieces and nephews all flew out for a surprise party. My birthday is around election day so some time, I'm not in a party mood- I plan to be this year though!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnother sister is an attorney, so she knows what she is elgible for. For her, it was more that she literally becaem a widow and unemployed in a little more than a week. That wasa lovely thing to do for your aunt. My MIL turns 80 in August. I am not supposed to be getting adds except onthe side bar, so I am quite drustrated.
DeleteHappy 60th Birthday to your sister, Sam. Sounds like she had a nice birthday party, which was great considering the year she's had.
ReplyDeleteWe knnow how o thhrow parties in my family!
DeleteThe party was a great idea for someone with so many losses in a single year.
ReplyDeleteThe only birthday party we have been to recently is my granddaughters (and it was back in November). It was a kids party so it was great! TheHub and I do nothing other than go out to eat on our birthdays. That may change since we have fall birthdays (technically fall anyway, but we live in Alabama so it is really still summer) and another round of Covid is expected. (Though this first round has gained substantial steam)
Forus, it has been amovie and dinner out. Neither going to happen for Hubs in August, an dodubtful i'll be ready by November either even if things open. I think christmas may be different this year as well.
DeleteI'm glad your sister enjoyed her birthday. My daughter was 32 earlier this month. We managed to see her on Monday of this week at her home. We just took her gifts and spent time together - socially distanced inside. We would have seen her on the day but her husband's grandma died the day before so they went to support his mum.
ReplyDeleteHapy Birthday to your daughter. I am sure she loved seeing and visiting with you all. Little things are the best right now.
DeleteI think it was great of you to help your sister celebrate her birthday. We aren't big on birthday celebrations around here, Covid or none--choice of dinner and cake is about it. DD's favorite birthday celebration was this past one with the "DIY Dinner and Shopping with a Friend" kit we gave her--gift cards to a chain restaurant and favorite store. (December birthday, so before pandemic.) I conveniently gave her cards to places which were located in the same strip mall so as to limit her inexperienced driving. She used the store card to do Christmas shopping for her friends. It was actually more than we've spent on a birthday in a long time, but the gift cards were purchased at Rite Aid with Bonus cash.
ReplyDeleteor the most part, dinner and maybe a movie. I did bang up parties when the kis were young, and then sleep overs, and such as they got older. My yungest's 16th she celelbrated by gettig a gorup of friends to do Feed My Starving kids, making meal packs! then I sent her with money for pizza afterwards. Good kids the bunch of them.
DeleteYour sister has had an awful year so I'm so glad you were able to make her special day "special" for her. Happy birthday sis!
ReplyDeleteShe did have a good time-loved hr food, cake, and the Margarita jello shots my younger sister made. those were something to make me pucker.
DeleteSounds like a much needed celebration for your sister. I'm glad you were able to have it.
ReplyDeleteWe celebrated my husband's birthday recently with cake & steak on the grill at the coast. It was lovely. Nick turned 13 during the first week of the lockdown. We gave him his gift early (a guitar, which has been a huge blessing during COViD, as he's learning to play) & we had takeout from his favorite restaurant. No sleepover, no soccer game, no time with friends, but he survived. :-)
No doubt this has been hard on youth and teens. I know other generations survived much worse, and of course they will survive, but that doesn't make it difficult. M's birthday sounds like my kind of night for a birthday.
DeleteShe really needed a party.
ReplyDeleteThat she did. It was a good one too.
DeleteI'm so glad you were able to make your sister's birthday special for her. What a year she's had. xxx
ReplyDeleteI think of my inconvenience whines, and yes, nothing in comparison to her. She had a good time-nice thanks yous the next day to all of us.
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