With today I’m starting a new chapter on this blog: Sunday musings. This space is dedicated to all things that I’d like to share with you that are not DIYs or recipes. Sometimes it might be about a holiday, a thought or some funny things. I don’t know yet where this leads but we’ll see.
Today I’d like to explain to you a concept I came up with a few years ago that sparked quite the conversation after I posted this on Instagram. What the concept is? Not-my-birthday celebrations.
It goes like this:
- I wake up one morning and have the feeling that it’s my birthday. Remember: this has nothing to do with my actual birthday. In fact: it’s not supposed to be on my birthday.
- Then I play a birthday song which wakes up my boyfriend if he isn’t awake already.
- Everybody I meet (and obviously know too) this day has to play along and wish me a happy birthday.
- I eat cake and drink some coffee.
- I graciously point at a present (in a shop we pass this particular day) that my boyfriend is allowed to give me.
This are the basics. Pretty simple, right?
Why I do this, you ask? If you think about it: what is a birthday all about? It’s celebrating you’re alive and reminding everybody that that’s a good thing. Now that we got that figured out: Why celebrate this only once a year? That’s what I might have thought when I first invented this. I can’t really remember because it’s been a few years…
Besides: real birthday’s aren’t always the best days – and that comes from me who loves her own birthday. But it could be Tuesday.
Everybody could be at work. Including you.
You could be stressed, having a bad day or your cake didn’t turn out the way you wanted.
That just puts too much pressure on this day. With my not-my-birthday celebration I fixed this: I decide when you feel like celebrating that I’m alive.
And now to the questions that people had:
- Yes, I do get older. Everybody gets older every day.
- No, my boyfriend is not poor. He has me! Just kidding. I don’t think he minds that much as we do all sorts of fun stuff and I’m happy all day.
- No, I don’t celebrate my birthday each and every day. That would be overdoing it. It comes to me one day (normally on the weekends) and it’s about 1-2 times a year (in addition to my real birthday).
- No, it’s not about the presents. I do like to get presents but the one I get for not-my-birthday serves the sole purpose that it reminds me of this day.
Still a too abstract concept for you? I give you an example: this year not-my-birthday was on a Saturday. On the 6th of August to be precise. We got up (after listening to the obligatory birthday-song). We had to run an errand but went shopping afterwards and had cake and coffee at a new hip place. Some more shopping and dinner at home – followed by making party in a nearby club.
Sounds like a normal weekend day to you? Well, it’s because not the activities are different but your mindset: I can’t remember when I went out the last time and I wouldn’t have if it weren’t not-my-birthday.
The only problem with this concept is that I only get one small present and I can’t really prepare. How much better would it even be if I would get this unicorn jumpsuit (I mean: whaaaaat?!) or this indoor kit to grow my herbs (my boyfriend would benefit too!) or just this cup (because what says “I do what I want” more than celebrating your birthday whenever you want).
There you have my wishlist. I mean, you could buy something for me just in case. I feel my next not-my-birthday is coming up…
What do you think about this concept? Feel free to copy the idea and adjust to your liking and if you have any questions about this, let me know!
Now. Carry on!
