One of my brothers did something kind of funny the other day.
My birthday was at the beginning of the month and he was away on a vacation with his wife. He’d gone to Peru and all through the trip he sent an email (pretty much every day) telling us what areas of the country they were visiting and sending a few photos of the wildlife or of the meals they were eating. One picture was of deep fried guinea pig! Not my kind of meal, but apparently it tasted ok.
Anyway .. he’s usually pretty good about remembering my birthday, but I guess with traveling and then getting back to work shortly after their return home he forgot that my birthday had come and gone. So on the 20th I get this call from him and, since he doesn’t call all that often, I though maybe something was wrong, but it was just a belated birthday phone call.
Wasn’t that nice?
While we were on the phone we talked a little more about his trip, a few other things and joked around. Then only a few minutes after we’d hung up I got an email and he’d sent me a birthday picture. It was composed of three pictures of me as a child – one of me as a baby walking through the Tulips at the Experimental Farm in Ottawa, another of me sitting on his lap when I was about 3 or 4 years old and then the last picture was an old school picture – probably of me when I was about 9 years old. It was really cute.
I don’t know if he already had the birthday picture made up before our phone call or if he made it very quickly but it was a great idea. I’m going to have to remember to try to do something like that for him or maybe one of my other brothers or sister for their birthday. I think they’d like it too.
Speaking of my family … I haven’t heard from my brother out in Vancouver for a while. Last I heard he was just about to close a multimillion dollar deal for his business. I think it had something to do with getting investments from asset based lenders. I wonder if that went through or not. If it did, the business he’s been working on for the last year should be off to a good start.
Anyway … I’m sure I’m not the only one with family that sometimes forgets their birthdays. I usually don’t forget my families birthdays, but I’ll get distracted on the day of their birthday and then end up wishing them a belated happy birthday … kind of like my brother just did for me. Does that happen to you too?
Being in my 40s I came to opinion that birthday celebration tradition should be dropped for people over 21.
What exactly we are celebrating?
The fact that our parents successfully conceived us and delivered on specific calendar date?
If it is about celebrating of our LIVES, then any day can be selected or better EVERY DAY!
That is why I do not celebrate MY birthday. I prefer to keep it quiet, stay at home.
Another idea – that came from my friend – a birthday is a good opportunity to give presents to your loved one, instead of accepting gifts from them.
Have been practicing for few years now and enjoy this new tradition!
that was so sweet of him. I hate those people who forget birthdays of their loved ones but it is such a pleasure to find out that a person makes up to you later for forgetting it. Happy belated birthday from my side too.
My brother could probably call me a year after my birthday and congratulate me on two at the same time 🙂
I have to admit that I’m terrible with birthdays. Luckily my friends call me to remind me that’s the birthday of a friend of ours. I only remember the birthday of my sister, because it’s in the same month as mine, and she always reminds me to buy her something. I know that’s not very nice to forget such a thing, but I make efforts to get better 🙂
I don’t have a lot of siblings. Only one sister and one brother. So for me, I don’t tend to forgot my sis/bro bdays. Ive memorize their birthday dates to the letter. But I’m guilty with one thing, I cant memorize my father and my mother’s birthday I tend to jumble them together that I don’t even know which is which..Let me elaborate, I don’t know if my father’s bday falls on Aug 4 or 7 or if my mother’s bday is on sept 7 or 4..Even way, I usually do something nice to them on their birthdays. I just make it a point to call and verify whose birthday it is.. lol
omg. deep fried guinea pig? that is horrifying! lol. i never heard of that before. just gross.
That was really sweet! Although he did forgot about the birthday he still make it a point that he can greet and make a wish for you. Then he did an additional effort with that picture thing. That was really fun. Thanks for this post.
I try to remember and celebrate people all year round. Like if I find a little trinket I think someone will like I get it for them. It is nice to be loved and appreciated, even when its not your birthday. I also make a big of a deal about my own birthday, but it is nice when it gets recognized by friends.