Your own birthday celebration

[Just Lori]

Nope, this is not a thread about whether or not you can throw yourself a birthday party.

Suppose your birthday happened to fall within a period of several birthdays in your family.  Between the mother-in-law celebration and your child's celebration (complete with the requisite hoopla), you're a bit tired of birthdays.  Plus, you're about to celebrate a rather blah number.  It's not a milestone.  It's a much higher number than you feel, save for the times you bend over the wrong way and feel it for days.

What would you do to give yourself something special on that day?  I've considered some of the obvious choices, like a massage or lunch out.  But I'm looking for something I can do to make the day special and unique.  My husband is working that day but I'm not, so the daytime hours are free.   I'm not in a position where I can travel to the nearest Big City.  I don't have a lot of money set aside for me.  But I tend to treat my actual birthday as an afterthought, and I'd like to change that.

Suggestions?

[mechtilde]

Go for a nice walk somewhere (if the weather permits where you are)

Are there any museums or art galleries within a reasonable distance?

Nice bath with lots of bubbles, followed by a lunch consisting of all your favourite things- some nice deli meats and bread?

Treat yourself to a DVD you've wanted for a while and watch that.

[MindsEye]

What about a class?  Is there something that you have been thinking about trying for a while - yoga, pilates, flower arranging, some cooking style, knitting - but haven't gotten around to doing yet?  You might see if any place near where you are offers classes if that is where your interests lie.

[staceym]

the day before, go out and buy some kind of ultra decadent breakfast foods.  The the morning of your birthday; sleep in a little later if you can; get up make a fresh pot of coffee, eat your guilt-free (birthday food don't have calories  ) breakfast and then sit and read a good book or watch a guilty-pleasure moive of TV show.

[Venus193]

I would take myself out for a lobster dinner or buy myself something semi-expensive, like a $125 bottle of perfume or a new item of jewelry.

[Hmmmmm]

What are some things you enjoy?

I love coffee and croissants so I'm starting the day with the best ones in my city no matter what I do the rest of the day.

I love to cook, so I might take a cooking class.  Or identify a recipe that I've wanted make but it required a specialty pan, device, or ingredients so spend the day finding the items and then making the item for dinner.

I like to read, so spend hours browsing used book stores.

Or I might decide to spend the day volunteering at the local food bank (ours is always needing people to come in to pack boxes and are fine with one time volunteers) and then get my DH to meet me at an upscale restaurant with good happy hour specials where we'll have a couple cocktails, some awesome appetizers and then pick up Thai take out for dinner later that night.

[Winterlight]

I do a day in bed* where I get up, have hot chocolate and toast, go back to bed and read/nap/watch a movie, have a lovely light lunch (prepared the day before and reheated or made of things that don't take much work), maybe a facial, a bath and hair treatment, then more reading/napping/movie. Then get dressed for dinner out, have a fabulous time and go back to bed!

*You don't have to stay in bed, but I don't get dressed that day and I don't do chores. Silk jammies for the win!

[heartmug]

the day before, go out and buy some kind of ultra decadent breakfast foods.  The the morning of your birthday; sleep in a little later if you can; get up make a fresh pot of coffee, eat your guilt-free (birthday food don't have calories  ) breakfast and then sit and read a good book or watch a guilty-pleasure moive of TV show.

That is what I would do.  Even if you have to buy or rent the movie, do it and I hope you have a lot of fun.

[siamesecat2965]

My birthday falls right near the holidays, so what I used to do is take a half day, and go to the mall, wander around, and get a treat, like coffee and a pastry.  Then I go home and make something decadent for dinner, whether it be appys or cheese and crackers and wine, and watch a movie, and just relax.

[mandycorn]

I always have champagne and cake for dinner just because I can!

Last year I supplemented that with homemade pizza so it wasn't just straight sugar, but it was nice to do something rather decadent.

[QueenofAllThings]

If I could do anything, I would sit on a blanket on the beach with a decadent picnic and champagne, and watch the stars with the King (I have a summer birthday).  Probably never happen.

So - decadent breakfast and, since in your scenario your other has to woirk, a museum or some window hopping followed by a nice bistro lunch with a friend.

[oceanus]

A punch of beautiful fresh flowers.  Or even one - an orchid, lily, gardenia, or rose. 

[Kaypeep]

I'd try to make a date with an old friend I haven't seen in a long time.  If they work, perhaps see if they can meet you for lunch.  Then go to the library and take out a few books (FREE!) and spend the rest of the day enjoying one of the books.  Maybe go to a coffee shop for a nice latte and piece of cake.  Insist your DH have dinner ready when you come home, even if it's pizza or soup and grilled cheese.  Basically, give yourself a day off and relax.

[Emmy]

Good for you, you should treat yourself special on your birthday.

Others have had good ideas.  Since your DH is working, I like the idea of getting together for lunch with girlfriends if possible or DH if he gets lunch hour off.  The idea of doing something just for you is fun too.  Also take the day off from cooking dinner, cleaning, shuttling kids to activities, and anything else part of the daily grind.  Probably a few things I would like to do: go to a salon for a trim (or a total change), have them blow dry and style it, get a manicure, take a class, buy yourself a new outfit, lunch at a new restaurant (or a favorite restaurant), check out a museum or store you have passed but never got the chance to visit, go ice skating, or just stay in, watch movies, and eat junk food. 

[afbluebelle]

I've always enjoyed adventure birthday stuff. I like doing stuff that I've always been a little scared to do... keeps me young That could be another option, if there is something you've always wanted to do but were a little afraid of.