treats and love and fun

When I was little, I thought Christmas was about me. My birthday is less than a month before Christmas, and my celebration always seemed like the thing that opened the door to all of the merry-making. This is probably one of the reasons I like this time of year so much. It's pretty much a non-stop bonanza of treats and indulgences until January 1. Another thing that happens (probably because I like it) is the "stretch" birthday. It starts happening a few days before the actual day, and carries on for a few more after.

Today I will begin my birthday. Kathy and Michele (the ones who took me pole dancing last year) have invited me to supper at Michele's house. I'm pretty sure there's no pole dancing on the menu this year, but Michele also wants me for something for Sunday night. This is the same Michele who kidnapped me after work one year on my birthday and took me for candle-lit November picnic with a campfire at a local park, so anything could happen.

I'll go out Saturday evening for a nice supper with Andy, and my Mom's cooking supper on Wednesday (my actual birthday) to celebrate with Mom, Dad, Andy and the kids, then the ladeez in the 'hood have asked me to come for supper next Friday. At our office we have a tradition you have to bring your own cake on your birthday, but I'll take the day off to go on Alex's field trip, so I'll have a bit of an office birthday on Tuesday or Thursday, depending when I feel like baking. Finally, my birthday-almost-twin Louise and I will go for lunch on December 8. We've shared a lunch at the same restaurant for almost 20 years on "our" birthday. So all in all that makes for a 2-week long stretch birthday. Then there's Christmas.

I don't need presents, but I do love the celebrations. Treats and love and fun. Yeah.

question: how do you observe your birthday?

mompoet - Happy birthday to me, and to Louise and to Mary Anne - both celebrating today, November 24