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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Marie McHarry wrote:

> > The whole mindset that not doing birthdays or Christmas, which
> > isn't even really Christian to begin with, is somehow "denying"
> > kids is part of the whole consummerism thing that has been taught
> > and pushed in the U.S. to the breaking point.
>
> It is if they're used to having a birthday cake and candles and being
>  made over on their special day. If they never had that experience, 
> then they wouldn't miss it.


In my family is is somewhat of a tradition to have homemade birthday
cakes with the birthday baby(even adults) getting their favorite.  DH
always wants some form of cheesecake on his birthday, second choice is
anything chocolate.  One year we just had brownies and ice cream and
chocolate syrup.  I'm more for the pound cakes and fruit with angel food
cake now, but when I was a kid, it was carrot and/or sock it to me
cakes...lol..7up cake was good, too.  (I was allergic to chocolate.)  We
did have candles, but they were often re-used from year to year.
In some churches, even this celebration would not be allowed, and this
has nothing to do with consumerism, it is about feeling special that
someone took the time to make your fav on your day.  I usually got one
present(almost always something to wear), a card, my favorite dinner and
my favorite cake.  Also, I had no chores, no garden work on my b'day.  I
had one party that I had friends over, and that was when I was 5 years
old and we had just moved to a new place.  I think it was more about
meeting the neighbors than having friends over.
When I hit adolescence, I usually did not get a present, just dinner and
a cake.  By that time, I was working anyway, and the real world could
care less if it is your birthday, that is something that only families
recognize.

Bev

--
I am having an out-of-money experience.
http://erthnsky.blogspot.com/
EarthNSky Farm, Northwest Georgia, USA