Birthday Week

This week is my birthday week. Yes, you read that correctly, I said birthday week. I'm not yet one of the mature adults that goes to work on their birthday, mentions it to no one and tries to forget that they've grown a year older. I will admit that getting older sucks, if I could I'd be young and limber forever, but there's a lot of fun to be had in celebrating yourself.

Every year on my birthday, I take the day off work. (This year I'm taking two days and making it a four day weekend). I book a massage, a facial, whatever I want. Maybe I take myself out to lunch, or my husband and I go out for a fancy supper. I spend it with family, friends, anyone that makes me smile. And most importantly, I make it a birthday week and not just a birth 'day'. Because a birthday is just too short and when it's over it's depressing.

So, all this week I'm treating myself to whatever makes me happy. Yesterday I had cookies for supper, (there's no rule that says you have to get more mature on your birthday) and tonight, I'm going to a panel discussion celebrating Saskatchewan authors (and possibly eating more cookies). It doesn't have to be big, expensive things. I'm just trying to give myself the freedom to indulge.

At the end of the week, it doesn't feel so bad to have grown a year older (aside from the tummy ache from too many cookies) and I have the next year's celebration to look forward to. What about you? What do you do to make your own birthday special? Or do you go the opposite way and try to hide it from everyone?