Deciding on a Birthday Cake

Treating yourself to something sweet on your birthday is something that everyone needs to do every once in a while. Even though ice cream and cake are the two traditional types of sweets that people have for their birthday, there are actually different styles of these things that are different for every person. On your next birthday you may be tempted to try some of these sweet suggestions that are listed below, even though they technically may not be a traditional birthday cake!

Take a Splurge and try a Cheesecake!

This is one of the sweet suggestions that would not necessarily be thought of as a birthday cake, but it certainly can be used in place of a birthday cake when it comes right down to it! Some of the best cheesecakes, furthermore, come from The Cheesecake Factory. If you have never eaten at The Cheesecake Factory before then you are in for a bit of a surprise. The main point here, though, is that this restaurant has some of the best dessert cheesecakes for everyone that can certainly spoil you on your birthday! For example, if you like carrot cake then you'll have fun with The Cheesecake Factory's Crazy Carrot Cake Cheesecake. As far as the other types of cheesecakes go, there is a Tiramisu-flavored cake, chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake, as well as an Oreo, Pumpkin, Reese's, and every other flavor under the sun! The Cheesecake Factory definitely has winning birthday cake sweets to treat yourself to!

Combine Ice Cream with Cake!

Another opportunity to have an interesting form of the traditional birthday cake is to make it an ice cream cake. There are plenty of stores and restaurants that now carry and sell ice cream cakes. One of the more well known chain restaurants that specialize in ice cream cakes is Dairy Queen. Dairy Queen has been producing popular ice cream cakes for many years and there are plenty of varieties to suit anyone's tastes and birthday needs! And just remember: if you buy an ice cream cake then there's no need at all to buy a separate pint or quart of ice cream because it'll already be combined with the cake!

Have a Cookie!

Having a cookie for your birthday? This may seem like an odd request, but there are many people who buy cookies for their birthday! But these aren't just any ordinary cookies, though; "cookie cake" is the correct term for them. In fact, cookie cakes are made by many companies around the world and they can be decorated with any type of icing that you want!

These are just some of the types of sweet indulgences to have on your birthday instead of having plain old birthday cake and ice cream! You definitely will not be disappointed with the variety that you’ll see! The Cheesecake Factory, Dairy Queen, and those companies who make cookie cakes are just some of the places to start with where you can buy awesome-tasting "cakes" for your birthday!

Homemade Birthday Cakes

Birthday plans are always a nice thing to think about, especially when it comes to your own birthday every year! There are plenty of popular birthday traditions to consider and many people use the traditional birthday cake and ice cream as the dessert of their choice. However, more often than not many people simply decide to purchase a birthday cake at a local grocery store, possibly with a birthday message written on the top. It is safe to say that this is the way that over half of all birthdays are celebrated. There definitely needs to be a birthday cake revolution, though, because homemade birthday cakes are a great way not only to give a gift to someone, but to also celebrate your own birthday!

It's all in the Technique!

Homemade birthday cakes are definitely the yummiest birthday cakes on the planet and there are literally an unlimited number of ways in which one can go about making their own birthday cake. However, the simplest way to do so is to use a simple recipe that consists of sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder, and milk. Many people who make homemade birthday cakes do so without a recipe, but for first-timers it may be necessary to actually have a recipe in front of you. It really is all in the technique, though, and how much of each ingredient you use in your birthday cake! But this is definitely the most easy way to bake a birthday cake for yourself or someone else.

Add some sprinkles, chocolate, or other sweet ingredient!

One way to spice up your birthday cake is to throw in some other ingredient which you like. This can range anything from chocolate chips to sprinkles and even cinnamon. As mentioned, there are literally millions of ways to arrange your birthday cake. If you are going to add cinnamon or sprinkles to your cake, though, one of the best things to do would be to search in several cookbooks for the type of birthday cake that you're looking to bake! Experimenting, though, always works and is a great way to get baking experience!

Give Away Your Cakes!

An interesting thing to do with your homemade birthday cake is to give it away to your friend or family who's having their birthday! You can bake the birthday cake in a small pan so that it can be like a personalized birthday cake or you could choose to make cupcakes out of the batter that you make. Either way, both of these gift ideas are great if you're looking for an inexpensive but creative way to give a birthday gift to your friends or family.

If you want to try something different rather than buying a birthday cake at the local grocery store, choosing to go homemade is the best thing that you can do! Not only do homemade birthday cakes taste so good, but they also have that flavor and pride inside because you put your hard work and dedication right into it!

Birthday Gifts for Her

Birthdays are certainly special events to pay attention to and if you are a guy then they are all the more special and meaningful if you have a girlfriend, fiancée, or a wife! Many men each year are hurt in the battle of "You Forgot My Birthday!" and there are plenty of arguments to go around. If you have ever experienced the ravings of the woman that you love because her birthday somehow slipped your mind then you know the benefit of being prepared with a gift well in advance of that special date!

In addition to the dilemma of buying her a birthday gift, you may not even know what she wants! And if you're like most guys then you probably have a little bit of trouble picking up the birthday gift suggestions that the woman in your life calls "subtle hints." Nevertheless, picking out a birthday gift for the women of their heart is sometimes a little troubling and a little difficult for some men around the world. But even so, there are always certain gifts that your girlfriend, fiancée, lover, or wife will definitely love!

Nothing Says "I Love You" Better!

Unless the female that you're buying gifts for doesn't have a romantic bone in her body then chances are that she'll appreciate the two-dozen roses that you should be getting for her on her birthday. Along with the two-dozen roses that you'll be buying her then you should also pick out a small stuffed animal or other trinket to go along with it. These bouquets of flowers will also usually allow you to write something in the small little card that they send, and that is exactly what you should do! Nothing says "I Love You, Hunny" than a good, old-fashioned bouquet of flowers and a special treat to go along with it!

Make Her Smell Better!

No, this is not meant to be a turn-off, but it's the truth that women virtually always love getting more perfume for their birthday! If you know that she's already running low on the scent that she currently has then splurge and buy her two more bottles just like it! Perfume for a woman always makes a special gift and no one can go wrong with it!

Gift Certificates and Coupons

Everyone loves to receive gift certificates on their birthday to their favorite store and this is another "winner" in the Gifts For Her category! Victoria's Secret and Bath and Body Works are just two of the stores that she'll absolutely love to get a gift certificate for! As far as coupons goes, personalized coupons are also something romantic and sweet to do for her. Of course it takes a little creativity to come up with what the coupon will be for, but many women find that personalized coupons are a creative way to give a gift!

In conclusion, all of these birthday gift suggestions are perfect for the woman in your life! Unless of course you bought her every single thing on this list for her previous birthday, chances are that you'll be right on the target when you splurge for the woman of your dreams!

Birthday Gift Ideas for your Parents

Everyone loves to receive funny and awesome birthday gifts on their birthday, and there is no one better to spoil with these types of gifts then your very own parents! Parents shouldn't be taken for granted, especially on their birthday! When you were young you probably were the child in your family who always wanted to do something extra-special for your parents on their birthday, but the occasion may have left it's uniqueness when you grew up and moved out of the house for one reason or another. If it definitely has lost its uniqueness then there are several ways to make your parents happy! The best way of all to make your parents smile on their birthday is to get them an extra-special gift like you were young again! There are many parents who will appreciate this, and there are many gift ideas for your parents on their birthday!

A Box of Birthday Steaks

This may seem like an odd-type of gift, but giving your mom or your dad steaks on their birthday is an awesome way to say "I Love You," and "Happy Birthday!" There are big, brand-name steak companies on the market that routinely advertise their special occasion packages and one of these companies is Omaha Steaks. They may be expensive steaks, but your folks will definitely have a good dinner for their birthday! You also may want to check out some of the other meats that this company has, because they certainly aren’t limited to steaks!

A Delivery of Flowers

Who says that you just have to limit yourself to buying flowers for your significant other on their birthday? Since flowers are an excellent way to say "I Love You," then your parents are great recipients of these types of gifts! There are plenty of ways to do this and there are also plenty of companies online and offline that will deliver flowers. If you are on the opposite side of the country then 1-800-Flowers is a good company to call to order bouquets. In addition, this company also has special and unique gifts you can find that would be perfect for anyone!

Gift Certificates and Subscriptions

Another great gift to give to your parents is a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant or store. In addition, magazine subscriptions are also a neat way to say "Happy Birthday!" If your parents are the type of people to read the newspaper or a certain magazine then these are definitely creative birthday gifts to give instead of the regular old money-inside-the-birthday-card gift. One way in which you may not have thought about giving your parents a birthday surprise is with a Netflix movie subscription! With Netflix your parents don't even need to leave the comfort of their own home to enjoy the gift that you've given them!

All of these things are excellent ways to say "Happy Birthday" to your mom or your dad and they definitely show your appreciation for them on their birthday! Birthdays are meant for gift-giving and these are some excellent gifts to give!

Awesome Birthday Gifts for Anyone

There are plenty of ways to surprise anyone with an awesome birthday gift and there are an unlimited number of ways you can show your love, affection, or friendship with fun gifts that are perfect for anyone! Chances are that you have had the experience on more than one occasion the difficulty of finding the perfect birthday gift for that special someone. Whether you're unsure of the person's tastes or you just don't know what the other likes there are all sorts of problems that you may run into. However, there are always certain birthday presents that are always perfect and just right no matter who you are!

Cash and Gift Cards

Who says that money can't buy happiness? There are all sorts of ways to be creative when you are giving cash as a gift. You can put it in a cute birthday card or you can find a box to put it in. Likewise, gift cards are also another great way to say "Happy Birthday," to that special person in your life. Getting a gift card to a favorite store or restaurant is usually always an exciting feeling and you are certain not to go wrong when you choose to buy a gift card for the friend, husband, wife, boyfriend, or girlfriend in your life! However, if you are going to go this route then you may want to think about just how much you will be putting on the gift card. For example, the most important thing to think about is how much stuff the amount of money can buy that you'll be putting on the gift card!

Unique Gift Ideas

There are plenty of unique gift ideas that anyone can buy that'll express creativity and fun. For example, have you ever thought about giving a trampoline as a gift? How about an above-ground swimming pool? Of course you'll want to make sure that the person you are buying these things for has the proper space, but they make great gifts nonetheless. Trampolines are awesome gifts because most of them hold up to 450lbs, which would be great for children and adults! Likewise, most everyone loves to swim and would take advantage of an above-ground swimming pool for their birthday!

Funny Birthday Movies

Unless the person you are buying for doesn't like watching television and movies at all, it is probably a safe bet that you'll be able to get away with buying funny movies for your chosen birthday gift! You can always buy a bunch of funny and interesting movies to give, or you can buy 1 or 2 movies and combine those with other small and fun birthday presents! A whole hodgepodge of gifts will go over better than nothing at all!

Hopefully now you have some interesting and unique ideas for birthday presents for whoever you are buying for. There are all sorts of things out there for that special person in your life, but gift cards, cash, and unique birthday gifts are almost always certain to bring a smile to their face!

Buying Birthday Presents for your Child

If you are a parent then you probably know all too well about the messy living or family room with all the scattered toys around! Birthday occasions are certain to bring more of the same with your son or daughter receiving multiple gifts at his or her birthday party from all their friends. Of course, even if your child does get many birthday gifts from the other children they certainly still want to get birthday presents from their Mommy or Daddy! After all, the most special of gifts come from their Mom's and Dad's. But if you're going to buy presents for your child, which, of course you definitely should do, here are some important tips about buying presents that'll make the messy toys all the more easier to clean up!

Buy Easy Storage Toys!

There are plenty of toys on the market today that have a whole host of parts and little trinkets to take care of and keep track of. The trick to buying birthday presents for your son or daughter, though, is to find the toys that have minimal clean up! This doesn't necessarily mean that you should deprive your youngster from the popular toys that every other kid is buying them these days, but it simply means that you should look for toys and activities for your kids that will be able to be easily stored away when they are finished playing with them!

Guidelines for Certain Presents!

If you are going to invest in birthday presents for your child that includes a lot of smaller parts then there are also certain things that you can do which would make it easier for your child to store them. For example, if you decide to buy your son a box of legos then you may know that they'll sometimes end up on the living room floor scattered about! However, one of the creative storage ideas to get your son to clean up his toy mess when he's done playing with his legos is to buy him a child's luggage set. A child's luggage set is usually small enough to store some of the smallest packages of legos around and also offers an excellent solution when he wants to take them over to his buddy's house to play.

Buying Dollhouses as Birthday Presents!

If you are dealing with a girl's birthday and you are going to buy her a dollhouse then there are certain dollhouses that are on the market that have easy storage compartments that can also be easily accessed by your child! For example, some dollhouses on the market actually fold up so that all the small pieces are able to fit comfortably inside them and some even have a lock on the side so that nothing will escape!

It's doesn't take an absolute genius to be able to find some of these birthday toy products on the market, however, it takes a little searching to be able to find those fun and exciting toys that are combined with easy storage abilities for the parents of the child that will usually have to clean the toys up! All in all, though, is that these toys should make your son or daughter happy no matter the storage and cleanup factor that goes along with them!

Birthday Gifts for Him

When it comes to giving birthday gifts for a guy, many women are clueless sometimes as to what to get. If that's not bad enough, many of these women are girlfriends, wives, and lovers of the guys that they're trying to buy birthday gifts for. However, even though it seems like one should be able to pick out a birthday gift quickly and easily enough for the man in her life, it simply doesn’t always happen like that. There are many considerations to think about when trying to find that perfect birthday surprise, but one may be interested to find out that the solution to their problem usually lies right under their nose.

Suggestion #1: Listen to him.

Men are usually pretty flexible when it comes to actually receiving birthday gifts, but instead of trying to be a mind reader for his birthday, one suggestion would be to listen in to everything that he says. For example, if he's talking about his brand new car and everything that goes with it then there may be some hints and suggestions in that very conversation (or monologue) that he's having with you about his car. If he says that he wants to get new rims for his car or he's thinking about getting a new exhaust, try surprising him with the very thing that he's talking about. However, if you're not totally sure about what he's talking about then you can always just get him a gift card or gift certificate so that he can spend it somewhere that actually has what he wanted in the first place.

Listening and picking up on simple details as described above will always make for great birthday gifts for your boyfriend or husband. However, if his birthday is nearby and you absolutely have not heard him talk about anything that he's been wanting, another suggestion would be to just ask him what he wants for his birthday. Not only will he be more than happy to tell you about the things that he's had on his list to buy, but he'll also probably be more than happy to give you a few other suggestions, too!

Suggestion #2: Stick with safe gifts!

There have probably been numerous times that there's been a birthday creeping up or a holiday around the corner and you weren't too sure what to get for the man in your life. In these instances it is always okay to go with one of the safe gifts for a birthday or other holiday. Safe gifts are the types of gifts that have the intention of making your man happy, but they may not necessarily be what your husband, boyfriend, or other guy in your life has asked for. For example, you can always treat him to a new scent of cologne if he hasn't asked for it, and that does not necessarily mean to him or you that you don't like his current scent. A couple other suggestions when it comes to safe gifts include something fun and cute, like romantic gifts, new boxer shorts, movies that he's seen and loved, or tools that he needs.

Even though it seems like buying birthday gifts for your husband, boyfriend, or significant other is a big chore, it doesn’t always have to feel like that. By using a couple of these birthday suggestions you'll be guaranteed to give him a great birthday surprise!

Throwing Yourself Your Own Birthday Party

Usually birthday parties are thrown by the friends and family members of the birthday guest of honor, but that is not how it always has to be. There are many cases in which individuals choose to throw their own birthday parties and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you have no one else to spend your birthday with, though, you can always decide to throw yourself a birthday party and have a good time! Who says that you can't go to the movie yourself to have a good time on your birthday? The honest truth is that there are plenty of things that you can do by yourself on your birthday and you don't have to have anyone else with you to do them.

The best part about throwing yourself a birthday party is that you can do anything you want and not feel bad about it. For example, if you want to get bloated with pizza you can. One of the best ways to throw yourself a birthday party is to have a movie marathon day. Going out to rent several movies, ordering pizza, and buying candy is the best way to go if you're going to spend the day at your house just relaxing on the couch. If you're a guy, or a girl for that matter, you can always buy a pack of beer or alcohol and spend the evening on the couch sipping alcohol with your favorite movies and television shows!

Upsides to Your Own Birthday Party!

There are also some upsides to throwing yourself a birthday party and not inviting anyone else. The first upside is that you absolutely don't need any invitations at all. Since you are the only one that's going to be at your birthday party then you don't need to worry about any invitations or any RSVP cards. Another upside to being the only participant to your birthday party is that you don't have to decorate if you don't want to. In fact, there's no reason to decorate because you're not going to have anyone see them anyway.

A third upside to the whole throw-yourself-a-party birthday is that you can do whatever you want whenever you want. If you have a planned birthday party with friends and family then chances are that you'll have to stick with what they want to do. On the other hand, not inviting anyone else over means that you can do whatever you want and can even go out to a bar or a club if you want to. All things considered, there are virtually no downsides to throwing yourself a birthday party!

Birthday Party Essentials

Of course, you don't want to miss out on all the birthday party essentials even though you are going to be the only one at your party. For example, you'll definitely have to buy a birthday cake so that it'll actually feel like your birthday! One thing that you'll miss out on, though, if you don't invite anyone over for your birthday is the opportunity for someone to sing the song "Happy Birthday" to you. Even though that's not a huge part of your birthday, it will still be missing from your special day.

All in all, though, having yourself your very own small and relaxing birthday party is just something that everyone needs every once in awhile. If you are tired of all the hype and commercialization of birthday parties in the store then this may be your perfect opportunity to kick back, relax, and enjoy your own birthday!

Popular Kids' Birthday Party Themes

There are thousands of ways to celebrate your kids' birthdays and if you are a new parent then you are certainly welcoming yourself to a whole new world! Many excited young kids of elementary age always are interested in the latest and most popular new cartoon on television or the latest gadget or movie that they saw! If you are about to throw your child a birthday party for him or her with all of their friends then there are some excellent birthday party themes to go with!

Superheroes Galore!

Whether you are having a boy birthday party or a girl's birthday party there are superheroes to meet every need. For example, parents can choose to throw their boys a Superman, Batman, or Spiderman themed birthday party, while girls have the option of the Powerpuff Girls, Power Rangers, or Cat Woman to choose from for their birthday party!

If you are going to have a superhero themed birthday party, though, there are some essential things that you need to make it happen. For example, if you're throwing your son a Superman birthday party then you may consider buying all the birthday guests a Superman cape to wear while they're there. Additionally, if you're throwing a Batman birthday party then you can more than likely find some batman eye costumes. Girls’ birthday parties are easy too, though. Infiltrating the birthday party with lots of pink and other girl colors will be certain to attract applause from all the kids. There are all sorts of ways to think creatively when dealing with superhero birthday parties and these are a couple ways to have a great party!

The Latest and Most Popular Cartoon Themed Party!

If your son or daughter is not interested in superheroes then he or she may love some of the cartoons that are on television. For example, Spongebob Squarepants is a popular cartoon that a lot of youngsters love to watch! If you want to go with that type of a theme then you could decorate your entire house to go along with the Spongebob Squarepants cartoon show! For example, a real life replica or Spongebob's pineapple that he lives in could be made. Other artifacts of the show could be produced and everyone who attends the birthday party could receive a Spongebob Squarepants DVD to take home.

Of course, there are plenty of other ways to have a kids-themed birthday party. You could make up the theme yourself or you could even enlist the help of the little birthday boy or girl to help plan the whole party! For example, you could create your own character or even just decorate the entire house with one color and make that the theme of the birthday party. All it takes, though, is a little creativity to make your son or daughter's birthday party a smash hit with them and their friends Superheroes, television shows, cartoons, as well as other creative themes will make for a great time for kids' birthdays!

Celebrating Your 50th Birthday!

Millions of people turn 50 each year and you are not alone! There are actually many individuals who have those feelings of sorrow on their 50th birthday for one reason or another. Sometimes those feelings are combined with thoughts that your life is almost over and other time the feelings are accompanied by a mild depression and thoughts that you haven't accomplished much of anything in your life. However, chances are that none of what you are thinking about on your 50th birthday is true and the reality is that your 50th birthday is just as important as the one before it and the birthday that comes after it!

If you are one of those individuals who are starting to feel hopeless on your 50th birthday then you may just want to take a look in the mirror. However, you are not going to look in the mirror for the sole purpose of trying to find all the wrinkles that you've gained, but you'll be looking deep inside yourself to see the things that you've actually accomplished, the people that you've helped, the family that you've given joy to, along with many of the other hopes and joys that you have experienced along the years!

Finding Hope When You're 50!

Hopelessness and helplessness are two feelings of despair which you absolutely do not need to be feeling! As was mentioned, there are many people throughout the world who turn 50 each year and you are absolutely not the only one. If you have a family then you can bet that they'll be wishing you a "Happy Birthday" as well, but maybe you should consider beating them to the punch-line! Here are a few reasons to be happy about your 50th Birthday!

Benefits for Senior Citizens

One thing that may be a fun and cute little perk to enjoy about your 50th birthday is the ability to receive the Senior Citizens' Discount at the many stores and restaurants that offer them. Many stores and businesses appreciate their fellow senior citizens by giving them special discounts up to 10, 15, and even 25% off of the items that they buy! Wait, though: it might not be at age 50 when you are able to receive the Senior Citizen's Discount, but it's sure a fun thing to look forward to!

Retirement!

Depending on what age you are going to retire at, you may be just nearing that retirement stage. There are many people who decide to retire at age 50, but then there are many others who decide to retire a few years after their 50th birthday! In any case, though, your retirement years are just around the corner and you can begin to start thinking and dreaming about all the fun things you'll be doing!

All in all, there is no reason to be depressed and down in the dumps on your 50th birthday! Just by thinking about your 50th birthday as another year on the chalk line should make you happy and relieved! After all, turning 50 is not the end of the world!

Birthday Presents for Boys

Throughout the years birthdays are sure to come and go. If you are a parent of an 8 or 9-year old child then you know this all too well. In fact, you may be thinking that your birthday parties for your son or daughter always turn out to be real fun for both your and your child. Additionally, you may be reminiscing about the fun times that you've had with your little boy or girl on his or her birthday. However, you may also be at a loss for what to get your son for his eighth or ninth birthday. Last year you may have gotten him a construction set or a huge set of legos and possibly everything else imaginable, so what else should you get for your son this year? There are literally millions of suggestions that any parent should think about when it comes to birthday gifts for their eight or nine-year-old son and there are creative ways to gift a gift also.

Birthday Boy Gift Suggestion #1: Tickets!

Is your son too old to go to a sporting event with his father? If you are trying to decide what to get for your son then you may take into consideration buying him tickets to an event that he can go see with his father. For example, what about a football game that he's been dying to see for the past year? Or perhaps he loves baseball games or basketball games? No matter which sport it is then chances are that you can make your son's day by not only giving him a day out with his dad, but making that day a big hit by giving them tickets to a sports event! A birthday event like that can also be coupled with a set of sports items, like a basketball if you are going to see a basketball game and the same goes with football or baseball!

Birthday Boy Gift Suggestion #2: Action Figures Galore!

There are always going to be some sort of action figure out on the market that are just perfect for boys to play with. Small action figures like G.I Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as well as other small boy toys can make a great gift for your son! Think about filling an entire small toy box or bucket with many of these favorite action figures. You can give it to your son, along with model toy cars and whatever else you can fit into the package birthday deal!

Of course, if you son is of the inquisitive type then there are always educational toys that are available in stores. For that matter, educational toys are a great way to introduce new things to your son for his birthday. For example, a telescope kit is a perfect way for you and him to check out the universe and sky together. A couple other educational and learning-type gifts include chemistry sets, electric kits, as well as model airplane birthday sets. There are all sorts of fun ways to experience educational lessons and your son's birthday is one of the perfect times to introduce such things!

As you can see, there are all sorts of interesting toys and things that you can do for your boy's birthday! If you get your son something one year then switch it up the next year by taking into consideration one of these fun, excited, and awesome birthday gifts for your son to enjoy!

When You are Lonely on Your Birthday

There are certainly a plethora of reasons to be happy on your birthday and there are many ways to go about celebrating. But what happens if you have recently experienced the death of a family member or what happens if your husband or wife died many years ago? If those are some of the same situations that you've had on your plate then you may be experiencing a whole lot of sadness, grief, and perhaps loneliness. Furthermore, if you have never married then you may be experiencing loneliness also. The fact of the matter is that there are various reasons for which you could be feeling lonely on your birthday. However, there are plenty of ways to overcome this loneliness. Nobody should have to feel lonely on their birthday, but if you do, here are some tips to staying upbeat and positive:

The Power of People

If you are feeling down in the dumps on your birthday for one reason or another then the number one tip is to surround yourself with some important people in your life. These can either be coworkers or close friends that know your inner secrets. Chances are that if your friends know you very well then they'll know that you are usually down on your birthday anyway. But the secret here is to surround yourself with these people because chances are that they truly want to help.

Along with surrounding yourself with people comes the next tidbit of information: throw yourself a party and invite friends over. The number one way to combat loneliness and depression is to actually do something about it. Throwing yourself a birthday party is one of the best ways that you can possibly think of to get over the lonely feelings that you're having. The party doesn't have to be anything extraordinary, either, but just some rough outlines of what you want to do at your personal birthday party with your friends!

Just Go Shopping!

There is a very important phrase that has nothing to do with being lonely on your birthday, but the phrase is "Money Can't Buy Happiness." However, it wouldn't hurt to go shopping and splurge on yourself if you're feeling lonely. Even though going shopping will not help with the problem of loneliness, it definitely will help you feel better in some aspect about yourself and your situation. After all, buying birthday presents doesn't just have to be something that other people do for you, but you can get yourself what you've been wanting for a long time!

The number one thing to remember on your birthday is that the occasion is all about you. Yes, it is perfectly okay to remember those who have left you in some manner or another, but feeling down and lonely definitely won't solve the problem. Since it's your birthday the best thing to do would be splurge on yourself, hang out with the close friends that you have, and try to be in a good mood for your special day!

Celebrating your 21st Birthday

Everyone deserves something a little extra on their birthday! What's better than getting a party started to celebrate the day of your birth? Certainly the 21st birthday has a milestone attached to it, at least in the United States, because of the fact that individuals are allowed to drink alcohol without the supervision of their parents! For many people that's a special and unique milestone to surpass, which deserves the occasion of partying your heart out! Many men and women take the occasion of their 21st birthday to hit up the clubs, bars, and whatever other drinking and party scenes that they can think of at the time. However, there are very dangerous situations that one can get into by celebrating their 21st birthday in this way. This is not to say that you shouldn't give yourself a little bit of fun, but your 21st birthday should be something that you deal with responsibly also.

So if you are about to turn 21 and you're thinking to yourself that you're going to hit the town the eve of your 21st birthday, here are some important tips and reminders to think about before having a night out on the town!

Bring a Responsible Friend

This is one of the most important messages that young adults turning 21 need to hear. If you do decide to go out to a bar, club, or other alcohol scene then a designated driver is a must! Many people use designated drivers as their way to get home and to help them if they accidentally get into trouble while they're intoxicated. You may be surprised to learn that hundreds of thousands of people already use designated drivers on their birthday, but many others still haven't learned the concept! Not only will a designated driver chauffer you home but he or she also should be responsible to either not have anything to drink at all or to have very little alcohol in their system!

Enjoy the Night-- Don't get Trashed!

Everyone loves to get a little buzzed every once in a while and what better time to do this than your 21st birthday? However, you should remember to have fun on your birthday and not just get trashed because you're turning 21. So what if you're able to drink legally and without the consent of your parents? Certainly you will have plenty more days, months, and years ahead of you where you can drink legally without your parents, which is why the number one focus of your 21st birthday should be about yourself and remembering to have fun in the midst of this awesome milestone and celebration!

Of course, there are absolutely other great alternatives to celebrating your 21st birthday if you don't necessarily want to get drunk and be forced to hitch a ride from your D.D. For example, getting together with a bunch of friends and going to the movies, restaurant that serves alcohol, as well as many other fun entertainment ideas should be used. You could even celebrate your birthday by having a little alcohol in the house and sharing it with your friends!

These are all excellent ways to celebrate your 21st birthday and they are all important things to remember if you insist on going to clubs and bars on your birthday! A designated driver can be a good person to help you out, but remember: you may not even need to hit up all the clubs and bars on your birthday as long as you’re having fun and celebrating!

Getting that Birthday Gift that You Want

There is no doubt that your birthday is a special time of the year and you definitely need to celebrate it in any way that you can! If your family and friends are around then chances are that they'll want to help you celebrate your birthday also, but what about what you want? If there are certain birthday gifts that you've been dying for then your birthday is the perfect chance to be able to get them all!

If you're wondering how to go about telling your family and friends what you want for your birthday, there are definitely several ways to go about doing so. First of all, making a list and passing it around to your family and friends is an excellent way to go about telling them what you want, but this may come off as pretentious and conceited. Gift lists are also made around Christmas-time, which is why it shouldn't come off as conceited, but many times it is. One idea to tell everyone what you want for your birthday is to hint at what you've been wanting for quite some time. For example, if there is a list of movies that you want for yourself then you can always strike up a conversation about movies with your family and friends. Conversations are excellent ways to get what you want for your birthday!

What to Do if your Family and Friends Fail

The simple fact of the matter is that many times family and friends may put off getting you a birthday gift until the night before or the day of your birthday! When that day comes they may be at a loss for what to get you and they may end up getting you something that you didn't even want. If this happens then there are obvious choices that you have.

First, you can always return the gifts that you were given and exchange them for the stuff that you actually want. This may strike a discord with the people who gave you the gifts, though, so you may not want to do that.

Another idea, and perhaps the best idea of all, is to buy yourself the birthday gifts that you've been wanting. If you are the type of person to hardly ever spend anything on yourself then your birthday is the most excellent time to do this! Certainly if you can't afford it then it is another story, but there are plenty of people who will spend hundreds of dollars on themselves just because it's their birthday! This is a totally healthy thing to do, especially if you hardly ever buy anything else for yourself year-round. Everyone deserves to splurge on themselves every once in a while!

All in all, the point that is being made here is the fact that you shouldn't feel bad that you want yourself to receive nice things for your birthday! After all, this is your day to do whatever you want to do! So if your family and friends just do not come through for your birthday wishes then the best thing to do would be to make it happen for yourself!

Romantic Birthday Ideas with you Spouse

If you are like most people then you are probably thinking that you birthday is just one more year to chalk up to the rest of your life. Although if you're married and it's your birthday then something definitely needs to be said about the romantic factor. Whoever you are married to there always needs to be romance in your marriage with any special occasion and your birthday is the perfect chance to have one of the best times of your life with your spouse. A lot of times spouses celebrate each other's birthdays in the beginning of their marriage, but oftentimes birthdays just turn into a dull and boring occasion throughout the marriage. This should not happen. If it has already happened to you then it's time to stand up and put that zing back into your marriage while celebrating your birthday. Here are a few ideas to make it happen:

Traditional Birthday Dinner

We've all heard about the birthday ritual of choosing a place to go out to eat on your birthday, but if you are looking for a romantic time to celebrate yours or your spouse's birthday then there is nothing better then celebrating the occasion with a romantic birthday dinner. It doesn't necessarily have to be homemade, but it sure is a whole lot more romantic if it is! Try cooking up a couple steaks, barbequed ribs, or your favorite meal along with a candle-lit scene to bring you two into the mood. The dinner can be followed by your favorite dessert and then a more romantic dessert that's shared by the couple.

Take your Spouse Out

There are plenty of ways to be romantic on your spouse's birthday. For example, you can get them the birthday gift that they've been wanting for quite some time and they'll be sure to appreciate it. However, couples should definitely go beyond the gift-giving event of the birthday and do something totally special and out of the ordinary. Going to the movie theater is always romantic, but there are more creative ways to have a romantic time out also. For example, you could have a romantic picnic in the park followed by a round of ice skating. Going to the zoo is also something that many couples usually don't do and a birthday is the perfect occasion to do something like this!

If you have tried all of these suggestions and have found that none of them have worked then it's time to ask your spouse directly what he or she wants to do. Having a romantic time on your birthday definitely is a two-way street, a street in which both individuals should discuss what they want to do.

Communication is a large part of having the romantic occasion that's being talked about and who knows how to have a romantic birthday better than the two in love? Nevertheless, though, romantic dinners, candle-light dinner, as well as a romantic occasion out on the town are all sure-fire ways to light up the night and romance in a marriage!

Important Birthday Milestones

Unless you are a total downer then you are probably among the billions of people who celebrate their birthday every year. Birthdays are a fun event to be celebrated and there are a dozen ways in which your birthday can be turned into an awesome day for everyone! There are definitely some important birthday dates, though, and these usually revolve around a special birthday tradition for the age that you're celebrating. Chances are that you already know about the birthdays that you have celebrated, but here are some important birthday milestones for the ages that you have not quite reached yet!

Your 16th Birthday Milestone!

When your young and in high school many people could not wait for their 16th birthday! In many of the States in America age 16 is the age at which you can officially get your drivers license and go out driving without your parents. Many high school students continue to celebrate their 16th birthday by taking road trips during the Summer or during Winter or Spring break if their birthday falls during the school year. An even more important concept is parents who buy cars for their children at this age because a car is an excellent gift for a 16th birthday!

Your 18th Birthday Milestone!

This is an even more important birthday milestone just because of the fact that many young adults can't wait to graduate high school and leave the house that they've lived in all their lives so far! The 18th birthday signifies freedom, usually maturity, as well as independence for most people.

Your 30th Birthday Milestone!

Some people don't consider their 30th birthday to be all that of a big deal, however, some men and some women do find it a little disheartening to turn 30. Sometimes it means that they're on their way to being old-aged and other times individuals may become a little depressed over the thought of their goals that haven't been accomplished yet. Turning 30, though, doesn't have to be all gloom and doom and should be celebrated!

Your 50th Birthday Milestone!

This is another birthday that may have some gloom and doom along with it and it may perhaps be followed by a short mid-life crisis. As with your 30th birthday, though, age 50 should be celebrated. It shouldn't be a sign that you're getting older; on the other hand, you should look at it as though you are getting wiser and smarter than the younger people on the planet!

Your 75th Birthday Milestone!

Even though some people may not make it to 75, you may be reminiscing at this point if you have reached age 75. Many elderly people think back to the good days when they were young and would relish the thought of being 20 again!

These are the most important birthdays that you could celebrate in your lifetime! Many good things happen when you hit these milestones. This is not to say, of course, that good birthdays aren't sprinkled in between these milestones, but they certainly have a nostalgia that comes along with them!

Birthday Party Tips for your Kids!

There are probably times when you have reminisced about and remembered the many birthday parties that you had as a kid and remembered how they were real fun for you and your friends! Today, kids still want to have fun at their birthday parties and there seems to always be some parents who want to throw their kids the birthday parties of a lifetime! If you're one of those parent's then you probably already know that you should not only keep the birthday party safe but that it should also be well chaperoned. If you are bound and determined to throw your child a great birthday party then there are always some tips to keep in mind to make sure that it's a safe and happy time for everyone.

First of all, if your child's friends are coming over to your house then you'll want to be prepared. One of the first steps in preparation for your kid's birthday party is the activities that'll be done. There are a whole host of activities that the children can do when they come over to your house to have fun at a birthday party! For example, you could turn the whole day into a big movie marathon with plenty of candy and popcorn to go around. If you want to go this route then a good idea would be to hold a vote with the children about which movies that they'd like to watch. Or, if you'd prefer, the birthday son or daughter can be the one to pick out the majority of the movies that everyone will be watching.

Aside from a movie marathon event, however, there should always be some backup activities. For example, having a piñata at your home is always a fun event for a children's birthday party, as well as traditional birthday party games, like "Pin the Tail on the Donkey." There are plenty of ways to get ideas for birthday fun; whether you research different birthday games on the internet or you ask for advice, there are plenty of activities to keep everyone busy for the whole time that they are at your house!

Another birthday party tip that you'll want to remember is to always have food on hand. Whether it's plenty of pizza to go around or a non-stop candy bowl, children are always going to be hungry. And what's better then being able to pig out at a birthday party! Kids are usually voracious little creatures, so be sure to have plenty of soda pop, food, and snacks around for everyone to enjoy! One safe thing to keep in mind, though, is food allergies of the other kids. You may want to ask each individual parent if their children are allergic to any food items so that you can be sure that it won't be served. This is the safest way to protect everything from anything potentially harmful!

If you opt not to hold your child's birthday party at your house, though, you can always take it upon yourself to take everyone to a bowling alley or other fun place. For example, Chuck E. Cheese is another excellent place to hold your child's birthday party. If you decide to go this route, though, making sure you have plenty of help and supervision is crucial!

All of these things are important to remember when thinking about holding a birthday party for your son or daughter! Your child's birthday party absolutely does not have to be a big hassle, but you do have to remember important advice about fun and safety!

Throwing a Surprise Birthday Party

Surprise birthday parties are always a fun way to celebrate your or somebody else's birthday. Of course, if you are going to throw a surprise birthday party then it may be a little strange to throw one for yourself. Nevertheless, people do throw themselves surprise birthday parties every once in a while, even though the great majority of the time they are thrown for other people.

If you are excited about throwing your best friend a surprise birthday party then chances are that you've thought about just how you're going to do it. However, if you've never ever thrown anybody a surprise party then you may be a little confused or worried as to how you are going to pull it off. Fortunately, here are some tidbits of information to go off of when planning this big hit:

Involve Many, Many People

It may go without saying but birthday parties are always more fun when they involve a whole lot of people. A surprise birthday party just wouldn't be as fun if it was just you and one other person. But inviting more people can also help get a lot more things done than if it was just yourself. By inviting more people to the surprise birthday party for your friend or family member then you easily delegate out some of the responsibilities of actually planning and making the whole birthday party come together to be an awesome evening of fun! For example, you'll need plenty of decorations, food, and door prizes, as well as music and entertainment if the surprise birthday party is going to be a success!

Decorate, Decorate, And Decorate!

Of course, this also may go without saying, but anytime you want to throw a surprise birthday party then you definitely need lots and lots of decorations. Depending on where the location you are holding the birthday party at then it may be easy or more difficult to decorate. However, you'll want to have plenty of balloons, streamers, as well as Happy Birthday banners to hang up so that it'll feel like a lot of hard work and planning went into this surprise birthday party!

The Trick of the Surprise Birthday Party!

The main element, of course, of the surprise birthday party is the actual surprise for the person that you are holding it for. You definitely don't want the birthday guest of honor to know that anything is going on, so you may have to have a co-conspirator in the surprise birthday party planning take your friend or family member out that day so that plans can be made and the house or other building can be easily decorated.

Surprise birthday parties are always a whole lot of fun and these are just some of the things that you need to have an awesome one for your family member or friend. Decorations, keeping it a secret, as well as inviting plenty of people to celebrate this special occasion are all essential elements of the surprise birthday party!

Special Birthday Traditions

Everyone in the world certainly has some special birthday tradition that they hold dear and that they've practiced in their family for as long as they can remember. In the United States, birthdays are certainly a special occasion and are made so even more by the family and friends that we celebrate them with. Youngsters always have special birthday blowout parties, while older adults find themselves doing something special on their birthday as well.

However, have you ever wondered about some of the birthday traditions and how they got started? Why do people get "spanked" on their birthday, for example? What's the significance of the birthday cake and how did it get started? There are actually many things that we do on our birthdays, especially in America, which we may be totally clueless as to how the tradition started. Well, if you are wondering why we get "spanked" and how the birthday cake became popular then keep reading as we will debunk these mysteries as well as tell you about some of the other interesting facts about birthdays.

Why do we get "Spanked" on our Birthday?

Children are the ones that typically get spanked on their birthdays as adults are much too old for this kind of ritual. However, if you have ever wondered why children get the number of spanks as they are for each year they've turned, you may be interested to know that this tradition started a long time ago with some early folklore. Children would typically get spanked on their birthdays because people were actually afraid of death. People believed that spanking would toughen your body up so that you wouldn't die. Now how's that for an interesting story?

How did the Birthday Cake originate?

The birthday cake did not originate in America as most people would have thought. In fact, most people don't even give a second thought to the people who actually started this tradition. As it turns out, in the early times Greeks made round cakes (which later became called "Birthday Cakes") to symbolize the moon and the candles on the cake would symbolize the moon's brightness. Even more interesting, though, is that they were actually praying to the goddess of the moon when they did all of this on their birthdays. So Americans can thank the early Greeks for contributing to the tradition of the Birthday Cake.

Another interesting Birthday Tradition

Religious traditions are always interesting to read about, but one of the most interesting of all traditions comes from the Pagans. Paganistic individuals actually celebrated people's birthdays but not for the sole purpose of having a good time. These people thought that parties full of celebration and laughter kept evil spirits away, which is why they celebrated birthdays!

All of these little known facts are pretty interesting stories about birthday traditions and folklore. So the next time you celebrate your birthday just think about all the small traditions that you continue to do and how they actually got started.

Making Personalized Birthday Party Invitations

Whether you are inviting close family members, extended family members, or even your friends to your very own birthday party then chances are that you'll want to let them know in a creative and fun way that you are going to hold a birthday party! There are many ways to do this, ranging from calling them on the phone and letting them know personally all the way to sending out actual birthday party invitations with an RSVP card and everything. Suffice it to say that there are plenty of ways to create your own birthday party invitations. Here are a few extra special and creative ways, though, to make sure that everyone knows about you special day!

Ring, Ring, Ring!

As mentioned, one of the ways in which you can let everyone know about your birthday party is through a phone call. However, the manner in which you do this is the way in which it can be turned into a creative announcement. For example, speaking to everyone you would like to invite individually can be fun, but a more fun way to announce your birthday party is through phone call announcements.

For example, the first step to creating your phone call birthday announcements is by recording yourself on a recorder. You can make a short announcement about your birthday party or you could make up another creative script that tells about your birthday party. You'll want to make sure that you include all the pertinent information, such as where it will be held, what time, as well as what to get you for your birthday gift! These phone call announcements sure will be cute, fun, and a good time for your guests to hear!

Email Birthday Party Invitations

This is another unique way to announce that you are going to hold a birthday party for yourself! You could either write out a regular email to all your family and friends that you're going to invite or you could do this in another creative way. For example, sending out Happy Birthday e-cards to everyone is a cute idea to announce that it's going to be your birthday and that you are going to throw yourself a great birthday party! As with the phone birthday invitations you'll want to include all of the same information like where it'll be and what to bring, if anything.

When sending out email birthday announcements and e-cards you always have the option of being more creative than just telling people over the phone when your big day will be! Not only that, but they are fun methods, too!

Of course, the tried and true method of announcing your birthday party is always still available; however, many people nowadays seem to think this way is boring. Also, by following the suggestions above just think about how many trees you'll be saving! Nevertheless, making phone birthday party invitations or announcing it by email are two great ways to let your family and friends in on the fun!