Many happy returns

Since my birthday is in January, I always seem to have a delayed reaction to the new year. For me, it’s almost like the official beginning to my year, setting an annual tone, and this year is no different. However, what I realized is that this year I’m actually one of the last to have a quarantine birthday.

After last year’s grand getaway with my mom (which we do every year!), I watched all my friends and family move through the quarantine birthday, doing the best that they can to enjoy their day. So, while this birthday might be different than in years past, it might actually be the one I need right now. Simple, timeless, relaxing, and actually, quite nostalgic.

The reason I say nostalgic is that small birthdays are not new to me. As an only child, I had many of them over the years, just me and my parents, and I absolutely relished in every single one! They always consisted of a special dinner, lots of presents, and of course, cake! Some years we would actually go somewhere else other than home - when I was younger, many times it would be skiing in Lake Tahoe, and as I got older, we would do overnight trips to San Francisco. Regardless of where we were, whether it was a ski lodge, a fancy hotel, or at home, it was usually the three of us celebrating a new year and a new adventure together. As an adult, I’ve had the privilege of enjoying a girls’ weekend with my mom every year for the past 8 years. We would go to to our favorite local hotel, belly up to the bar, and watch the sunset together with a cocktail in hand. Those birthday years were some of the best! But traditions have to evolve at some point right?

So this year, I started a new tradition. If you can believe it, I’ve never actually made my own birthday cake! I thought what the heck, I might as well take a crack at it since I had the time. Instead of rushing to pack for a long weekend away, I spent that time creating layers of decadent chocolate cake, whipping up a fudgy chocolate buttercream, fluffing fresh flowers, and even icing the cake with my son. It was so much fun, and so relaxing, that I think it’s a tradition I’ll keep. :)