In America today, one of the things we think of when we think about birthdays are cheap party supplies. We think of hats and balloons and candles and bowling party supplies and of course cakes and gifts - but birthdays not only give rise to a whole industry but also many interesting related matters.
For example, take the un-birthday. (For which one may still need cheap party supplies, by the way.) First coined, of course, by Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking-Glass (better known today through the Disney animated adaptation "Alice in Wonderland"), an un-birthday is simply a celebration that can take place on any day which one was not born - to commemorate...one's not having been born on that day!
Carroll's beloved classic is treasured for just such whimsicalities, which actually make sense, in a strange, ticklish way. After all, why not an un-birthday? This way, we can celebrate almost every day! And not only that, but one's un-birthday is guaranteed to also be the un-birthday of many, many others - much, much more so than one's birthday! Imagine gifts and desserts every day (not to mention cheap party supplies!)...that's an un-birthday!
Much less outlandish - and actually practiced, though apparently only in parts of the American Midwest - is the grand birthday, a very special occasion indeed when one's age turns the very number of one's birth date. Also known as a golden birthday, lucky birthday, champagne birthday, and star birthday, it is marked with extra frivolity and, in all likelihood, extra gifts. There's also the decimal birthday, celebrated by many young professionals with a technical background in mathematics or computer science, commemorating every thousandth day of life, with special recognition for the ten-thousandth day of life. While seemingly whimsical, there are related traditions in the world of much older pedigree, such as the Korean commemoration of the one-hundredth day of a toddler's life.
Think all those are funny? How about a half-birthday? Many also commemorate the day exactly six months before their real birthday! It's often done if their real birthdays happen to fall on very popular holidays such as Christmas or New Year's Eve; by celebrating a half-birthday in such cases, these people can celebrate with coworkers or fellow classmates since most schools and businesses are closed during those holidays. After all, wouldn't you hate it if your birthday was December 25 and you got shortchanged on presents but have no way of proving it?
Author Resource:-
Written by Paul Wise, who has had birthday parties before with cheap party supplies, recommends BargainsLane.com for bowling party supplies and other party necessities.
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