Point of view
Like many of us, our columnist feels she has everything she needs. So what she wants for her birthday is the most special gift of all – fun time with friends
Do you celebrate your birthday? Are you the kind of person who insists on a party, a cake, fireworks and a parade? Or are you more of a let-it-slide-past-with-little-reference person? I used to be very much the former; not only did I want everyone, everywhere to wish me all the best (the badge on my cardigan would provide the relevant clue), but I’d also spend the 11 months before the big day researching the perfect present to be ‘surprised’ by. I even extended the fun by having ‘birthday eve’ and ‘birthday Boxing Day’ and the year I turned 30, I insisted that the whole of November was ‘birthday month’. It may not surprise you to know that I’m a Scorpio – in my opinion, the most dramatic and demanding of all the star signs.
As I’ve got older, things have changed. Now I struggle to think of something I want as a gift. Partly because I’m trying to rid my life of unnecessary products to reduce waste, but mostly because I pretty much have everything I could ever need. In fact, the faster I approach the age of 50, the less I seem to want. A nice cup of tea, a cat on my lap and some peace and quiet and I’m in heaven. What I do lack in my life is time with my friends and family. So, this year, when anyone asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I changed tack. Instead of a brightly wrapped present, I have challenged my pals to give me an experience. It doesn’t need to cost a penny, but it must be something that we do together, so we can spend quality time in each other’s company. Some people have loved the idea and immediately came up with something fabulous; others would prefer that I sent them an online wish list, so they could click my birthday off their list. But as I’ve explained the point of the plan, they’ve started to relish the chance to do something a bit different.
My friend Rodger is taking me for a round of golf, which means I’ll have three hours or so of uninterrupted fun as we battle the course. I’m going window shopping for diamond rings with Pamela. We won’t buy anything but will spend a long time looking at things we can’t afford. We might even pluck up the courage to try on a giant gem that costs more than my house, then quickly give it back
