Birthday Traditions

Nine years ago my wife informed me that we were going out for my birthday. I don’t remember if I was expecting a movie or some other activity, but I didn’t have much time to wonder—we only drove three blocks and stopped in front of a neighbor’s house. “I just have to get something,” she told me, but urged me to come with her to the door. Being somewhat clueless generally, I didn’t suspect anything. Not until the door opened and a dozen people yelled, “Surprise!” Yes, she had planned a surprise birthday party for me with all of our friends in our new neighborhood. And, because she really loved me, she had arranged for the guys to play Risk while the girls played other games. Do I have an awesome wife, or what? (And do not answer, “what.”)

Since then this has become an annual tradition. The attendees have changed from year to year, although the core remains the same. Some years several couldn’t make it, and so Risk had to wait until another year. But it was really about the friendships, anyway.

This year we are going to try and start a new tradition—really an extension of the old. You see, we have been holding these birthday parties in our old neighborhood in Orem with the friends we have there. Now we want to do the same thing with our new friends in Provo. So, if you’re reading this and have some time to come by on April 24th, you are heartily invited, whether you live in our Provo neighborhood or not. It promises to be a pretty large gathering. Games* will be played. A good time will be had by all. I hope to see you there.

(*Games include, but are not limited to, Apples to Apples, Risk, Cranium, Flux (Monty Python Edition), The Great Dalmuti, and many others. Bring your own! And I should mention that my brother-in-law gave me a new version of Risk for my birthday this year. It took some time to learn, but it’s a lot of fun, too. I’m sure it will be one of the games out on the 25th.)