Rick Houser
As we all know and in most cases take for granted the day we arrived on this planet comes around annually. These days I feel there is more emphasis put on a person’s birthday than when I was growing up. I am not saying if this is right or wrong or bad or good, I’m only saying it was different in our day. As with all other things times are different than when I was a boy and change comes with time.

When I was growing up in the 50s and 60s a birthday party was a celebration one got to enjoy at our house twice from the time of our birth to coming of age, which I was told was 18. I know Peg and Ben both said they only got two also. I got one at the age of six (just before entering school) and one at sixteen (when I got my driver’s license and that was the biggest gift I could wish for). Of course we got presents each year during the no party years and a meal with our choice of entrée and dessert. But to get kids my own age over was at six almost a new experience for me.

As I have said before we lived on a farm and neighbors, friends and relatives lived at a distance that made getting together something that mostly happened at a holiday or the family reunion or church. But getting to pick my guests? Oh boy! Making the list consisted of maybe five boys. Remember at age 6 there were no girls allowed. We didn’t want cooties, you know.

Now when that 16th birthday party rolled around making an invitation list had changed to just how many girls I thought would attend. (I don’t recall very many showing up.) Dad had prepared the hay wagon with lights and had the tractor lights on, as we were going to have a hayride as the center event. Since my birthday is in June my parties could be held outdoors and were really fun. I mean with kids my age at my house to play with and lots of cake and ice cream and all those presents just for me? How couldn’t it be fun?

So let us fast forward to today. A person’s birthday rolls around and automatically there is party thrown. Family and friends are invited, and rightfully so as we will be invited back in return to their party. The entree probably will be pizza or subs. Dessert will come from a bakery or an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. More times than not the one with the birthday receives many gift and that to me is the part that was and still is good. It is the way it is these days. I have been thinking about why people have a party every year and do all the other things (except the presents!) that go along with the party.

In the era I was growing up my mom made the cake and the snacks and treats from scratch and this was very time consuming to a mother who carried an already full list of chores to do. Buying decorations was harder then also, as probably the closest place to buy was the 5 and 10 cent store in Bethel and the variety was slimmer then and the cost was considered on a little more before the purchase.

Yes moms showed just how much they did care and we as kids didn’t even acknowledge it. Today is so very different. Parents can load a child in the van and invite friends to meet them at Chuckie Cheese. (Where?) If the party is at home a parent can get on the internet and order the decorations and even the gifts and have them delivered to their door. (Internet?) This is such a different time than my youth that comparing is just not really fair. But with today’s conveniences and technology so much more can be done and more often than not that is what happens. The birthday party has evolved so much. The word piñata never was spoken or heard of in my youth.

There are a couple of areas to a birthday party that are the same. The parents today care just as much about making their child happy as best as they can. Second is when the party is over and the parent leans back to catch their breath from all their efforts, they look at their child and wonder if their child really enjoyed what was just done for them. Right here is where the years I grew up match today’s parents. Yes they do appreciate what was done for them and it will probably be years before they ever get around to saying thanks mom and dad, and by the way, I Iove you for doing that!

Rick Houser grew up on a farm near Moscow in Clermont County and loves to share stories about his youth and other topics. He may be reached at houser734@yahoo.com.