FIRST (MIDDLE) AND LAST BIRTHDAY PARTIES

First Middle and Last Birthday Parties - from parties with school friends to work friends

BIRTHDAY PARTIES

When I was a young thing we didn't have giant birthday parties when we were toddlers. A birthday party didn't happen until we reached Primary School and asked our Mums if we could have a few friends come to our house to celebrate - no event parties, no clowns, no magicians, nothing fancy - just your friends and a birthday cake and a photo.

BABY BIRTHDAY

Seeing baby pictures are so cute, I found this one of me as a baby on my first birthday - I didn't count it in the First (Middle) Last series because it's not a party, but who can resist a smiling baby and birthday cake?

First Middle and Last Birthday Parties - from parties with school friends to work friends

FIRST

My first "real" birthday party was when I was in Grade 1 at Primary School. I turned six in November and was allowed to have a few friends over to my house for a party. This is the group out in the backyard for another one of those black and white photos where we had to stare into the sun - I'm on the end at the front on the right. You can see that the really awful "pixie" haircut has started to grow out - and obviously haircuts were pretty basic back in those days judging by my fellow guests!

First Middle and Last Birthday Parties - from parties with school friends to work friends

MIDDLE

This was my next birthday party in my final year of Primary School. I'm turning 12 and it was a "Hippy" themed party for some reason known only to my 12 year old self. My little brother had to get in on the act and is in front of me looking very proud to have been included. 

This was my last school aged birthday party - nobody really threw birthday parties much when I was in High School that I have any memory of.

First Middle and Last Birthday Parties - from parties with school friends to work friends

LAST

My last birthday party was when I turned 50 and I wrote about it recently HERE. I don't have a group shot from the day, but I found this photo when I was flipping through the photo albums. It was taken in my first year away from home - this unlikely lot of miscreants are actually all teachers who I was friends with in my first country posting as a Dental Therapist. 

One of the girls had glandular fever and couldn't come to the party, so we took the party to her - stopping on the way to pick up some masks in the vain hope we'd be germ free. She also had a kitten and I think the guy on the left is helping it to blow out my candles. I'm on the far right at the front - it's my 20th birthday and this was the era of the "Princess Di" haircut btw!

First Middle and Last Birthday Parties - from parties with school friends to work friends

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Do you have any birthday party memories? Did you get to invite the whole neighbourhood and have something spectacular? Or were your parties fairly low key like mine? If you have a photo of yourself at your birthday party (or a cute baby birthday pic) feel free to share it in the comments on my Facebook Page.

First Middle and Last Birthday Parties - from parties with school friends to work friends

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24 comments

  1. I love birthday parties of all kinds, Leanne. Wishing you a great birthday next week...with lots of delicious cake!!

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    1. Thanks so much Donna - I think I have a birthday lunch and a birthday tea planned so far - I could be on a diet for the rest of November at this rate!

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  2. I have pictures of my first. And memories of my first 'mixed' birthday party. That's it. But so fun!

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    1. We have so few photos of our childhood Diane but that makes them more special I think - and memories are a nice way to look back too.

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  3. I had a fabulous 40th and was just discussing my 50th with the hubby. It will be private, low key and something that will change my life forever.

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    1. Your 50th sounds really interesting Elise - I'll be popping over to your blog regularly to check out when you post about it - you've intrigued me :)

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  4. I love birthday parties at any age. My earliest memory is of one at the age of 5 and I'm not sure what this says about me but I clearly recall my excitement because my Nanna gave me a five pound note. It was so pretty! I wish I had invested it then, I could be living off the proceeds.
    Seriously though I love birthday celebrations and consider myself lucky to have enjoyed a couple of them in Europe in recent years. That makes the occasion very special for me.

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    1. A five pound note would have been a LOT of money back in our childhood days - I'm letting my birthdays get smaller these days - dropping any expectations and just enjoying the day for what it is - that works for me best atm.

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  5. I can't remember having a birthday party when I was a child. I think the first birthday party I had at home was for my 21st birthday. My parents weren't into childhood birthday parties and I'm sure my brothers and sister never had a party either. I had a party for my 50th birthday, but otherwise I don't particularly like big parties. I enjoy small gatherings with close friends and family. #TeamLovinLife

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    1. I'm much the same Kathy - it's funny how birthday parties were so unimportant back in our days - I keep thinking I've forgotten one but I just never had any others. Today every kid seems to celebrate every birthday with every kid they know - it must be exhausting for their parents! And I'm with you on the small gathering thing too!

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  6. Birthdays have always been a problem for me as it falls on 28 December. So as a kid, school was out and people were on holidays. Usually we just did something as a family though I have photographs from one party I had in primary school with friends, which I assume took place before school holidays.

    I still grapple with the timing thing now. I'd much prefer to celebrate on my actual birthday but for my 40th a lot of people I would have liked there were away.

    And as you know from my latest post, I'm currently pondering my 50th! #teamlovinlife

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    1. My brother's birthday is 27th Dec and he had the same problem Deb - along with the combined Christmas/birthday present - slightly bigger but definitely not better than two separate presents. I hope you find the perfect celebration for your 50th - regardless of what you choose, I'm sure you'll look back on it with fond memories.

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  7. I've never been one for big parties ... although when I turned 50 my hubby and my daughter encouraged me to have a celebration with lots of people, and the them of Hollywood Nights. I can remember my first celebratory birthday when I was 12 and being horse mad, Mum ordered me a big cake in the shape of a horse show with the most delicious coffee, crunchy icing. I've never forgotten it.

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    1. Wow a horse shaped cake is very impressive for a birthday back in the 70's Jo - you were very spoiled! I bet your 50th was amazing - I wouldn't have been able to cope with that sort of scale - but if your hubby and daughter organized it all, that would have taken a lot of the pressure off.

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  8. I have to say I'm no a big fan of birthday parties. I did have them when I was little, though nowhere near as fancy as they are nowadays but once I was old enough I've chosen to go away, at least for the big ones - it takes a decade to save up for the things I want to do!

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    1. I know what you mean Emma - I just can't be bothered with all the fuss and to-do that goes with big celebrations - I always feel a bit awkward being the centre of attention. I think I'll plan a holiday when my next big decade birthday rolls around - and escape for all the fuss.

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  9. Birthdays have always been important, but I haven't had a party since I was 21. I spent ages planning my 50th - what we'd do, where we'd have it. Then we moved & after brekky with Grant & Sarah in Qld I spent my 50th birthday on a Jetstar flight & dealing with Sydney public transport to get home in order to greet people who were buying furniture off me. Far from being surrounded with friends & Abba songs, I was packing. You know what they say about the best laid plans. #TeamLovinLife

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    1. I love that Jo - especially about selling furniture vs being surrounded by friends and Abba songs (the ultimate 50th party!) Maybe when 60 rolls around you can make up for it - I won't be partying then - a nice holiday away sounds more like my cup of tea.

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  10. It's funny... that don't remember having a whole lots of birthday parties... I think we mainly celebrated with our friend son the street. It wasn't like nowadays, parties for kids is like this big competition between everyone! #teamlovinlife

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    1. I am so glad my birthdays (and my kids' birthdays) were more low key than the extravaganzas they have these days - I'd probably have had a meltdown from the pressure of trying to compete! And I totally don't get the fuss made of baby arrivals and birthdays either - the poor kids must be so stressed out!

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  11. Like you, my first birthday party was when I turned 6, during the summer holidays between Year 1 and Year 2. I remember going out with a crowd for my 23rd birthday at the Pancake Manor, but to be honest I'm really not a party person so that's about it for me I think!

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  12. I never really thought about it before, but we did not have birthday parties as regularly in my childhood either. Nobody had big parties for toddlers. My first party was with a few friends in 4th grade. I did not celebrate as an adult until I gave myself a party when we moved and I turned 56. It was about time!

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  13. My husband threw a surprise party for me on my 40th. I had just had a baby, and really don't enjoy surprises, but it was still fun.

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  14. Aw memories! My birthday parties were very low key as well, but in those days everyone's was, unlike today's world! Thank you for sharing your birthdays at the #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty.

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