Five for....Recession Birthdays

Ten years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. Ten years ago they told me I’d be around for about 2 more years…
18 months later, I was miraculously clear of all cancer. This was a miracle because it happened through prayer alone (but that is a post for another time) Anyway, I realized the preciousness of life and how it should be celebrated. When I turned 30, I made a special trip back home and the celebration was truly special. I vowed that ALL my birthdays would be as special from now on.

Next moth I will turn the BIG 4-0. Celebrating does not seem as easy. Like everyone else, life has happened. We have been blessed with three children and they cost MONEY. (I know, it’s a shocker.) Like everyone else, we’ve been hit by the RECESSION. In short….the funds are tight. So, finding an appropriate way to celebrate this milestone in my life is proving challenging.

There are a few options so far:
1. Have a party at home.
This option is OK…but the word that keeps coming to mind is…BORING…it seems just like any other birthday I’ve had. So, I’m resisting this idea. I did find a fun option of having a professionally catered hog roast, but that might end up costing as much as having it somewhere else, so *shrugs**.

2. Find a cheap venue/party package
This is something I have been researching quite a bit. I have found some interesting venues, including green ones, which I thought would be a nice thing to do since we’re trying to be green in other areas of our life. However, so far, they’re all out of our budget.

3. Take a trip with hubby
It is his BIG 3-0 this year, so it’s a double celebration. This is an attractive option, but then what about our kids and friends and family who we want to share the milestone with? Also, there would be the associated guilt of taking away a holiday from the kids to go on our own. (Having more than one is simply not an option at this point and taking the kids is too expensive.)

4. Hiring a large venue for a weekend house party.
This option ticks all the boxes in terms of having a holiday away, sharing it with friends/family and sharing the cost. However, the venues are SOOO expensive, I just can’t see it happening….most of our family/friends are also strapped for cash in this recession and we wouldn’t want to put them in a position of feeling they had to over-extend themselves.

5. Wait and celebrate next year.
This option is the leading one right now. It seems sensible to wait and celebrate in a bigger way when we can actually afford it. This way we won’t have to ’settle’ on something just because of the cost and we can research more to really find something that feels magical. The downside is that…obviously….it’s after the fact.

So…how about you out there? How are you celebrating big birthdays or anniversaries? Any RECESSION-CELEBRATION ideas?

I look forward to hearing from you!