This is India: Birthdays

There are certain events in the typical Indian’s life that are celebrated to the extreme. Weddings are an obvious example. Family’s will spend life savings to ensure that their child’s wedding is the most memorable and wonderful experience ever encountered. The same could be said for children’s birthdays. These have become huge affairs that have themes, catering, and long lists of guests – very few of which the child knows or talks to during the party. We’ve been to many of these birthdays during our time in India, so it was with caution that we approached our son’s 1st birthday. We had made broad proclamations that we would NOT be participating in this sort of excess, spoiling our child and emptying our pockets.

However, as time grew nearer, plans became grander. What started as a simple / small party started to grow – sprouting a theme and too much food. We looked at ourselves and stopped. We scaled it all back and ended up with 2 small parties – home with family, then out with friends. Not that this was any less work or in any way less stressful. Still fun though, and my son seemed be having a great time. Running from room to room, screaming and grunting with pleasure.

I’ve never been big on birthdays or celebrating them. It’s not that I don’t want anyone to acknowledge my additional year, but just never so a need to have a big party or celebrate the passing moment that much. But in India, it seems apt that Birthdays are such a big deal. With health and economic concerns, making it through another year was (and in some cases still is) a monumental accomplishment. With a high infant mortality rate, a child making it to their 1st birthday feels like a minor miracle.

It also doesn’t hurt Indians are always looking for a reason to get together and eat lots of food.