Monday 26 February 2007

Birthdays & Other Celebrations

Today is my little brothers birthday, yesterday was my dad's birthday and in six days time is my birthday. Yes, it's brithday season in my family. So we're going out for a meal to celebrate tonight and i've had to get presents for them. I have to say I have got them something, but with me it's a case of that I either get something really good, or something that's sort of alright but not great. these two are probably both the latter, but we'll see (last year was both the former). But it's got me thinking, bout the kind of forced nature of birthdays, of having to celebrate on a specific day.
Basically, I don't like it. I'd rather not just celebrate my birthday. It's mostly becuase it seems to be like it's just one nice day out of 365, whereas i just want people to be randomly nice to me, not suck up on one day.
Same goes for chrsitmas, everyone knows how busy it gets, how nothings ever open etc. Wouldn't it be great if we all didn't celebrate at the same time, then everything would work all the time, we wouldn't have busy periods (cos there'd always be some people off, and some people at work etc.) I also reckon people would enjoy just getting to spend time together more if it was when they wnated rather than kinda forced.
I don't think this kind of thing is possible at the moment, cos lifes so rubbish that getting the odd day that's really great is the best that people can do under capitalism, but i'd like to think that under a socialist society we could all enjoy every single day and get the feeling you get when you're able to just enjoy a day all year round rather than once a year.

2 comments:

Duncan said...

Well even if you'd rather not just celebrate your birthday, happy birthday anyway comrade.

I might be in your part of the world on March 18th if things work out. The Huddersfield lot have offered me a lift down to ISR/Socialist Students conference and I've a mate at Huddersfield uni.

Leftwing Criminologist said...

cheers, I do celebrate my birthday actually. I just think it's nice though just to get people stuff when you see something that you know they'll really like, rather than something rushed. I sometimes end up buying people presents months in advance. I had to hide a christmas present for my girlfriend for 4 months in my house. It' just nice when someone spontaneously does something nice for you.

We're still not sure about travelling to London, the plan was to borrow the student union minibus, but none of us have done the test in time. we think we may get a different minibus instead but we need to work it out, although we should have a few drivers, especially if jackie is speaking at the conference on the nhs.