18 September 2025
I remember I posted last year about one birthday celebration for four celebrants. That’s because in our family, four birthdays fall in September. But this year felt a little different. Only two celebrants were around, while the other two were away.
As we grow older, we realize that not celebrating birthdays in a grand way is getting normal. Life gets busier, and priorities shift. Some people don’t feel like throwing parties or making a big fuss, and that’s perfectly fine. I’ve learned to accept that birthdays don’t always have to be loud to be meaningful.
The celebrants were youngsters. You’d expect them to be the most excited about parties and preparations, but they chose to celebrate quietly instead. A simple meal, some family time, or even treating themselves after school was enough for them. After all, birthdays are personal, and everyone has their own way of marking the day.
Unlike last year when we tried to prepare something for everyone, this year’s theme was save more, spend less. Moreover, we need to save for our father's second death anniversary. We didn’t have a fancy celebration, just a simple dinner at home with homemade cakes. My sister made one for herself the day before.
Meanwhile, I made an ube Graham cake since we had two celebrants to celebrate. Luckily, I already had crushed graham and APF cream from the shop, so I didn’t need to buy much. It was the same process as making mango Graham float, only with a twist. I mixed the crushed graham with ube syrup, pressed it into the pan, and chilled it. Then I whipped the APF cream, added a little condensed milk, and layered everything together—graham, cream, graham, cream—topping it with more ube syrup before chilling overnight.
I expected the syrup to firm up, but it turned out runny and slid down the cake once I removed it from the pan. Still, it tasted pretty good, so no complaints there. I didn't see the layer I was expecting, though. I should have used the whole biscuits, not crushed ones.
The celebrants came home after dinner, just in time for us to bring out the cakes and sing happy birthday. My niece woke up from her nap when she heard the noise and quickly joined the photos. She always thinks it’s her birthday whenever there’s cake, which makes the moment even sweeter.
In the end, the celebration was far from grand, but it was filled with laughter, good food, and togetherness. And maybe that’s what really matters. Birthdays don’t need to be extravagant to be special. Sometimes, the simplest moments are the ones we’ll remember most.
Thanks for your time.
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Jane is a Filipina wanderer in a foreign land who finds comfort in nature and freedom in writing. She loves watching raw picturesque landscapes, listening to the symphony of nature, breathing in drops of sunshine, walking through scenic trails and cityscapes, tasting new culinary flavors, capturing pretty little things, venturing into hidden gems, and dancing with the flow of life.
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