One of the things that I always wonder about are birthdays and when did the affair get just so complicated. Am I ancient or just forgot to keep track of the things? Same way as simple weddings gave way to extravaganza. A traditional wedding followed by lunch for near and dear ones in "pangat" followed by few times evening reception of vanilla ice cream or aerated drinks. When did life become complicated...
Maybe I am frugal, maybe I am environmentally conscious ( much to my better (?) half's chagrin) or maybe both. But I hate wasting money, energy and doing things only because other people do. But I am slowly learning to live with it... Excellent.. I digressed a bit too much.
So I was talking about birthdays. Where a birthday part meant calling few friends ( mostly from the building where we lived.. Rarely school friends) cake was got from monginis or at times from mervans (THE bakery in Andheri west where we stayed which sold many more goodies and cakes were just some of them.. But equally on higher price range.. Mainly because of quality of ingredients used) , potato wafers ( from transparent bag and definitely didn't know lays then), some home treat like a samosa, kachori or some such thing and a chocolate or two. Return gifts if any were maybe pencils or erasers or books. I remember only two return gifts I got in my attanedance in these parties and that were mr clean erasers ( does that brand even exist now?) I had 2 lemon design and yellow color transparent teeny weeny erasers and a book called "tales of hitopdesa". Concept of return gifts didn't exist then and more of calling whole family for dinner. Birthday party meant only kids, a snack plate, gift giving ( which had limited choices like books, coloring box, tiffin boxes, pencil cases etc) a game or two and back home before dinner.
School was simpler. My sister and I both hated our birthdays as the fell during unit tests. But rare occasion when they didn't, we like many others distributed sweets or hard boiled confectionary. Most common fare included parle chocolates (spherical, different colored and semi transperant wrapped) or ravalgaon which had an additional covering of silver ( which made whistle type noise when held in front of mouth and air blown). A treat meant catburys eclairs or melody chocolates. One chocolate per person was unsaid rule. But if the giver and or family were generous enough that became two chocolates per person rule. Then the teachers were distributed chocolates. That was one of rare days when birthday person wore a color dress aka no uniform. The birthday person chose someone( generally her friend) to go around and give chocolates to the teachers.
Hmm... Look how far a simple birthday affair came. A mini event in itself. An attempt to fit in than to celebrate the event it self.
Maybe I am frugal, maybe I am environmentally conscious ( much to my better (?) half's chagrin) or maybe both. But I hate wasting money, energy and doing things only because other people do. But I am slowly learning to live with it... Excellent.. I digressed a bit too much.
So I was talking about birthdays. Where a birthday part meant calling few friends ( mostly from the building where we lived.. Rarely school friends) cake was got from monginis or at times from mervans (THE bakery in Andheri west where we stayed which sold many more goodies and cakes were just some of them.. But equally on higher price range.. Mainly because of quality of ingredients used) , potato wafers ( from transparent bag and definitely didn't know lays then), some home treat like a samosa, kachori or some such thing and a chocolate or two. Return gifts if any were maybe pencils or erasers or books. I remember only two return gifts I got in my attanedance in these parties and that were mr clean erasers ( does that brand even exist now?) I had 2 lemon design and yellow color transparent teeny weeny erasers and a book called "tales of hitopdesa". Concept of return gifts didn't exist then and more of calling whole family for dinner. Birthday party meant only kids, a snack plate, gift giving ( which had limited choices like books, coloring box, tiffin boxes, pencil cases etc) a game or two and back home before dinner.
School was simpler. My sister and I both hated our birthdays as the fell during unit tests. But rare occasion when they didn't, we like many others distributed sweets or hard boiled confectionary. Most common fare included parle chocolates (spherical, different colored and semi transperant wrapped) or ravalgaon which had an additional covering of silver ( which made whistle type noise when held in front of mouth and air blown). A treat meant catburys eclairs or melody chocolates. One chocolate per person was unsaid rule. But if the giver and or family were generous enough that became two chocolates per person rule. Then the teachers were distributed chocolates. That was one of rare days when birthday person wore a color dress aka no uniform. The birthday person chose someone( generally her friend) to go around and give chocolates to the teachers.
Hmm... Look how far a simple birthday affair came. A mini event in itself. An attempt to fit in than to celebrate the event it self.
