Birthdays. Our 10 year-old turns 11 today.

My 10 year old is turning 11 today. This will be our family's 34th kid's birthday. We have developed the following birthday routine for all the birthdays. This is pretty standard stuff that I suspect is done by most families in Canada and the U.S.

1. Shop for presents with dad one week before and come up with a list with priorities. Dad will later go out and buy approx. $150 Canadian (we consider ourselves fortunate that we can spend that much) worth of presents.

2. We try to be nice to the birthday child on his or her birthday. It is impossible for everyone to be nice for the whole day so the birthday child needs to live that.

3. Dinner of the birthday child's choice. When we had more money, we used to go our favourite local local restaurant.

4. Family presents are given on the birthday not the birthday party to prevent birthday overload.

5. The birthday cake is usually a McCain's frozen cake of the child's choice. The expensive ordered cake is saved for the birthday party. We put candles on the cake and sing "Happy Birthday" with the lights out. The child makes a wish and blows out the candles.