The French way of Birthdays

This week I have gotten to experience French birthdays. Both my host dad and host sister has birthdays this week, which meant I got my full share of joyeux anniversaires. This is what I learned.

At least in this household, French birthdays are all about the little things. Like making someone's favorite foods for dinner. I wanted to make sure I didn't let these two big days go without a symbol of my gratitude for their including me in their family for the past 3 months.

Yesterday Ines turned 16. I didn't know what to get her so I figured what I knew everyone likes, flowers. I stopped by a flower stand I like on my way home from school and picked up some gorgeous pink dipped roses. I also attempted to write her a card in French, thanking her for including me in the family. Just a small gift. I have never seen someone so excited to receive a card and 4 roses. She showed them to the whole family, who all gushed over them like they were made of gold. It felt so nice to bring someone that much happiness with such a small gift.

Her mother made Ines' favorite meal for dinner, a smoked salmon starter and ravioli. At the end, an apple tart was brought out spotted with 6 pink candles. Ines smiled and blushed as we sang to her, finally ending her embarrassment by blowing out the candles (with a little help from her younger sister). She then made sure to show me the dress and perfume she got for her special day, each gift just as special as the last.

I then found out today was Monsieur's birthday. What to do for a man you don't really talk to on his big day. Flowers would not be fitting at all, so I settled on a card. I again wrote a nice thing in French inside (well at least as much french as I knew) thinking that might be a nice gesture. Again, the whole family was excited about the card, before it was even opened. "What a nice red envelope!" Madame and Monsieur kept saying, as if it was the nicest envelope to ever hold a card. He loved the card and was so happy I remembered his birthday.

I guess this is my extremely over detailed and long winded way of saying we all need to remember that everything is a gift. It is not about how many presents you get or how many people you don't talk to comment on your Facebook wall telling you to have a "great birthday". It's about the phone call from your Grandma to wish you a wonderful birthday, like she has every year previous. It is not about getting a new iPod and car and whatever other thing you think you need. It is your mom/sister/boyfriend/ roommate cooking you the food you love, even if it is foods that should never go together. The French are all about the little pleasures, not the grand displays, and maybe we all need a little bit of that in our lives.