Birthday Trips

My parents were the first to start our time honored tradition of Birthday Trips. My Dad was in the military at the time of my birth, so much of my childhood was spent overseas. Each year that we were stationed in Germany, my parents took me to Holland for my birthday. I remember being mesmerized by the vast array of flowers; especially the tulips. The endless fields of brightly colored tulips seemed so enchanting to me. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. I was awed by the windmills of Kinderdijk. I was intrigued by the details of the miniature city of Madurodam. I was somber as we toured the intricate hiding place of Anne Frank. Each year, I eagerly anticipated my birthday trip as much as I anticipated my upcoming birthday. 

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When my husband and I began a family of our own, we knew Birthday Trips would be an integral part of our family traditions. Each year, about a month or two before their birthday, my husband and I would ask our children where they wanted to go for their special day. Like myself, our children eagerly anticipated their birthday trip as much as their upcoming birthday. They carefully planned destinations based on their interests and passions at the time. As they got older, the destinations were not only farther away, but they were oftentimes more creative as well. 

While we never had the opportunity to raise our children overseas, we were able to explore a vast portion of the East Coast due, largely in part, to Birthday Trips. As a parent, you can create guidelines for distance and/or cost for Birthday Trip destinations. When our children were toddlers, we kept  Birthday Trips closer to home. For example, our daughter wanted to go to a farm like the one from Charlotte’s Web for her 3rd birthday, so we  toured a local dairy farm that was about 30 minutes away. Seeing the inner workings of a farm made such an impression on our daughter and her love of Charlotte’s Web grew even more.

When our youngest son was in middle school, he was drawn to military history. So, for his 10th birthday, he chose to visit Arlington National Cemetery, which was about 2 hours from our home. It was a sober experience for our entire family. Watching our children come to terms with the reverence they felt as they walked the grounds was humbling. Visiting cemeteries isn’t the norm when it comes to Birthday Trips, but that’s exactly what made this one so memorable. 

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More recently, my husband took our oldest son to Arizona for a Birthday Trip. Our son had lived there a few years earlier and was looking forward to returning to a place that had become a home away from home. By this point, our children were adults involved in their own lives, so it was just the two of them. This outing further strengthened the bond between father and son, giving them experiences and memories that will last for many years to come.     

Since everyone has a birthday, this tradition provides an annual strategy for more planned explorations. Turning the destination over to the birthday child provides a sense of unexpected anticipation. Birthday Trips are one of the Hallmarks of our family. Over the years, I have watched this tradition further forge our bonds, as we have ventured off in myriad directions to celebrate a birthday. I’ve also witnessed the boost of self worth Birthday Trips create as children are given the reins to plan their own outing. Milestones are achieved and memories are made.