This year my theme was Snow White. There is no particular reason why Snow White should be a part of my birthday celebration as I am in my early 50's. Snow White has no particular significance this year or any other since I was a child. The themed party includes how the cake is decorated as well as other objects the table is decorated with relating to the theme. The birthday gift will also reflect in part the theme itself. You get the drift.
In an attempt to find relevance to my themed driven party, I decided to request something that had value to me. I have recently become involved in the plight of elephants. I joined the David Sheldrick Foundation and donated money to help with the orphaned elephant babies that are found frequently having lost their mother's one way or another. I requested to have elephants as my theme.
My mother said no, she had already picked the Snow White theme and was very excited about it.
There is obviously no need to remind her that is my birthday and therefore about me. It is not about me. It is about her needs that are central to the event.
My sister had her birthday a few weeks before mine and her theme was Thumbelina, the character for a childhood book my sister enjoyed AS A CHILD.
So, we can see there is a need for our mother to take us back to our childhood to relive those days of innocence.
Okay, back to the story of my birthday theme this year. As long as a person has a theme party forced on them, they should have some say in what that theme is. Well, it would seem. Other siblings got in on the action and said they knew I would love to have elephants as a theme. Mind you, these are adults speaking to an adult in an attempt to persuade adult party giver to honor the request of the birthday person. Having a discussion about Snow White versus Elephants as a birthday party theme for a grown adult is obviously beyond absurd. The theme party may seem like a creative way to celebrate an adult's birthday and that would be true if said adult had a say in said party theme.
After some persuasion and dysfunctional conversations, our mother agreed to have elephants as the theme.
Okay, it appeared I had some control of my own life after all! What transpired the night of my birthday party at my mother's house bordered on Schizophrenia. Well, actually the borders were non existent.
On my cake was the whole cast of Snow White including the Prince, the dwarves and the Evil Queen.
On the table were a couple of elephant related objects as well as more Disney characters.
The theme had been stretched to include elephants but Snow White was still front and center.
I said how beautiful the table was and how cleverly she had merged the two themes to create a delightful table. My mother was very pleased as she presented me with an elephant necklace as well as a Snow White teapot.
There is not enough therapy in the world that will help me recover or understand the nuances of dysfunction present here.
I am glad to be past my birthday and another sister's recent celebration with Cinderella as the theme.
Don't even get me started on that one!!
Cherie
join as member in my blog. I have done in yours. By the way; good writing!
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