on the first day of novakkah...

 
Some of you may be celebrating Cinco de Mayo today.  That is your right.  It's worth celebrating, to be sure.  But I always celebrate it because it's the first day of Novakkah.  My family celebrates it too (obvs)!  Except for Special K (this year).  He is away at a conference right now, so he is missing the celebration.  I am thinking he is okay with this (he isn't really that into party hats, shocking, I know).

Some of you may be wondering what Novakkah entails.  Well, let me tell you.  It's 8 days of celebrating me!  Not to be vain or anything, but I like myself.  I hope you all like yourselves (because, really, you are the only you you've got).  But the whole 8 days thing is really an offshoot of Birthday Week (which the rest of my family enjoys).  Birthday Week was something that I got from my friend Amy in Maine.  When I was in grad school, many moons ago,  I told my friend Stacey about Birthday week and she, in turn, told me about her friend Joanna who celebrates Joannakkah (I don't know her, but Joanna is kind of my hero).  Joanna might be Jewish, so it's probably more appropriate for her to label it as such, but I figure my coopting of the idea would be okay (what with Christmakkah and all).  Because really, what's better than 7 days of celebrating one's birthday?  That's right, celebrating for 8 days.

It's not just about presents (though presents are a really fun part of the whole Novakkah experience, I won't lie); but it's also about doing the things that I enjoy.  When we celebrate birthday week for the kids, it's about doing a kindness for the person being celebrated to honor them.   Because my kids are, you know, small, they aren't doing much of anything besides being cute.  And since K is gone this week, it means that I am doing a great deal of honoring myself on my own.  This is okay.  I made myself my favorite food last night, with enough for leftovers so I don't have to cook tonight (and maybe tomorrow night either).  I mean, bi bim bap, it's so festive, how can you not love it?

 
I also got myself a book that I have been wanting to read for quite some time.  And since Penguin started reprinting classic books with these gorgeous bindings, how could I not capitlize on this opportunity for acquisition?

 
So since my first Novakkah gift is a book, I figure that would be a good gift to kick this whole thing off with.  Today's "gift" is Clara Parke's The Knitter's Book of Yarn.  If you are not familiar with the book, it can best be described as awesome.  The information in the book is fantastic and the patterns are great.  I received my first copy of this book shortly after it was first published, but my mother-in-law saw it and thought of me and bought it, fully aware that I probably already had it.  She told me to pass it along, so that is what I am doing here.

 
If you want a shot of getting this book, all you need to do it leave a comment (on THIS post)  telling me about your best birthday memory. I have a lot of fond birthday memories, but probably the best is the year that my dad remembered my birthday (when I was an adult, I reminded him during the early years).  I was born two months prematurely and my dad never remembered that my birthday was in May.  I would always get calls the first week of July from him and he would ask, "don't you have a birthday coming up?"  It sort of became a joke for me and K.  The year my dad remembered, K called him to remind him, so he didn't remember on his own, but it was a big surprise to get my dad's birthday phone call at home and the call that went to my cell's voicemail with him singing happy birthday to me.  So that's my best memory, what's yours?

 
I will take comments for this post, and the next 7, until 11:59 E.S.T. (or 2359, if you are so inclined), Wednesday, the 12th.  Please leave your responses on the appropriate post.  One entry per post.  I will show you the gift each day and tell you what you need to do to try your hand at getting it...it's like a party game, which I usually hate, but whatever, when it's a blog giveaway it's fun, right?  Giftees will be selected on the 13th and gifts sent out on either the 14th or 15th (or whenever giftees send me their addresses).  Sound good?

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Comments

[Diana]

Ooh! First poster! My parents got me a super cool cake made out of flowers for my birthday 3 years ago!

[jj]

When I was 11 or 12, we were out of town for one of dad's meetings. The parent's took us to a TGIFriday's for dinner that night. Dad told the hostess that it was my birthday. They sang the birthday song and tied balloons all over me.

[Val]

First of all, I am also a May baby. Born on May 8, which was Mother's Day that year. It was also the day of my baby shower. :)

Favorite memory....
We had a road rally scavenger hunt when I was 11 or 12. All my friends brought their bikes to my house and we decorated them with streamers, balloons, etc. My parents gave us maps of the neighborhood and our first clue. Each clue was a riddle that led us to the next clue, etc. We rode all around the neighborhood for an hour or so and ended back up at home, where a pinata was waiting for us. It was by far the best birthday I ever remember. :)

[Vanessa]

(I don't want the book because I already have it, but I wanted to comment anyway.)

Every year for my birthday my dad plays "Happy Birthday" for me on his tuba.

[Kelly]

Happy Birthday, Nova! I like your 8-day concept. I might have to steal it. Also, the Alice books are some of my favorites ever. I just reread them this Fall while planning Alice's Alice in One-derland bithday party.

[Annika]

OMG, this is such a great idea! I want to do the same thing for my birthday. Hmm, how to fix my name? I'm thinking I just need to add an H to the end.

Anyway, best birthday memory. Oh boy, that's a tough one. How about the year I turned six (I think it was six) and we had a little party at the Bronx Zoo with my ballet friends, and their mom gave me a handmade dress and I lost my first tooth. That was a BUSY day! I still have the dress and someday it will fit Grace, so I think that qualifies it as the best birthday present ever, and therefore the year I received it as the best birthday ever.

[Jana]

My favorite birthday memory was when my parents threw me a surpise birthday. They had it a month early and I had no clue what was going on. They said we were looking at a car for me and we ended up at a bowling alley with all my friends there. It was amazing.

[earthchick]

Happy Novakkah!! Wheeee! (I'm also laughing at Annika's deliberations about how to name a birthday week for her).

My best birthday was in 2004, the year my boys were born. They were born 4 days before my birthday, but I was still in the hospital because of complications (and they were still in the hospital, too). So no going out for a fancy dinner or anything, but, you know, I had two new babies. So there was that.

[Specs]

This might be a little depressing, but bear with me. Also, please note that my birthday is on the 27th of December, so I usually don't get much of a celebration (although this bothers me MUCH less as an adult than it did when I was a teenager). So that makes this a little bit of a bigger deal than it might otherwise be.

So, in high school I had this real jerk of a boyfriend who didn't like me spending time with any of my friends (many of whom I'd known since first grade). So, for the two years I was dating him, I didn't see much of anyone -- especially my male friends -- unless said boyfriend was also around. For my 16th birthday, my parents said that the three of us were going out to dinner, but when we got there they sat me at a table with two of my best guy friends and said, "Have fun! Dinner's on us." I'm getting a little sniffly thinking about it because a) it was totally a Sally Field moment and b)the beginning of my understanding that the relationship I was in was really not healthy.

So, in summary, my favorite birthday memory is a little sad, but very sweet.

[Kathleen]

Happy birthday! My favorite birthday memory was from my seventh birthday. My sisters and I went home for lunch every day. On that day, my mom had the kitchen decorated and the neighbor girls joined us for lunch. It was a great surprise. I especially remember the little pink crepe paper cups of candy by each plate.

[Kara]

How much do I adore this? You had me hat party hats.

Love those penguin clothbound classics!

[sarah]

My favorite birthday party has to be when we did a reverse slumber party. We woke up early and picked up all of my friends in their pajamas. Their parents knew we were coming but they didn't! Then, we went to my house, had breakfast and played games! Simple, but the concept was awesome.

[Ronnie]

My best birthday memory is the year I received a hand made victorian doll house made by my Dad. The reason it is my best is because I was an adult at the time and I just mentioned that I would like one. He was newly retired at the time, and I was trying to think of something that would occupy his time. I never imagine I would receive such an elaborate doll house. He is dead now, and it is one of my most treasured gifts.

[Laura]

My favorite birthday memory has to be my 21st birthday, which also roughly coincided with college graduation (graduation was 2 weeks later). I left my dorm room on Saturday morning to get in my car (parked in a line of cars outside the building the previous night) in order to meet a friend for lunch. I could not find my car, no matter what I did. What was there, though, was a bright blue, brand-spanking-new car with a big red bow on it. I walked right past it, thinking that my friends had moved my car and played a joke on me. Then my parents and brother jumped out from behind the new car and gave me the shock of my life. That car has seen me through 8 years of grad school and will take me on a 3000 mile move this summer. And the care and love and generosity it shows still makes me grin like it happened yesterday.

Happy Novakkah to you!

[Violet]

We are almost birthday twins! My birthday is the 13th, and today is my anniversary. :)

Unfortunately, I have had a few rough birthdays. Some Sixteen Candles-style disappointments, taking finals all week in college, and (much worse) a death of a grandparent. I still really love birthdays though. I think three moments tie for greatest birthday memory- 16th birthday when my friends inexplicably dressed all in tie-dye and made me a giraffe cake, 17th birthday when a punk band sang me happy birthday at a show, and last year when my coworker brought me a brownie with a lit match stuck in it, in lieu of a candle.

Thanks for sharing Novakkah! May is such a great month for birthdays & celebrating!

[Kathy]

My best birthday memory (will be) May 13, 2010, when you sen(d) me an email telling me that even though you (will) used a random number generator - hopefully a cute one like Little Sir/Mister - somehow I managed to win every single day! You have no idea how it happened, but it did. It's probably because you were selecting winners on my birthday. :)

But if that doesn't happen, my fall back best birthday memory would be when R took me to my favorite restaurant (Cafe Tibet, which I'd requested), but unbeknownst to me, had already talked to the owner and we had a preplanned meal with selections of Tibetan food and then she shut off the lights and brought me out a birthday slice of cake and she presented me with a kata - which is a traditional Tibetan scarf used to celebrate events and protect people in their journey. It was so touching that she honored me by sharing a tradition with me.

[jenn]

i threw myself a great big karaoke party for my 30th. i refused all gifts and made my friends and loved ones sing for me. it was incredible.

[Robyn]

My fave memory is when my birthday falls on Father's day. (June 16). It's fun to celebrate huge for my birthday and father's day. The day just gets even that more special.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

[Erin]

I love that you do this. My fav birthday memory was my 12th birthday. I remember complaining to my mom in the car that I never have birthday parties anymore and she promised that we would pick up some invites later that night for a party. Meanwhile, we had to stop at a friends house to pick up something and 10 of my best friends jumped out and surprised me for my first and only surprise birthday party. My mom had it planned all along. Happy Novakkah!

[mai]

yay! happy novakkah! i'm so bummed i missed you at MDSW :( i didn't know you were there. where did you get that copy of alice's adventures in wonderland? i was looking for a copy, but i especially love that binding!

my best birthday memory was the year i turned 21. i had two celebrations: one with my friends (we will not speak of that one here) and one with my family (parents, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins)! for my birthday dinner that year, we all went to a crab house, got our hands dirty, had some beer, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! i loved being with my family and i loved that it was so lowkey and casual. it was the best birthday dinner i've ever had - much better than any fancy pants restaurant i've been to!

[Cathy]

My favorite birthday memory was the year my father remembered my birthday and sent me a card. I'm a girly girl and he was a man's man, John Wayne type with a great sense of humor. I was very surprised and pleased but the best part was the card which read Happy Birthday Son.

[April]

One of my favorite birthday's was when my boyfriend got us a tickets to a NIN's concert. We were really close to the stage and it was such an amazing show.

[Danielle]

My undergraduate advisor threw me a 21st bday party. I had a 3-hour seminar with him on the day of my bday and he *insisted* that I couldn't skip it. After class, he busted out with cookies and champagne, and even invited some of my other friends in the dept who weren't in the class. (Whoever says that in big schools you're "just a number" is wrong. My alma mater had 16,000+ undergrads.)

[Sarah R]

Okay, don't put me in the drawing for the book because I have it already (and it is wonderful!), but I have to share my "best birthday ever."

I was in elementary school and my mom threw a party and my entire class was invited. The thing I remembered most about this party was that Marius Masumas, the boy I adored, gave me a wonderful wind up toy Victrola, red plastic with an ivory plastic horn and three ivory records that played three different songs. Wonderful day.

Then when I was thirty or so I asked my mom, "What ever happened to that little Victrola that Marius gave me at that party?"

"What Victrola?" said my mom, "What party?"

And as I started to explain I thought...wait...Mom wouldn't have thrown a party like that and invited the whole class. And I have no memory of that Victrola except at the party....

It was all a dream. Still...it was my best party ever.

(My mom wasn't mean...she just thought that one's birthday only really mattered to your family. One did not invite others and make them buy you presents. She was rather puritan about some things.)

[diana]

Happy Novkkah!