Today is my birthday!
Unlike the “Friend”, my celebrations won’t last for a full year . . . but then again, I didn’t just turn 150!
Actually, thinking about how we’re marking our occasion — like with our exhibition at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh, our “Afternoon With The ‘Friend'” event, and of course the 150th Birthday Bash at Alvaston Hall Hotel — made me wonder about my celebrations.
Some of my earliest childhood memories are of birthday parties. I vividly remember, for example, the chaos a magician caused by actually pulling a rabbit out of a hat. I remember, too, an auntie hogging a bouncy castle and howling with laughter the whole time.
As I got older, there would be “cooler” activities, like group trips to the cinema (when summer blockbuster season didn’t start until summer). We’d go bowling, or frequently . . . hang out in a park.
I definitely had a less active imagination in those days!
When I was a student, things were occasionally a little more . . . raucous. But the less said — or remembered — about that, the better!
It’s all fairly low-key these days; usually a meal with the family, or a few drinks with friends.
I think I’ve come round to the quieter approach.
But if ever there is an occasion that justifies a significant celebration, the “Friend” reaching 150 is definitely it!
Iain McDonald I am the Digital Content Editor at the “Friend”, making me responsible for managing the flow of interesting and entertaining content on the magazine’s website and social media channels.
