It's my birthday! I am officially 23 today. And though I'm not as excited about this age as I have been about others in the past (remember 18 and 21?), I am looking forward to celebrating with my friends and relatives–especially because my family has been throwing me some pretty great birthday parties since I was really young.
For as long as I can remember, my parents have made sure I'm always surrounded by family and friends on my birthday, and when I was younger, the parties were especially over-the-top. Once they even hired a Barney the Dinosaur impersonator! Nowadays, they still celebrate with me, although thankfully, they stick with simpler BBQs and chocolate cake (my favorite!). But while I've always appreciated it, I always kind of thought it was just something parents do for their kids… until my non-Latina friends told me that their childhoods were very different, with their (much smaller) birthday parties stopping at a much earlier age.
I was a little surprised at first, but later I realized the conversation just confirmed what I already knew–that Latinos throw the best parties, even birthday ones! Below, 5 reasons that prove this is true:
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- Kids are treated like little princes and princesses. No matter how strict or disciplinary you are on normal days, Latino parents always turn to mush on their children's birthdays. I've seen it happen not just with my own parents, but with my relatives! And no matter how many times they say they're just going to buy a "little something," they always end up going crazy with the party and presents.
- The ENTIRE family attends. More people equals more fun!
- We embrace themes. Latino families are always on board to liven up a party, even if it means they have to come in costume. When I was younger, I had a Grease-themed birthday and (I'm not ashamed to admit) a Spice Girls party. When I got a little older, they also threw me a Hawaiian luau*.*
- There's so much food! Whether it's traditional plates like beans and rice and tamales, or kid-pleasing food, like pasta and fried chicken, no one will ever go hungry at a Latin birthday party. Even the cakes are over the top!
- No matter the occasion, there is always dancing. To this day, I have vivid memories of me at the age of 5 or 6 dancing el baile del perrito with my aunt!
Have you thrown your kids big birthday parties? Tell us in the comments below!
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