Friday, March 26, 2010

half and half


As it happens, today is my half-birthday. At least according to some calculations. Because, while you wouldn't think it should be all that difficult to figure out when your half-birthday is (take your birthday, add six months and voilà!), counting by calendar months does leave some people, say, those born at the very end of August, without any half- birthday at all.

So, since there's no need to make life any more unfair than it already is, let's agree that those unlucky folks can count half a year from their actual birthday (182.5 or 183 days, depending on whether it's a leap year or not -- use this handy half-birthday calculator), allowing everyone to have the opportunity to bask in the unadulterated joy that is a half-birthday. Which is even better than an actual birthday because you don't have to get all philosophical contemplating the deep, deep meaning of turning a year older.

On your half birthday, be sure to tell your friends to send you one of these half birthday cards. Bake or buy half a cake and decorate it with half the usual number or candles or, if you prefer, candles cut in half. If you blow them out, exactly half your wishes will come true*




*Of course, à la Half Magic, you could try wishing for twice as much or twice as many as you actually want. But that strikes me as, well, cheating.

21 comments:

JW Moxie said...

Hap birt!

areyoukiddingme said...

I am not a fan of the half birthday...probably because it was not invented in time for me to benefit. Actually come to think of it, I am against the half birthday entirely, because my birthday is in summer, and my half birthday would fall right into the end of Christmas/Winter Break, so I would never have had the school party! No Half Birthdays!

But, I second Kymberli's Hap Birt, anyway.

Magpie said...

My mother should have celebrated my half birthday, since I got gypped on my real birthday, it falling between Christmas & New Year's, which means that EVERYONE forgets about it. But she didn't. Poor me.

Happy Half Birthday to You, Dear Niobe. May you have a lovely half cake with half the usual number of candles.

Tash said...

Because Bella's bd falls during summer and she's never been able to take anything to school, I took pity on her this year and sent in cookies on her half-birthday. Her teacher, who also has a summer birthday, also took great pity and the class even made up a half-birthday song.

Since I'm in the habit of trying to forget my real one, I really don't keep track of my half one. In fact, I think reading this post was the first time I realized when exactly it was. Um, thank you? And happy half? (eat the top half of the cupcake if you're going that route)

Julia said...

Happy half birthday!
Hope that means at the very least that you don't have to do more than half of your usual job(s) for the day.

Betty M said...

Happy half birthday. Half Magic - the book - is a new one on me - it looks like fun. Does it count as an American childrens' classic?

Lollipop Goldstein said...

Happy half birthday. I always forget mine.

I loved the book Half Magic, but my favourite Eager book was Thyme Garden.

Amelie said...

Hap Birt, indeed!
Now that you mention it I realize that I missed mine...

niobe said...

@betty m: Yes, Half Magic is, like, one of the best books ever.

Furrow said...

I just read Half Magic a few months ago for the first time. I liked it.

And another hap birt to you.

Fit & Fierce Mama said...

I'm an Aug 31 baby who doesn't have a half-birthday. Not that I care, but still...

diana said...

What with the link, i went and started reading and... I am now suspended!
I don't really understand the half birthday, but

Happy half one, with double the wish coming true!

Caro said...

Happy half birthday.

On a similar (ish) note I found out that people here celebrate a copper wedding anniversary after 12½ years of marriage. It means that most people are aware of when their half anniversary is.

Sunny said...

You are so thoughtful to remember those poor souls who do not have a half birthday. How self-centered of me (born on the 11th of February) to assume that because I had a half-birthday, everyone else must, too.

Hope you have a wonderful day, and may the greatest half of your wishes come true.

painted maypole said...

last year for MQ's half birthday (we just did the add 6 month trick) I cut a B-day card in half, baked her half a cake, and gave her half a coloring book.

AnnaBelle said...

Happy half birthday!

I often celebrate my "other" birthday, which is not quite six months after my real one. Often I'm very upset about getting older (why do we do that?) or I have a winter cold so by the time summer comes along I'm ready to celebrate :)

Anonymous said...

Happy half birthday, Niobe!

Since I can't for the life of me figure out how to light half a candle, I'll go with half a cake, too. *here you go virtual chocolate cake*

My half birthday is the unfulfilled due-date of my son... I'll never get to celebrate this again it seems.

Have a nice weekend for loads of 100% sunshine! x

leanne said...

Hap Birt, Niobe!

E said...

How do I always forget that you share a birthday with my husband? He was pleased that I remembered his half birthday but I had to come clean...

Happy Half birthday!

niobe said...

@E: So glad I could help out. ;)

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