There’s a point in adulthood when birthday parties stop being fun and start feeling like awkward obligations. For example, the Balloons get replaced by beige dinners. Maybe someone brings a store-bought cake, sings off-key, and then it’s over before the candles stop smoking. It’s not exactly the best way to celebrate your own birthday, right? But here’s the thing that you should seriously just remember: just because you’ve got bills and responsibilities doesn’t mean your birthday has to feel like another line on a to-do list.
You’re allowed to want fun. Yep, that’s right, you deserve big, ridiculous, nostalgic fun. The kind that feels like sugar highs, arcade lights, and accidentally forgetting your phone in your bag for hours because you're too busy actually having a good time. Honestly, everyone deserves to feel like a kid again, so why not on your birthday?
Adulthood Doesn’t Cancel Joy
Somehow and somewhere, the word “mature” got confused with “boring.” Like, how? Why? But seriously, joy isn’t something that expires once you hit a certain age. Remember when birthdays meant jumping into ball pits, racing your friends in go-karts, and begging your parents for just one more ride or round? Well, that feeling doesn't have to go anywhere. You can absolutely bring it back.
In fact, those kinds of playful, let-loose moments are probably more important now than ever. Adult life is full of structure and pressure, and polite small talk. You deserve at least one day a year to do exactly what you want without explaining it to anyone.
Your Inner Child Is Still In There
Sure, your knees might sound like popcorn now and hangovers last longer than they should (some of these still happen in your twenties), but the core version of you, that inner child, well, the one who used to circle things in toy catalogs or race grocery carts in parking lots, is still very much alive.
Just think about it like this: celebrating your birthday like a kid isn’t about pretending life is perfect. Actually, it’s about letting yourself have fun without editing it. So, seriously, why not jump into foam pits, play laser tag, and win something stupid from a claw machine? Honestly, that inner kid might roll their eyes at spreadsheets, but they'll definitely show up for arcade games and bumper cars.
Make It a Full-On Experience
You don’t need to book a silent retreat or eat a $200 steak to celebrate yourself. Sure, that can be pretty nice, but does it actually do the trick? Honestly, you just need to go somewhere that actually sparks joy. For example, you could look into somewhere like Scene 75, where you can bowl, race, and play arcade games through an entire day like you're turning 10 instead of 35.
This is obviously just an example, but even going to the water park, a local arcade, an amusement park, just somewhere fun is seriously worth it. You deserve to feel the magic, you deserve a day where you don’t see right through the magic.
It’s Not Immature
Seriously, this is such a major one, and maybe it’s why people don’t let their inner child out much. But taking time to actually enjoy your birthday isn’t childish, it’s healthy. You’ve probably spent most of your year showing up for other people, handling everything, being responsible, and pushing through stress.
So, just acting like a kid for one day is basically a mental reset. It’s the ultimate treat-yourself moment that doesn’t involve shopping for things you'll forget about in a month.
This is a contributed post.
Photo: 1st Look
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