A proliferation of two-year birthday traditions
If doing something two years in a row can be considered a “tradition,” then I shall keep with tradition by singing to myself:
Happy, happy birthday to me
Happy birthday to me
And to you
- with thanks and apologies to Cracker
Also a two-year tradition is the celebration of both my father’s birthday (12/21) and mine (12/23) on 12/22, and not just any celebration, but a celebration at a sports bar and arcade. Don’t know exactly why, but since my sister does the coordinating of it all, I don’t complain. I did, after all, get to kick my 14-year-old nephew’s butt at pool, but I didn’t even get to smoke a cigarette while I played, so what fun is that? 
Yet another two-year tradition will be the viewing tonight of Elling, one of my all-time favorite movies. It includes what is to me one of the most genuinely touching Christmas moments in any film, and the film overall leaves me with such a feeling of hope that viewing it seems like the perfect Christmas tradition.
That and Die Hard.
In other news, I wrote my first Christmas song yesterday. Karsten and I were thrift-shopping all morning and afternoon (I got a great haul!) and both stores had their radios tuned to the light-rock station that changes formats at Christmastime to all-Christmas, all-the-time. It was a little much, to say the least, but I tried to channel the excess into productive use by carefully studying the formula that makes up a classic Christmas song (while I concentrated on my shopping, too, of course). Then when we got back to my parents’ house, Karsten and I talked it over and deconstructed the “genre” together, which allowed me to whip up a sketch of a new song that we both really like. The real challenge will be for him in trying to write a melody that can be recorded as a contemporary song but which will have a timeless holiday feel.
Still, baby’s first Christmas song! Yay! Here’s hoping the future royalties at least pay for all that extravagant thrift-shopping I did yesterday.
17 Responses to “A proliferation of two-year birthday traditions”
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 10:31 am
Happy birthday!
In my family, something is a tradition if it’s been done once. When we were kids, we could get away with almost anything by saying “But it’s a tradition!” Even if we’d only ever done it the year before. We all still do that with any aspect of any holiday or celebration that we want to repeat.
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 10:40 am
Happy birthday to you.
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 12:02 pm
Happy Birthday to YOU!
And conga-rats on the new Christmas song! Maybe next year we’ll hear it on the radio.
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 12:03 pm
That deconstructing of the genre of “Christmas song” with Karsten sounds like so much FUN. I’m so happy that you two can share that sort of thing.
-J
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 12:50 pm
Happy birthday to you!
I read the review of Elling. I had never heard of that movie before. It sounds interesting, though!
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 1:43 pm
Hey, happy damn birthday.
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 2:01 pm
happy birthday! i hope the smurfs don’t find you.
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 2:02 pm
Thanks!
Good to know I’m not alone in creating new traditions.
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 2:02 pm
Thanks!
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 2:03 pm
Thanks!
I sure hope so.
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 2:03 pm
Oh, it was fun. You would’ve loved it, I’m sure.
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 2:03 pm
Thanks!
Yeah, check it out. Wonderful film.
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 2:04 pm
Thanks very damn much.
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 2:04 pm
Thanks! Me too, man, wow. I hadn’t thought of it, but yeah.
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 7:18 pm
Happy Birthday!
Posted: Dec 23rd, 2004 at 10:03 pm
Thanks!
Posted: Dec 25th, 2004 at 5:01 pm
Is While You Were Sleeping.
Happy belated B-day and Merry Christmas!