Birthdays. Yep, I'm talking about the wonderful time of year where you can eat 104 slices of cake, looking somewhat like a unicorn in your party hat whilst simultaneously popping as many balloons as you want to. Or that might just be me......Anyway, without further adieu, grab your popcorn and possibly your party hat as I mention a couple of things about birthdays that don't exactly make me scream "hip hip HOORAY!."

The first kinda awkward moment with birthdays is the whole present opening thing. Now don't get me wrong - as a somewhat normal human being, I love presents. Chocolate? Shopping vouchers? Ian Somerhalder in a box? I mean, I'm totally ok with all of the above. But, sometimes opening these presents in front of the people who got them for you, can be more than a little awkward. Like, there's just an unsaid etiquette that you've got to love, if not pretend to love, the present someone gets for you. For those of you who find it difficult to respond to the hand-knitted dull brown mittens your Great Aunt just handed to you for your 16th birthday, responses like "Oh my god I love it' or "I've always wanted a pair of these" are generally acceptable....

Birthdays also have the magical power to convert you into Santa Claus. I don't know about anyone else, but after my birthday I somehow go up like four hundred and three dress sizes. I'm pretty sure on my birthday, I triple the suggested daily calorie intake for a normal person because a) birthday cake is just too damn good for only one piece b) because birthday parties are junk food central and c) because I have absolutely no self-control when it comes to sugar. Or food. And then, as if you need any more food after your birthday-induced food coma, leftovers pick up from where the party left off. So basically #junkfoodforweeks.

On a more (but still not completely) serious note, the final reason why birthdays can sometimes suck is that the expectations that come with it can kinda trip you up. Obviously, marking off your calendar every day for a month in anticipation for that special day and looking at your birthday as something that only happens once in every 365 days, can lead to some massive expectations (and I'm talking about bigger than Donald Trump's spray tan collection) that birthdays should be one of the happiest days of the year. According to just about everyone, you're supposed to be enjoying yourself, partying hard and cramming as much deliciously frosted birthday cake into your mouth before the day runs out. But, I'm guessing, that for a lot of people, this day doesn't always work out this way. Sometimes, it just somehow happens to be the one day in the entire school year that has approximately 652,000 assignments/tests/exams set to be completed or on a different note, it just happens to be like any other day of your teenage life, comprising of the usual three necessities - Netflix, internet and food.

So, to anyone who's celebrating their birthday today - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! - and it totally wasn't the Facebook reminder that triggered my memory..... 

Hey guys, hope you liked the rant!! I'm trying out more frequent updating... so let me know what you think :) If you enjoyed, as usual don't forget to vote and/or comment. Thanks xx jpav1405. 

P.S - LOVE YOU ALL :) (I'm sending virtual hugs right now)