A person's 50th birthday is in every aspect a milestone to celebrate. Turning gold at the age of 50 years old puts a person in a special crossroad to a path which can be chosen by the celebrant wherever he or she sees fit.  After some time of letting other people decide on how his or her birthday is celebrated, a golden birth anniversary celebrant can now have a say.

A Not-So-Ordinary Party

Holding a party is still the most common way to celebrate a 50th birthday.  It can be made unique and one-of-a-kind by a chosen theme.  Some of the suggested physical set-up includes a gold color motif, a picture motif comprised of the most memorable pictures of the celebrant strategically arranged in the venue, or a period theme set in the decade the celebrant was born.

Another great idea is to invite only guests who are at least 50 years old.  The celebrant can also request for gifts of gold or some others things that can make the event different from past birthdays.  Partying however is only one option. 

50 Things To-Do List

In lieu of a party, a person approaching his or her 50th birthday can make a special 50 Things To-Do List which he or can start on the 49th birthday.  The idea is to accomplish 50 things that the celebrant wishes to do and complete the list on or before the day of the 50th birthday.  These 50 things can be comprised of simple joys in life like finally pursuing a sport, signing up for charity work,  or anything that a person has always wanted to do and yet didn't for some reason.

This is somewhat similar to a bucket list which lists the things a person wants to do before dying.  Although the age of 50 is seen by many as an age where the risk of death  increases due to the natural decline of the physical body,  a To-Do list on the 50th birthday is more of a celebration of life rather than anything else.  A person's 50th birthday is an opportune time to make life-changing decisions that can make life more worth living and joyful.

My Say

This birthday milestone is the nearest that I have to face at this time which made me think very hard of how I would like to celebrate mine when my time comes.  Although I fancy the idea of having a grand party with all my my relatives, friends , and other people who matter to me in attendance, the 50 Things To-Do List seems like a very exciting and challenging thing to do because I'm sure it will be a very personal journey of discovery.

Our personal situations and responsibilities usually limit what we can do so I am just imagining the joy of having the ultimate freedom to pursue 50 things that I've always wanted to do in my life.  I can almost feel the exhilaration. It would be so fulfilling to do something without guilt, time constraint  and  stress.

That said,  I have so many things going in my mind about these 50 things to do that I am actually looking forward to my own golden year.  I still have plenty of time before my own 50th but this idea really fired me up to make me start my list right now.

Image Credit

I heard a very good definition of faith today during a Bible Convention which I attended together with the other members of the Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) in our area.  Faith is said to be the human response to the God that speaks to us.  It is also said to be the human response of love to a God that loved us first.

How do Children Learn about Faith?

Faith is a product of upbringing.  New-born children do not get to choose their religion.  It is a matter usually decided upon by default as dictated by the parents' belief.  

Faith is then reinforced primarily in the home and school environment during childhood. Their religious actions are usually dictated upon by a figure of authority such as a parent, a teacher, or a religious.  As people grow older, there will be external factors that will either reinforce or weaken their faith. 

How do Adults Learn about Faith?

Adults build on their existing faith primarily by studying and understanding the word of God.  There are questions that usually arise that may encourage them to search for answers beyond their existing belief.   Many tend to hold on to the faith they have known all their lives while some will choose to change.  It would depend on how deeply-rooted a person's faith is and how such faith has been made to be part of a person's daily life.

Those who actively seek a deeper understanding of their faith join groups and organizations that can lead them to the path they seek.  Others become actively involved in church activities.  Some will choose the less-traveled path of evangelizing which is never an easy thing to do.  

My Say

The Pope who is the leader of the Catholic faith has called upon the laity to join in its call for new evangelization.  This is most significant since we are on the Year of Faith. This is a call to participate in spreading God's word as found in the Bible.  This is a call to help bring the word of God into the lives of people by preaching and listening.

That said, evangelization is not to be construed as a means to fight with other beliefs as there is nothing to be achieved from such an action.  It is my personal belief that religions who call God by different names are actually calling on one especially if their goals are intended for the good of their God, others, and themselves.  If it is for the common good, then there is absolutely nothing to disagree about.

In my faith, I find my peace and my rest.  It is my hope that everyone does.  Faith begins from listening.

Why do we celebrate a child's 7th birthday?  Is it because 7 is a lucky number?  Is it because it's about time another grand celebration should occur after the first birthday?  Is there any particular reason at all that it has become traditional to prepare for a child's 7th birthday in a more special way than his/her 2nd to 6th birthday?  Let us try to discover.



The Tradition

I am not quite sure how this tradition of celebrating a child's 7th birthday in "grand style" started.  What I am sure of was at about the time that my children were more or less 7 years old, that was also the time that they received the most number of invitations to a birthday party.  These were all invitations from their classmates who were turning 7 one after the other..  This led me to believe that celebrating a child's 7th birthday has indeed become part of the Philippine tradition.










The Reasons

Aside from following what has been observed in our family,  I honestly don't know the exact reason why 7th birthdays are celebrated as they are today so I decided to ask around for possible reasons.  Here are some of the reasons I gathered:

1.  The 7th year  is supposed to signify some sort of independence since this is usually the age when children enter grade school  after hurdling the pre-school levels.  It is therefore seen as an important milestone in the life of a child.

2.  The 7th year is supposed to signify a physical rebirth of some sort.

3.  The 7th year needs to be celebrated to ensure good health.

4.   The 7th year is a good excuse for celebrating which Filipinos are very fond of.

5.  The 7th year celebration is a tradition which is not a monopoly of the city dwellers since the same occasion is commonly observed in the provinces as well in different ways.

While some of the reasons made sense, the others left me wondering even more.  Do we really need to celebrate a child's 7th birthday in a much more special way than other childhood years?  The answer can be as varied as the view of parents and the circle they move in.

My Say

Among my three children, it was only my middle child who was fortunate enough to have had a grand celebration for his 7th birthday in one of the popular fastfood chains today.  There was no particular plan for it to be him.  His 7th birthday just came at a time when we must have had some available funds to host a party.  The 7th birthday celebration of my eldest and youngest daughters were both strictly family affairs and nothing fancy.  To my mind, they were all equally memorable although I would perfectly understand if my children would view it in another way especially during the time of their celebration, being still children.

That said, I have no qualms in saying that I enjoy being part of other children's 7th birthday parties as companion of my children when they get to be invited.  I especially like the themed parties which feature so much creativity in the venue decor, give-aways, costumes, and presentations.  I love seeing the joy in the celebrants' eyes when they are recognized as the "star" of the party.  I love seeing parents happy in being able to provide such joy to their children after so much hard work.  I just hope that children who are given such privilege will appreciate their parents more while the children who might have passed on the chance to celebrate in such a scale will understand that they are not loved any less by their parents.

There is actually no right or wrong answer to this. The decision to celebrate a child's 7th birthday would really depend on personal circumstances  and views.




Photos: Special thanks to Madel Manzo Teves and her family for allowing me to use these pictures from her daughter's 7th birthday. 

Many young girls dream of having their debut party on their 18th birthday because it is a commonly observed Philippine tradition to womanhood.  It is a coming-of-age celebration since 18 is considered the age of maturity in the Philippines.  It is of note however that male debutantes celebrate theirs on their 21st birthday with less formal gatherings, if they choose to hold a party for it at all.

Origin

The Philippine Debut is said to have come from the Quinceanera practiced in countries in Latin America.  It is also signifies a girl's transition to womanhood but at the younger age of 15 or "quinze".  It is also known by some other names including "festa de debutantes", "baile de debutantes", "festa dequinze anos", and "fete des quinze ans".  Some countries have more religious tones than the others but the rites observed are essentially the same.

A typical Quinceanera celebration follows a program consisting of the grand entrance by the debutante, dancing, candle ceremony, toast, cake cutting, and other rituals related to the event.
The debutante wears a special dress for the occasion and her guests are expected to dress as well in a manner befitting the event.  The Philippine Debut observes similar rituals with certain modifications that will make the observation more in keeping with Filipino tradition.

The Rituals of a Philippine Debut

The western world observe a girl's 18th birthday in less formal practices.  A typical Philippine debut celebration is marked by rituals that include 18 members of the entourage, 18 roses dance, and 18 candles.  There have been more recent additions such as 18 treasures and 18 shots.

The members of the entourage shall comprise the participants to the Grand Cotillion Dance together with the debutante and her escort.  The 18 roses dance will require the participation of 18 pre-selected males usually comprised of relatives and friends.  Each male participant will be dancing with the debutante after giving her a rose.  The last dance is usually reserved for the father of the debutante or any father-figure if the former is unavailable for whatever reason.

Pre-selected female friends and relatives shall give the debutante 18 candles with a greeting or a special wish for the celebrant.  The treasures provide 18 special gifts while the 18 shots provides for several toasts to the debutante after every delivery of speech.  The last two are usually comprised of participants in mixed gender.



My Say

There are several birthday milestones observed in the Philippine tradition including the 1st, the 7th, the 18th ( for girls) or 21st (for boys), and the 50th.  Most believe that holding special celebrations every ten years after turning 50 is in order because reaching such ripe age must be considered a blessing.   I have been able to provide my eldest daughter with her debut party during her time and hope that I can provide my younger children the same experience.  Many debutantes and parents are becoming more practical and opt for other forms of celebration which they find more fitting such as travel or a new car for some.

My personal choice in holding a debut party for my children when able is not founded on any desire to indulge in extravagance but more of the need to imbibe traditions in my children's consciousness.  I have often repeated myself in saying that I am still traditional in more ways than one.  These images of my daughter's happiness during that night will remain forever etched in my heart.

That said, I had one more reason why I tried my best to give my daughter a debut party and it is quite simple.  Pure unadulterated happiness borne out of a mother's love - I felt happy seeing my daughter all dressed up feeling like a princess, carefree and having no worries, at least for the night.  I f given the chance, I will do it all over again for my youngest daughter on her 18th birthday and my son on his 21st.

Happy Birthday to my eldest daughter!

The Replicas used in processions

Inside Quiapo Church

Outside Quiapo Church