How special is my birthday? (article in about 250 words)

Horrendous preparations, large sums spent, broken glasses, devastated flat, neighbours calling the police and pile of dishes to wash – is that all worth that one annual day?

As far as I can remember, there was always huge stress as my birthday was to come. Express shopping, haggling, ordering a cake, preparing food and then, what seemed to be the worst , coping with family constantly repeating: “Oh Ania, you grow up so quickly! You were so tiny when you were born and now look!”. Or asking how I was getting on with boys even though I was 5.
Well, it all didn’t scare me so much as it did to my mother. She always had to take care of everything because my father was a lazy potato coach and I was too short to reach the kitchen table. As a result of all those party rituals, a mountain of presents was left my nosy family – mainly bars of chocolate with banknotes inside, flowers, which roted the next day and useless, usually too short garments.
Or “kinderball” parties. I had some of these but usually couldn’t force my ideas and do what I wanted to do. And all “fun” mentioned above by family party left the same. Catastrophe.

And it had to happen. Everything in my family has changed. Many passed away, divorced or quarrelled. Just like it happens in soaps. Now, as a bit older now, I have a different approach to that event. Don’t organise parties – save money and buy yourself a new piece of clothing – you will feel far more better and won’t have to wash the dishes.
Finally, another chapter in my life came: 18th birthday parties. As a class swot I wasn’t invited to all of them, partially I don’t regret it. Petrol cans of spirit from eastern border, bunches of people drunk as skunks throwing up at your brand new clothing – as a commercial says: “It’s all in the mix”.

That all happened to my friends. As a matter of the fact, I was hesitating whether to have my own 18th birthday party or not. But this day happens only one time in life, so I simply had to!
I expect the same on my party, which is going to take place on 5th April (to which you are invited, dear teacher and don’t dodge!) but I will try to make it special, so that people remember it with sentiments (karaoke, games, special music and so on; you are going to experience if you come!).

Coming to conclusion, the most important is appreciation. It means people say your party was absolutely great and will remember it for a long, long time. Who cares then about those after-party activities mentioned in the first paragraph?