I think we sometimes forget, especially when we have been adults for a while and we forget to play, that our birthday is supposed to be a celebration of ourselves and the fact that we are still alive. Remember when you were a child and everyone would gather and celebrate you? Why do we give that up as we age?

I recommend you don’t. And so, in case you are out of practice, I hereby give you some official tips for making it a great day. Of course, you can tweak them. Because it’s your day, it’s all about you!

These are in no particular order, although I wrote them chronologically based on my birthday this year. All of these tips would be good to fit into other days as well. But only if you want to have a good day. Or a good life.

• Stay up until midnight, so you get to experience the first minute of your birthday. Be glad that you made it.
• Sing happy birthday to yourself before you go to sleep. (I even told me how much I love me.)
• Turn off the alarm and sleep until your body says it’s ready to get out of bed.
• Snuggle with a German shepherd (or other animal of your choice).
• Thank God for giving you another birthday. (A lot of people on the planet won’t get one this year.)
• Hang around the house in your pajamas doing something you just want to do. (For me, that was reading and surfing the Internet.)
• Eat something healthy first thing in the morning, because you know you’re going to eat things that are not so much later. (I had some of my favorite yogurt.)
• Go out to breakfast with your dad (or other loved one) and have chocolate chip pancakes made from scratch.
• Do something nice for someone else. (I helped my dad with some chores, because he still can’t lift much after his surgery.)
• Take a drive in a vehicle you love. (I had to take Optimus because of the snow and salt. This was the first birthday I’ve had when I didn’t get to drive Cam. Sigh.)
• Listen to some music you love, really loud. (For me, this included The Beatles, Ultravox, Billy Squier, Journey, Queensryche, A3, Smashing Pumpkins, Supernova and Kristian Leontiou.)
• Throughout the day, look around for beauty. Really experience it, admire it and enjoy it.
• Go around and pick up free presents for your birthday. (A lot of businesses will give you something if you ask. Other places have birthday clubs, where you automatically get something on your special day. This year, I got a free pastry, a free makeup kit, a free ice cream sundae and a free cocktail. I still have free popcorn and a free lunch coming.)
• Get out with a group of friends, the more the merrier.
• Have a really tasty meal that includes dessert.
• Seek out and destroy some cake. (This isn’t a suggestion. It’s mandatory. If you haven’t been eating cake on your birthday, you’ve been doing it wrong.)
• Go to a theater and marvel at how gorgeous Ryan Gosling is for two hours. (You might choose someone else to ogle. It’s your birthday, so it’s your choice.)
• Laugh. A lot. Every chance you get.
• Figure out your catchphrase. (You should have some statement that sums up the day and makes you instantly recall a joyous moment you had at some point during the day or evening. Again, if you’re not finishing your birthday with a catchphrase, you might be doing it wrong.)
• Have a cupcake and a cocktail before bed. (If you don’t eat sugar, see cake rule above. If you don’t drink, have some kind of treat that you don’t often that you really enjoy. Savor it.)
• Have additional snuggle session with above German shepherd (or other animal) before bed. (This is optional, but I highly recommend it.)
• Fall asleep at whatever time you please, knowing you truly celebrated you and being alive.