This weekend was my sister’s birthday!
My sister came over to my place for the weekend and my bbf also came over so we could celebrate with nabe at home. I always say this but this is the ultimate healthy and delicious meal to have with friends and family in the wintertime. So so good.
And what is a birthday celebration without cake?
This year I went by Giotto, a pastry shop in Odakyu Shinjuku, and chose their citrus fruit cheesecake tart. I should have taken a picture before I stabbed all the candles in it because it was very pretty, but you’ll just have to take my word for it.
It’s become something of a tradition to use the exact number of candles to celebrate my sister’s birthday. Last year’s cake almost ended up being a ball of fire so this year I got three different lengths of candles to diversify the flame. I think it was a good plan, nothing caught on fire. But the candles were a bit too skinny and some of them started doing yoga moves while we were taking pictures! 😀
Don’t you love that my sister claps her hands after blowing out her candles? (She’s a kindergarten teacher…it comes with the occupation. So cute.)
And the cake was delicious!
We spent the night just chatting away. And when I say night, I meant way into the night. We went to sleep around 4:30am…but I think that’s what a sleepover is all about. Especially when you’re celebrating a birthday!
Happy birthday, Yoko! May your year be filled with happiness and joy!!! x
PS: Isn’t it interesting how you congratulate someone’s birthday by saying, “Hope you have a great day!” in English, but you say something like, “Hope you have a wonderful year!” in Japanese? I noticed the difference when someone mentioned it to me. I’d written “素敵な一日でありますように！(Have a wonderful day!)” on a Japanese friend’s facebook page. When I went to see what other people had written, many were wishing her a wonderful year. Now I usually wish Japanese friends a full year of happiness but still stick to a day for my state-side friends (not that I’m wishing them any less of their happiness!). Which do you use often?
Kaori Square Feet 
Happy Birthday to your sister. ^^
I usually say Happy Birthday and hope they have a great day. I never knew you say it for a full year in Japanese. I would guess that we say “have a great day” because it is their birthday. My rule with my friends, they shouldn't have to pay for anything and they shouldn't have to do anything. I went to a friend's birthday party (actually they celebrated 4 friends) and she brought her own cake! I was shocked to see that. She also set it up and was about to bring it out when I stopped her. We were all a little drunk then but my rules say no work for the birthday boy/girl.
I also found out it was another friend's birthday (coming soon) at the party, so she didn't have to do anything either.
PS: I notice a LOT of birthdays around this time in Japan. My friend says it's because White Day was 9 months ago. 😉
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I almost fell over laughing at your PS! I didn't realize White Day was such a celebratory day! But then again, my brother's birthday is in December, too. Hmmmm ;D
I don't know if it's everyone, but many Japanese people wish you a good year ahead on your birthday, not just the day. Completely clueless about why that is though.
I believe your rules are pretty much the norm in any celebration. And I agree with you, you should not have to bring out your own cake!
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Happy happy birthday to your beautiful sis! Glad you didn't burn down the table with those tilting candles 😉
I think I say have a great day in English and 素敵な一年でありますようにor something along those lines in Japanese. Never really thought about it though. Interesting…
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Glad my rules are standard, although I was still surprised. She's too kind and her b/f didn't do anything at that time. Then again, she could have sneaked away at that time.
PS: Glad you could have a good laugh at that. It is true though. I'm supposed to be a December birthday but I was born a month early. My parents don't celebrate White Day, so I dunno about me…
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Thank you, Miwa! I think we've finally got the hang of multiple candles now ;D
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