MORE THAN A BOX

A few years back birthday candles came in a box of 36.

12 in a pack
almost any color or designs

I looked today for a box of 36 but to no avail.
Mostly I could only find 12, 20, and 24.

20 polka-dot candles - one of my favorites

I also found a large variety of sparkly, glittery, and curly twisty candles as well as candles that relight themselves and candles in a wide variety of colorful and interesting shapes, including letters.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

These are for a special birthday person ... guess who ...

A box of 36 was enough candles to cover anyone in our house with some left over for the next party - unless it was mom or dad- then sometimes we used up a lot of candles - eventually most of the box.  Our kids always wanted to blow out the candles and we re-lit them again and again. The birthday boy or girl got first try - except when a little brother or sister got too excited and went first - and then everyone else that wanted a turn got a turn.

And we always put on the correct number - no matter how many.
For adults that can be a lot of candles!

Birthdays meant family - not friends.
The day you came to live with your family was reserved for that - for family.
Family gave you a present and did your chores for the day.

The cake, usually in the evening so all the lights could be turned out and the candles would be the only light, was the big event of the day.  That and the singing.  We always sang Happy Birthday as loudly as we could, all together.

When you pass 24 and get more than this 'box',
 insurance companies treat you as a mature adult and you pay less.

One birthday my teenage children surprised me with a cake they made for me.  A daughter said, "When you are more than a box you are old." They had bought the candles out of their own money to be able to keep the surprise. I was indeed more than a box.  I think she may be 'more than a box' now. LOL

Since then I often think of my age as being more than a box.

Imagine my delight when I recently found a box of 80.

Note to daughter: does this make you more than a box and me less?

Jaeger you are more than a box of 12 -
does that make you old?

But you are still less than a box of 20.
And no where near 36 - what about your mom?

You share a birthday with your Great-Grandma Forsyth, my mother. What a privilege. She has faith to move mountains. I have seen miracles by her abounding faith. She is a miracle.

People that know her and see her walking and healthy call her 'THE miracle lady'. And she smiles too!

This month she is more than that box.