Happy birthday to me!

Am I lucky or what? On the day after Halloween I celebrate my birthday! Well, for those of you who don't know the meaning of November 1st: in Slovenia it's the Day of the Dead. We all go to cemeteries and pay our respects to the deceased. You might think that this is a sad day for everyone. And it is. I'm the only exception, I think! I had the incredible luck to be born on that day! Well, you're probably wondering how I can party on such a day. The answer is simple: I don't. Let me explain.

The preparations for November 1st start about a week earlier. People visit their graves to plant flowers (usually pansies and chrysanthemums) and clean the tombstones. You see, graves are a bit different in Slovenia from those in the English speaking countries (the States or Great Britain; I wouldn't know about Canada or Australia, though). In Slovenia they are like little flower gardens. They are devided into two parts - one part is usually covered with sand or small stones (this one is meant for candles or small flower arrangements) and the other part is a flower-bed. And behind these two parts there is the tombstone. So, you can imagine that one has to look after such a grave quite often to keep it nice and clean. And this is done particularly carefully before November 1st. I visit all the graves of my ancestors, too. For me this is an essential part of my birthday. When I come home, my family and I enjoy my birthday cake. And that's the way I like to celebrate my birthday. If there wasn't a visit to the cemetary, it wouldn't be the same! Having your birthday on such a day makes you very special indeed!