May is about birthdays
May is a month of birthdays
May is a wonderful time of the year. The weather’s getting warmer, the days are getting longer and we can enjoy the early evening sunshine with tunes and shades on the drives home from work.
It’s also a busy time for birthdays.
As a photographer, I LOVE May! Here at Julie Gibson Photography, May is normally about two things... Road Racing and Birthdays. But there are two very important ones that happen within days after each other: my daughter’s birthday and my mother’s birthday. This means lots of cake and candles, decorations and presents, family time, hugs and kisses...and no shortage of photos!
Each year is a little different but there are some traditions we try to keep up with as well: We have tea and cake with my parents, with the obligatory cake photos (of course!) & dinner at our favourite restaurant
When you're done reading this post about our special occasions, be sure to check out our galleries for ideas for your own party or event! All our favourite vendors and place to go will be listed to help give you some ideas.
We're celebrating birthdays for my daughter & my mom this month
Why not use your birthday as an opportunity to celebrate those who have made your life what it is? Your mum has always been there for you, and now that she's getting older, you can show her how much she means to you by taking her out to dinner or getting her a thoughtful gift. When it comes to sharing some quality time with your daughter why not have a pamper day. She may be young right now, but one day soon she'll be in high school—and then college—and before long she'll be like my daughter and starting her own business and taking on the world. So make sure that when it comes time for her birthday that she knows how much you love and care about her. Even turning 24, my daughter got unicorn candles and a sonic cake! Just because our numbers rise, doesn't mean we need to behave and let ourselves feel old. Keep your inner child boss strong!
Good times are the true measure of what makes a birthday special. Whether it’s doing something crazy like skydiving together or just sitting around eating cake at home while catching up on each other's lives, these moments will last forever if they're shared with people who mean the world to us.
When you have to buy TWO cakes for every birthday!
Birthdays are a time to celebrate, and cake is a big part of that. It’s not just about eating; it signals the start of the celebrations. If you're like our family though and have someone on the Autism spectrum you'll end up buying two cakes for every birthday celebrated so they have something they can eat too!
Birthdays also sometimes get decorated with candles and streamers or other decorations. These can be fun, but they also allow you to express your creativity and make a personal statement by choosing the colors used or drawing pictures on them! For those on the spectrum if they find it too much or overstimulating remember to follow their cue and know when to be lively and when to quietly sing or hum happy birthday for them.
It wouldn't be a birthday without presents either! You should give each other something special or meaningful as you celebrate together - this year I got my mum her own floating session with Hydro-Ease in Dundonald and of course, for her love of reading, new crime thriller books. If you're family member has started their new business like my daughter has, birthday treats can be geared around their venture! Check out the likes of Glow Girls and Blackwater Graphics for workwear and personalized merchandise!
And family time that's all about celebrating love!
It's a time to celebrate love, with family and friends. It's also about sharing memories and creating new ones.
May is a month of birthdays! If you have or know someone who has a birthday this month, we've got some ideas that can help make their day extra special.
Send them one of the Bearded Candlemaker's awesome smelling candles or sign them up for the candle subscriptions!
Surprise them with a handwritten note saying how much they mean to you and have it embedded with natural wild flower seeds to they can then plant it and watch it bloom!
Have fun getting together for a pamper session at the beauty studios in Bangor and then come get your photos taken before a night out on the town celebrating with your circle!
We have some fun traditions that we look forward to every year
May is such an important month as well because it allows us all an opportunity to catch up with friends who come over for the NW200 and we can get to spend time together and catch up, reflecting on what has happened over the past year. We have some fun traditions that we look forward to every year—like seeing friends at the racing, spending time with my parents celebrating birthdays either at home or at our favourite restaurant Daft Eddy's at Whiterock. (Amazing chef's who cater for food sensory issues for our kids with autism btw and have the friendliest staff - highly, highly recommended!) and having tea and cake with our feet up at the end of the day with the dogs waiting for their share!
Here’s some of our favs for treating your loved ones on their birthday!
For the foodies:
· Daft Eddy’s ~ Whiterock
· Haptik ~ Newtownards
· Cloud 9 restaurant ~ Newtownards
· Wolves ~ Dundonald
· Inn on the coast ~ Portrush
· The yard ~ Portaferry
· McHughes ~ Belfast
· Hugh McCann’s ~ Newcastle
For gift ideas:
· The bearded candlemakers
· Shambles workshop
· The craft room, comber
· Hydro-Ease
· Memento Portrush
· Gibbons and Jack (for the bird lovers)
· Petals and pots Downpatrick
· Bliss skin and beauty, Dromore
· Belfast city skinworks
· Precision Piercings
· Detailing by her NI
· The beauty studios, bangor
· Fave Cosmetics
· We are vertigo
· Hawk walks NI
For those staycation lovers!
· Brentcove
· Silent valley BNB
· Coach road cottages
· Cavan house
· Aurora
· AirBnB Ballycastle
· Blackrock House B&B portrush
· La Mon house
If you have a birthday coming up and would like to get a gift voucher for your loved ones, just get in touch via the website and an E-Voucher card can be issued and emailed to you or the person directly or a physical voucher can be purchased.
Jules x
