Earlier this year there was an event called Fairy Tale Fortnight in which Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing and Book Rat featured some AWESOME fairy tale novels for two weeks. I LOVE fairy tales, so I had to get in on that action. Thus a beautiful friendship was born. Ashley from BfBtBA is one of the most AMAZING bloggers you will ever meet, and I'm SO excited to get to feature her during the bash. She'll be hosting the contest later today, but in the meantime, why don't you check out her guest post?

There is something about birthdays that is special. That has always been special. I don't care if you are turning 5 or 15 or 50, there is an undeniable excitement that comes as your birthday draws near, whether you expect gifts or not. It doesn't matter if this is the first birthday you will remember, or you've passed through so many you'd rather forget. Birthdays are exciting. And honestly, if you tell me otherwise, I'll think you are lying.

One of my nephews is not quite 2 and already he is talking about his birthday. I don't know what it is about birthdays that makes them so exciting, so fun. But I know that it's there. I remember those birthday parties in school, where kids would bring treats or snacks to share with the class. It was always coolest to have homemade treats, because everyone knows they taste better, and Dude, at that age, it's still cool to have your mom do stuff for you. (Sadly, all schools that I know of don't allow this anymore. Now everything has to be store bought and still sealed. Sigh. My how times have changed.)

My birthday falls 2 days after Christmas. And let me tell you, that can be a real buzzkill. My parents were pretty great about it though, never using Christmas wrapping paper on my gifts, never combining them, or making me feel like it was a nuisance having to celebrate me right after celebrating Christmas, (although other people apparently haven't figured out that I'd rather get nothing than a MerryChristams/HappyBirthday gift. Don't put them together...) But one advantage to being born so close to a nationally recognized and beloved holiday? I have never once had to work or go to school on my birthday. Which, is as it should be. Because let's be honest here... I refuse to work on my birthday. Yup. For realz. Because, seriously- it's my birthday.

Even if the build up isn't quite as exciting as it used to be (getting older, hitting one of those big scary numbers [40/50]) there is something innately exciting about the birthday itself. Something about that day where you can say, Yes. This is my day. That is something that I can't imagine ever getting old. Because you deserve to be special on your birthday.

On your birthday, you are the most important person alive. And I don't think there is anything wrong with using that as an excuse to pamper yourself. To tell your significant other/children that they can clean up the living room today, to decide that being lazy on your birthday and not getting out of your pajamas until 6:00 in the evening is completely alright (and even then, only changing because someone is taking you out to dinner) to ignore your job/homework/housework for 24 hours and just be. Just be special.

Because hey- your birthday only comes once a year, and why wouldn't you want to celebrate you?!