It's my birthday coming up on 30 January. I think that's far enough away from Christmas to become an event in its own right, although I have been asked what toiletries I want for my birthday from the Christmas clearance section!

I tend to make a big thing of birthdays as having it at the end of January gives me something to look forward to after Christmas.

My birthday tradition normally sees me take a week's annual leave. I spend time with Emma and see friends and family, and of course on the day itself I have a special breakfast and go out for a meal in the evening.

I remember a few years ago for my birthday I was taken for afternoon tea with a difference. I had a selfie chino – a picture of me was printed onto the froth of my coffee – and it stayed intact as I drank it.

That was very clever and surreal having my face on a coffee!

It is strange to think that I am heading towards my mid 40s now. When I meet people in their 20s and realise they were born this side of the year 2000 it makes me feel very old indeed – but I was born in arguably one of the greatest decades , the 1980s, with an offline, simpler childhood.

One of my earliest birthday memories was when I would have been around six years old. My parents arranged for a clown to come to the house and entertain my friends and I.

The clown in question wanted to custard pie me and I ran away! Funny the things that stick in your mind!

It was a simpler time - we were happy with a round of pass the parcel and a party bag of assorted plastic novelties with a slice of cake lovingly wrapped up in paper towel to take home.

Nowadays children's parties can become a contest amongst parents to put on the most lavish celebration. I was reading how the average cost of a kids’ party can be over £500!

This higher expectation puts pressure on already stretched families to try to keep up with the other families. I wonder if these high-end parties are losing focus of who they are actually for – the child themselves!

For me it was always the people around me on my special day that made the celebration, and there is nothing wrong with a bit of jelly and ice cream.

This year, on the day after my birthday, I have a small role in panto with R.A.T’S Addlestone's production of Sleeping Beauty (as I mentioned last week). I wonder if I can get a birthday shout-out on stage?

There are two performances on 31 January at 2pm and 7.30pm at Addlestone Community Centre. Tickets are at www.ticketsource.co.uk/ratsaddlestone

Listen to my radio shows on Radio Woking, Sunday 9am–noon, Wednesday 7-9am.

You can hear Emma and I on Surrey Hills Community Radio every second Monday at 9pm and Life on the Edge with Edge Disability Consultancy airs every first Monday at 10am.

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