It’s My Party, and I’ll Cry If I Want To
How Turning 26 Finally Broke My Birthday Curse
For most of my life, I’ve believed something that sounds superstitious, mildly ridiculous, and unfortunately true: a bad birthday guarantees a bad year.
This theory held no weight for years because my birthdays were mostly simple. Not dazzling, not disastrous. Just a day with a dinner reservation and time with friends.
Then came 25.
My 25th birthday was, in short, a cosmic joke. A restaurant mishap, a cake so visually confusing it felt like a prank, a balloon popping for no reason, a craft project that disintegrated in my hands. Each moment building and building like a balloon expanding as you gear up, waiting for its inevitable explosion.
And sure enough, 25 was a year filled with misfires, disappointments, and plotlines that would’ve made sense only if a TV writer was intentionally tanking the season. I kept thinking: Yeah. Yeah, this tracks.
So, when I approached my 26th birthday, it felt less like planning an event and more like orchestrating a reset. A quiet hope that if I could shape this one day, the next 365 might follow its lead.
Against all expectations, it worked.
This birthday became the best I’ve had in years. Below is the anatomy of what made it work.
People: Only the Good Ones
This year, I expanded the guest list. Not extravagantly, but enough to shift the energy from intimate to communal.
There is something reassuring about having a house filled with people who genuinely enjoy one another’s company. Conversations move naturally, and laughter surfaces without effort.
Everywhere I turned, someone was telling a story, sharing food, discovering a playlist they loved, or simply sitting in the sun. Multiple little storylines unfolding at once.
A birthday surrounded by people who are genuinely some of the best I know is already halfway to success.
Location: The Beach I’d Been Ignoring
For two years, I lived next to Carolina Beach and rarely gave it a second thought. I always chose Wrightsville—closer, prettier, familiar.
But with a move coming once my lease is up, I felt a nudge to finally explore my overlooked neighbor.
Carolina Beach surprised me.
The boardwalk felt weathered in a comforting way, and even the older crowd that gathered around the beach bars added a certain charm. With a group as large as ours, it suited us perfectly.
The Cake: A Redemption
The cake from my 25th birthday still lives in my memory as a culinary misstep. I had ordered it with optimism, and it arrived wrapped in red roses…
Nowhere in our correspondence had I asked for roses. Nowhere in my life have I ever requested roses on a cake.
I removed the roses in a quiet panic, peeling them off until the cake was reduced to blank frosting. The taste somehow managed to be worse than the appearance: dry, flavorless, and expensive.
So for 26, I simplified the plan.
If the cake was going to be disappointing, at least the disappointment would be mine to own.
But the opposite happened.
Using two Pinterest images as reference, I layered soft lines across with frosting, added small details with unexpected steadiness, and topped the whole thing with maraschino cherries that added a subtle brightness.
When I stepped back, the cake was delicate, charming, and much to my surprise, beautiful, and it tasted how a birthday cake should taste: light, moist, celebratory.
Decorations: Simple, Playful, Personal
I wanted the space to feel cheerful without tipping into excessive. I settled on a bow wall, star-shaped balloons, and handmade paper garland. The decorations were straightforward and didn’t require any elaborate planning, yet they transformed the room instantly.
But the best detail was also the smallest: googly eyes on every drink.
The effect was immediate. People laughed as soon as they picked up a can or a bottle, amused by the unexpected expression staring back at them.
It’s the easiest party hack in the world, and I swear by it. Society would be better if we all added googly eyes to random objects more often.
The House: A Setting That Supported the Moment
Choosing the right beach house mattered more than I expected. Many beach rentals embrace a certain dated aesthetic, like weathered wood, seashell motifs, heavy furniture that has endured too many summers.
I wanted something different for this birthday. A space that felt light, modern, and generous.
The Airbnb I found exceeded every expectation. The rooms were bright, the décor thoughtful, and the views wide and unobstructed. There is nothing quite like waking up and looking out your window to see the expansive Atlantic Ocean. It was the kind of space that encourages relaxation without asking anything in return.
A setting can shape a celebration more than you expect. This one made everything feel elevated but easy.
Vibes: Ease Over Orchestration
The vibe was “beach birthday bash” in the most wholesome way possible.
We had music playing throughout the house, games that had everyone laughing, plenty of snacks, a hot tub set to 102º, and photoshoots to remember the little moments.
The best vibes are the ones you don’t curate too tightly. Just set the scene, pick the playlist, and let the day evolve on its own.
Film: The Gift of Not Knowing
Unlike digital photos, which encourage constant checking and retaking, film forces patience. You take the shot, trust it, and move on.
I don’t know how the photos from my birthday will turn out, and I like that. There’s something strangely comforting about that delay.
I recommend a film camera to anyone celebrating anything. It turns the day into a story you get to revisit with fresh eyes.
The Verdict: The Birthday Curse Is Broken
It was a perfect birthday in a human way, warm, slightly unpredictable, made meaningful by the people and the place.
It taught me that a good birthday is a beginning. A small, steady reminder that the year ahead can unfold differently from the one before it.
I wanted a fresh start. I set out to create a beginning, not a spectacle. A moment of renewal rather than a checklist of festivities. I wanted to start my next year rooted in joy instead of recovering from disappointment.
And it was a success.
If 25 was a year defined by heaviness, 26 feels like light coming back through the window.
I don’t know whether birthdays truly set the tone for the rest of the year. But I do know this one left me hopeful, clear-minded, and ready for whatever comes next.
