2004
Family Home Evening Helps: Birthday Spotlights
June 2004


“Family Home Evening Helps: Birthday Spotlights,” Ensign, June 2004, 73

Family Home Evening Helps: Birthday Spotlights

Our family loves the special birthday spotlights we periodically do for family night. Since birthdays often occur on weekdays when it’s difficult for all of us to gather, we celebrate on the Monday night closest to the actual birth date. In addition to traditional festivities, we spotlight the birthday guest by reading selections from his or her baby book, which contains information through age 12. Based on what we read, the birthday person tries to guess how old he or she was when the event occurred. This tradition helps all of us recall past family events. If you don’t have a scrapbook or baby book, you can easily create similar birthday spotlights using yearbooks or family photos or by simply retelling favorite past events from memory.

Next, we dim the lights to watch family slides or video clips featuring the guest of honor. With these fun memories fresh on our minds, we then take a moment to individually express our sentiments about that person. It has been very heartwarming to hear my family’s expressions of love and gratitude for one another. We’ve generally done this activity for our immediate family, but at times we’ve also invited grandparents and others. In our home, birthday celebrations involve more than presents, cake, and ice cream. We celebrate wonderful memories and strong family ties.

Thelissa Zollinger, Willow Creek Ward, Denver Colorado Stake

Illustrated by Beth Whittaker