If you’ve never heard of a milestone birthday today, it could cause some confusion. Milestone birthdays are birthdays that hold some significance based on the age of the person. For example, the first birthday is a pretty big milestone and the first one that you’re going to experience. It’s more of a big deal, but it’s the first birthday that’s held, and that itself is quite special.

They’re a birthday that some people tend to treat a little bit more important than other birthdays, and there are often big events or even bigger gifts than usual. Take being old enough to drive, for example. Some lucky individuals may receive a car for their birthday that year, to give them a headstart in life! Of course, there are many more milestone birthdays, but they all mark something different.

When are your milestones?

Of course, while you were there for your first milestone birthday, you’re not going to remember one second of it! It’s your birthday, but it’s not really for you. It’s a proud day for your parents, and they’re celebrating the year that you’ve been in their lives. The first milestone birthday you experience won’t be until much later than that, and for many, it’s the 18th birthday! It’s a significant year for many teenagers, as it’s the day you’re officially counted as an adult and the world opens up a little more for you. Becoming an adult is a big ordeal, and it should be celebrated accordingly!

After you turn 18, the bigger milestones that many tend to celebrate but also dread are the tens. Turning 30 is a scary event, because not only are you getting older, you’re expected to act like it! Most people who turn 30 are still 20 at heart and not ready to mature, and there’s nothing wrong with that – but that’s what causes the fear of ageing. After that, you’ll be celebrating every 10 years until the big 100, which can make all previous milestones seem quite small – it’s an impressive milestone to reach.

Why are they celebrated?

Well outside of celebrating your existence, these milestones are a great time for you to look back on the years that you’ve spent being you. 30 years is a long time to spend learning and growing, and it can be eye-opening to think about how far you and those close to you have come. It’s years’ worth of achievements, failures, loves, heartbreaks – it’s a lot of experience which has all gone into creating who you are right now.

What can you bring to a milestone birthday?

If someone you know is reaching their milestone birthday, there are greeting cards you can have personalised to match the individual to make the day a little more special. You can also easily get your hands on gift boxes, or if you can’t make it there yourself, you can have gifts delivered on the same day – which is perfect for those who tend to run a little late with their presents.