Learning to celebrate cultural differences in birthdays

With the arrival of July, the month I was born, conversations at my home have invariably shifted to discussing potential "birthday programs", as my husband Jun likes to say. This year, he has already begun sketching out details for a birthday trip to the Chengde Mountain Resort, where we can walk together hand in hand in the splendor of the former imperial summer palace and grounds, and hopefully take in some of the picturesque mountain views I've glimpsed in photographs online. Most years, I've tried to imagine a day of birthday revelry fit for the one man who captured my heart and soul, such as soaking in outdoor hot springs under the night sky, or hiking the wild Great Wall, or even treating him to the US-style barbecue ribs he loves so much. Besides, I happen to believe there's something special about being married to a man who thinks hard-boiled eggs equal birthdays, and who sees my day as a time for "programs".