April called me this morning. She said she had a good birthday yesterday because she followed “The Plan.” After years of knowing her, I know her “plan” quite well. That’s why we didn’t even talk on her actual birthday, but the day after instead.

“The Plan” goes a little something like this:

•  Disconnect. The people you love will probably be around you anyway, so do you really need to entertain a bunch of calls where people feel obligated to make birthday small talk? No, just don’t answer the phone. A phone free day. You can follow up the next day. Avoid the computer too. A million happy birthdays Facebook posts makes you feel about as warm and cuddly as a computer chip.

• Keep the plans simple. Elaborate parties are a sure-fire way to get your hopes up only to burn out as quickly as cake candles. Some people feel nostalgic on their birthdays. A big shebang can make you feel disconnected and desolate. Why do you think “It’s My Party, I can Cry if I Want to?” was written?

• But make some plans. April was so wary of making plans on her birthday because of Reason Number 2 that it backfired on her one year. She did nothing. Zilch. Crickets chirped, tumbleweed rolled. This year, she wanted to try paddleboarding and so went to her local lake and took a lesson. Then she had lunch with a couple of good friends. Her husband cooked her dinner and she watched her favorite old movie that night. Simple, manageable and fun.

So what are your foolproof birthday plans? Send them our way!

And while April doesn’t check her computer on her birthday, a loved one of yours might. Send one of our funny birthday ecards  to start the day off right.

Chest the Chipmunk's birthday plans go very awry all of a sudden. Can't imagine why.

Here’s the video to Leslie Gore’s classic “It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsYJyVEUaC4