Introduction
One morning I woke up to discover that I was finally celebrating my 30th birthday! At this age, I have just reached a milestone that is widely considered the peak of adulthood, bringing my own career and personal lifestyle into a sharp point of focus. Upon realising I am now on a new decade of life, I kick back and relax, reflecting on how my twenties shaped my experiences in the past, and I move forward with excitement and triumph.
For many individuals, the age of thirty marks the end of a decade that can be the hardest part of life. The twenties often involve a lot of planning, skill-building and learning responsibilities in preparation for upcoming adult life and independence.
From my experience, turning 30 years old has brought a new light to my life since my early twenties were marked by hardship and sadness. My thirties mark the end of that chapter and the start of a new decade, characterised by happiness and a return to normalcy and success in life.
Join me in this wonderful blog post as we reflect on my 30th birthday celebration.
How I planned my 30th birthday party
Since my birthday falls on September the 28th, planning and preparations usually start in either June or July, although this depends on how busy we are. Preparations involve choosing what type of theme will be selected for the upcoming party including decorations, the party menu and invitations. The previous birthday party theme was a Woodlands party.
To celebrate my 30th birthday, I chose an elegant 1930s-style theme. My carer baked me a cake with a red (my signature colour) custom “30 birthday ZAC” sign. Various 1930s-style decorations were used to decorate the party venue, ranging from ‘gold’ cutlery and crockery, to cups with bright red bow ties on them. A large birthday banner, coloured in gold silver and black, was used as a finishing touch to the party.
My gifts were wrapped with elegant wrapping paper. A small golden 30 candle decorated the cake alongside the ZAC sign. The rose gold “Happy Birthday” sign completed the birthday cake decorations. Potted red camelia flowers were placed on the table. I love bringing nature indoors and these particular flowers added to the 1930’s ambience.
A 1930s-style drinks tray trolley was used to serve sweets and lollies (candies) from oversized Martini style glasses. A black 1930s rotary landline telephone sat on the bottom shelf as decoration. Extra large black and white ostrich feathers (inspired by Gatsby style) were placed in vases on tables and around the room to add extra flair to my 1930s birthday party.
For breakfast (known alternatively as brekky in Australian slang), I cooked an entire bag of my favourite gluten-free hash browns on an oven tray. While the hash browns were cooking in the oven, I poured a glass bottle of coke to celebrate my birthday. I retrieved my hash browns 20 minutes later, serving 3 for myself while placing the rest into a plastic container to eat later.
Why an elevated sense of hearing makes celebrating my 30th birthday party a challenge
As a person with autism, my heightened perception of sound (known as hyperacusis) means I prefer to celebrate my parties differently. In contrast to a typical birthday party, I refrain from the use of noisemakers, loud music, strobe lighting and crowds of guests. Loud parties are a contributing factor to my sensory overload, raising my likelihood of meltdowns from stress and anxiety since I am unable to control the volume of the noise.
In my experience with hyperacusis (where everyday sounds are too loud), hosting a quiet birthday gathering with my family and friends is a great option to avoid causing sensory overload and meltdowns (Directfloortime Therapy, 2026). Since I can get overwhelmed very easily, we hold the party across two separate rooms.
The guests & party gather in the main open-space area of our home, and surrounding outdoor gardens/verandah, to enjoy each other’s company and to partake of celebratory foods. In my study, only one guest at a time is invited inside my personal space, to keep stress and sensory levels low. This allows me to enjoy each guest’s company on a one-to-one basis, with a real conversation and a catch up.
Although balloons are a delightful and stunning display, I refrain from using them for my birthday parties since they pop with a very loud bang, which I find frightening. Even their visual presence initiates the anticipation of balloons bursting which distracts me from enjoying the party.
How my ADHD adds anticipation to my birthday celebrations
My attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) considerably influences how I experience waiting for my birthday party. As I experience time blindness (the inability to perceive time), waiting for my magical birthday to come can feel like climbing a very tall mountain (excruciatingly slow and hard work) as excitement builds up for the event. Waiting for my presents to be gifted, my birthday cake to be lit or for my party guests to arrive is like a slow ticking clock.
This increasing time-based anticipation makes me quietly count the days (sleeps) down on the calendar until my birthday starts on September 28. My Ragdoll cat Lilli naturally finds my birthday parties alarming due to guests (which she views as strangers) and excited children, so she hides herself quietly in the wardrobe, and takes a catnap until they leave.
From fun piñata smashing to a waterfall gone wrong: My 30th birthday highlights
For party games, we hung two piñatas from our verandah (shown below). In Australian style, we used eucalyptus tree sticks found on our property to hit the piñatas in turns until they broke apart, spilling the sweets onto the ground.
Since my carer was unable to find piñatas that spelled out the number 30 for my age, she compensated with the number 95 as a representation of my birth year (1995). Smashing these two hanging piñatas on the verandah was a party game I always love to participate in, which helps strengthen our family friendships. One piñata was for the children and the other was reserved for myself to smash. The sweets (mostly chocolates) which are all individually wrapped, are shared among the children. Piñata has always been my favourite birthday party game. 🪅
We tried to recreate a champagne fountain (popular in the 1920s-30s) with lemonade cascading down plastic cups. We stacked the cups in a triangle shape and attempted to pour lemonade until it flowed downwards to the bottom. This idea was to make the liquid flow into the cups, creating the cascading effect of a waterfall. Unlike glass, the plastic was far too light to support the weight of the lemonade, so the cups kept falling over and the experiment failed. 😆 However, it brought great excitement, laughter and joy to the children participating, and onlooking guests, leaving a sticky mess. It was slightly successful in the end, and a few cups of lemonade were filled and enjoyed. 🍋
Princess Lilli Lilac
Zachary Wright.
When it comes to her human’s birthday, Lilli sends my carer shopping on her behalf, gifting me a present and a card which is presented to me first thing on the birthday morning. Lilli and I have had an unbreakable bond since she first arrived as an 8 week-old kitten and this friendship will never expire. 💜
Conclusion
While turning 30 years old is often a fantastic milestone for most due to the arrival of a new decade, my 30th birthday is nothing short of miraculous. As a preterm baby born at 25 weeks gestation, I was at a stage not deemed viable in 1995. Being able to celebrate my birthday in 2025 has proven that I survived the odds (which were less than 30 percent chance of survival). 😃
Everyone’s birthday is unique in how they are celebrated, with some throwing massive parties with huge crowds and loud noise, while others choose to quietly gather with only their families and relatives, such as myself. Some choose not to celebrate their birthday, quietly allowing the day to pass. Birthdays are a beautiful time to connect with family and friends and this is no exception for me.
Share your thoughts in the comments below, and I shall see you on the next blog post! 📰
Reference
Directfloortime Therapy. (25 May, 2026). The birthday party paradox: Why social celebrations often lead to sensory shutdowns and how to reimagine them. https://directfloortime.com/the-birthday-party-paradox-why-social-celebrations-often-lead-to-sensory-shutdowns-and-how-to-reimagine-them/