Hi fellow seniors, can you recall how you celebrated your 21st birthday?

Yes - I remember it well. Lily.

19th May 1964 I came of age - old enough to sign legal documents, mortgage agreements, purchase of house conveyance, etc - committing myself to a 30 year fixed mortgage from Ilford Borough Council - at a fixed interest rate of 6% pa. The fixed monthly repayments were about £19 per month - not much than it would cost a married couple to rent rooms @ £4 pw.

My then annual salary of £750 pa - £62.50 pm - less tax, NIs and pension contributions were deemed sufficient - to sevice such a mortgage.

So, on my 21st birthday - I signed all the forms - and became a house-owner - purchased for £3,450 - with the aid of a £150 loan from father-in-law - as part of the 10% deposit.

Hmm - the numbers remain etched on the mind - even with the passing of the decades.

It WAS a struggle - for YOUNG newly-weds - back in 1964. And even more of a challenge - when 1st born beloved Daughter No 1 arrived - January 1966.

And money got even tighter.

But we considered ourselves fortunate - as compared with our parents' experiences - in the Great Depression and WWII.

And whilst we might agree the young ones of today have it MUCH more difficult to buy houses. support kids, have a family life - etc - I see NO reason for them having expensive JOLLIES on their 21st Birthdays.

Expecting 'guests' to splash cash in aid of their somewhat self-indulgent celebrations.

I have enough problems with my own 4 biological off-spring - who don't exactly share my sense of values/priorities - but I'd certainly opt OUT any dil's sister's 21st extravagant celebrations.

A small monetary donation towards the fancy Hotel costs might not go far - but needs must - and it's the thought that counts, after all.

; ))

My husband of 1 year took me to San Francisco to a very trendy nightclub @ the Top of the Mark {Mark Hopkins Hotel}. I was carded, the person doing the carding said "well you just made it"..We stayed for 1 drink and several dances then left..My husband has a birthday on the same day and 9 months later we had a new son..now how did that happen?? We now have 21 year old grand kids, time flies..

At 21, I joined my husband in The Netherlands where he was stationed on the AF Base. Weird, just enjoyed being there with my husband, and the couple from whom we rented an apartment had a celebration with some Pepsi Cola and little candies. They may have had a drink or two, but I never could drink. I never thought of my birthdays then much. I was just happy to be where I was, and the trip was a birthday present, because my husband sold his much-beloved Plymouth Coupe to pay my way there and back.

I really can't. I was married at the time, living in a college town. Whereas the 21st birthday had been a big deal because you were legal to drink, the legal age was changed to 18 while I was 19 years old and not changed back to 21 until I was 22 years old. I kind of slipped through those cracks.

I don't really understand the big hubbub over birthdays nowadays. I've seen stories about kids hiring limos and restaurants on their 16th birthdays! For cryin' out loud! It is kind of you to even consider a small monetary gift, but I wouldn't feel obligated if I were you - she's the one making a big deal out of it.I

Ha ha, I'll never forget it .Even though it was 1968, I had a film star theme party, and being art students, the improvised costumes were pretty creative . My best memory was two friends who'd travelled on the bus from Shepherd's Bush, one with gi- normous Mickey Mouse ears, the other in bandages from head to feet, as The Mummy, lol.

I was Jean Harlow, with my blonde, waved hair, long cigarette holder and peach satin vintage gown. My boyfriend was in full gangster regalia, with a lovely gold tooth !

His Aunt had made piles of fried chicken, patties, etc, and there was rum punch ( aptly - named )

We danced to soul , Motown and Ska music till we fell over ! Happy daze , hic

Why do young people nowadays have to be so lavish ? At that age, even simple things are a pleasure

What a shame that this family has chosen to live beyond their means.

Well, that's part of the Hollywood theme I guess. LOL

I'm a twin and when we turned 21, my mother threw a party and repaid all her social debts.

She worked all spring and summer (our birthday is in early August) to have that farm yard pristine.

The meal was bar-b-que hip of beef and all the fresh vegetables and salads were from her garden.

There must have been 60 - 70 people.

People were asked to bring their own lawn chair, that's all.

It was a great party!

I cannot remember too much of the details other than to say

that the evening was spent in the bar of The Royal Turks Head

Hotel, in Newcastle.

I had been with friends at Hatfield College, Durham, earlier in

the day, they were already students there. I went up the

following year.

Thinking back, a bit of a haze over the day.

My 21st birthday, was just another normal day of household drudgery for me. I remember doing

things around the house where I lived with our three month old baby, and my husband. In the

evening, after dinner, my parents came over with the laundry she'd done for me. I

was surprised that they'ed forgotten my birthday. But then, my husband wasn't able

to remember me either. I went to bed feeling sad,

The next day, mother called to apologize about forgetting my birthday. And so she

said she and dad would be right over. And so they were. With a few presents, and a

birthday cake with candles. Even though it was a day late in coming, I felt so glad that

I was remembered after all. And that made me feel just a bit more secure in my world.

I was 8 months pregnant and had moved only a month before to the Island of Maui from Hollywood, Calif.

My husband had gone a couple of months before me to the Island to set things up for a new life with a baby.

We thought a beautiful place like Hawaii would be a great location for our baby to grow up on.

Too bad we moved back to the mainland when he turned 1.

Of course I didn't have any drinks or friends over but it was alright with me, stayed home with my big tummy, husband bought me a nice pukka shell necklace for my BD. We couldn't afford much else then that.

On my son's 21st. BD his dad was in Calif. working at a small special machinist job for a couple of weeks for his old boss, we lived in New Mexico.

I asked my son if he wanted me to take him out to a bar or something for his first legal drink since his dad was out of state.

He declined as he didn't drink, he had no friends in NM either.

We got some Chinese take out and watched some movies at home together, nothing fancy.

Don't remember. I never liked birthday parties even when I was young. And in America in those days, 18-year-olds were legally able to drink, vote, drive, and the young men were already registered with the draft board, so 21 wasn't much of a "coming of age" event in any case.