Listicle - Characters Best Birthdays (Patreon)

As I mentioned a few days ago, it's my birthday! (specifically: right now, today) 

And what better way to celebrate it, than sharing with all of you all of our leading ladies and their best birthdays?! For a truly complete picture, I've listed the best birthday experience in childhood, as well as after meeting their partner :)

Let's begin!

Sutton Spencer - 

Sutton's best childhood birthdays were... honestly, most of them. Despite her father's busy schedule and that her siblings always had their own things going on, birthday time meant that everyone came together. Plus, she always got to have a slumber party (during which, on her sixteenth birthday, Regan convinced everyone to sneak out. They only went to the all-night diner and to a late-night movie, but it was exhilarating for Sutton nonetheless).

Her first birthday after getting together with Charlotte (post wedding), Charlotte was in D.C. for a work trip, due back in Manhattan the morning after Sutton's birthday. But she surprised Sutton by returning home early, sneaking into Sutton's apartment (aided by Regan) at 3am the morning of Sutton's 27th birthday. 

Charlotte Thompson - 

Birthdays, like many days in Charlotte's childhood, were fairly lonely. Her parents would give her gifts, but rarely made the day feel special. Caleb and William would give her more thoughtful gifts and have cake with her, which she always enjoyed. But her favorite birthdays were the ones when her grandmother would pick her up and take her out. The days where Elizabeth would take Charlotte to work and treat her to lunch -- talking to her and teaching her about the world -- were her favorites. 

Being with Sutton in adulthood is a world of difference compared to her past - even the good birthdays with her grandmother. Sutton is a pamper-er, and, as such, arranges to celebrate Charlotte's birthday with all things fun and non-work-related. Starting with waking her up with kisses and light touches, sex, breakfast in bed - it's an experience to be with someone who is so centered on her as a person. It takes far less time to get used to than Charlotte would have imagined. 

Caroline Parker - 

In her youth, Caroline wasn't yet a birthday-hater (as she didn't start to see the holidays as her enemy until her later teen years and beyond), but she was never incredibly into her birthday. Her parents would throw her small birthday parties, but honestly the thing Caroline always appreciated the most was that her birthday was so close to Veteran's Day that she always had a long weekend from school. 

As an adult, nothing will ever top the day Hannah kissed her for the first time. Absolutely no birthday can ever be better than the first day her entire world started spinning on a different axis. 

Hannah Dalton - 

As per her mother's tradition, Hannah was able to make her "anything under the sun" request on birthdays in her childhood. These days were all very special to Hannah, because her mom worked a lot, often picking up weekend and evening shifts to make ends meet. But Betty never once worked on Hannah's birthday, a sacred day to them both. Her favorite experience was the day she'd requested a skiing lesson, and she still remembers the falls and the laughter and the cheering of success when she actually made it down the bunny hill without falling for the first time. 

Being with Caroline as a partner in adulthood is a huge adjustment from what she'd been used to. It was rare that Michael even remembered her birthday without reminders, and even then, it was never special. All gifts from Michael were borne of flash and expense, and very little substance. Being with Caroline means -- sleeping in and waking up without an alarm, knowing that Caroline has Abbie handled. And most perfectly, is the day Caroline arranges for Abbie to have a sleepover, before taking her to a new art exhibit, and (attempting) to make Hannah's mother's chicken pot pie recipe for dinner (it's not nearly as good as her mom's, but Hannah takes every slightly under-seasoned bite and has never been more appreciative).

Taylor Vandenberg - 

Taylor's special requests for her birthday always revolved around taking day trips out of Faircombe. Most of the times, these trips were to spend the day (or, if she was lucky, the weekend) in nearby cities. But she was happy even if the day trip meant visiting any new attraction... anywhere. One of her favorites was when their car popped a tire as they passed through a small town an hour away, and she chose to stay and explore the niche shops for the afternoon, rather than continue to Nashville. 

Her favorite birthdays after starting her relationship with Brooke are... almost every birthday, and all for different reasons. But the day that probably tops the charts is the first birthday she spends with Brooke after getting together. When Brooke presents her with place tickets to Greece, and tells Taylor that the best gift she could think of for Taylor was giving her the chance to show Brooke the world. (she was right)

Brooke Watson - 

Brooke's childhood home wasn't a very friendly place, be it on birthdays or no. Birthdays in her house were actually far more stressful than other days (just like all holidays). Because of that, from a very, very young age, Brooke tried to wish her birthdays passed as quietly and painlessly as possible. That was, of course, not something the Vandenberg family allowed once she became an honorary member. Baking a cake with Amy, Ben giving her new newest Dolly Parton album... and definitely not her fourteenth birthday when Taylor walked her home and gave her a cute little card.

In adulthood, Brooke still isn't one prone to make a big deal of her birthday, and would still always prefer for there to be no special attention paid to her. But there is a very special feeling she has when she wakes up to a card on her bedside table with a sweet message in it, while Taylor Vandenberg sleeps next to her...

Mia Sharpe - 

Birthdays for Mia were always a fun affair growing up. Friendly and outgoing, she was always happy to invite the entire class to her parties, making sure there was no one without an invite. All of her younger memories of her birthdays are great - but mostly when her parents let her have a party at the gymnastics rec center. 

As an adult - after her parents died - celebrating her birthdays was never a very joyful affair. There's only so much enjoyment you can get when holding most people an arm's distance away. Everything changed with Ellie, though, even before they were together. No matter what happens on the day, no matter what they do to celebrate (Mia's pretty versatile; she'd be happy to stay in and order take out or dress up and go out all night): simply the matter of having Ellie to celebrate with makes her birthdays special, again. 

Ellie Beckett - 

Childhood birthdays were somewhat stressful events for Ellie. Having a lot of people gathering around her for a big party -- not her idea of "fun." Her fun birthdays really started when she was eleven, and she started having little adventures with Riley. Doing little experiments at home or going through the woods near their house. 

As an adult, Ellie has always celebrated her birthday exactly how she wanted to. But her best birthday in adulthood by-far is when Mia takes it upon herself to organize a day at the science museum, before she presents Ellie with a gift - her first academic publication in a double-sided frame, next to her father's first publication. She's never felt so understood. 

Riley Beckett - 

Riley struggled to find a balance on her birthdays when she was younger. Unlike Ellie, she did enjoy having a group of people come over and having a party with them, but she also knew how much it stressed Ellie out. By their eleventh birthday, she found a good rhythm, though. She would get in some quality twin-time (something she's always taken joy in) on their actual birthday, doing something special for herself and Ellie. And she would organize a hang out on another day with her friends, not necessarily calling it a birthday party, to even all the scales.

Riley has always enjoyed her birthday - low-key events or (especially once Gianna found success and financial freedom) big blow-out parties. But it will always be simple to pick out her favorite: the year she and Gianna got married... on her birthday. 

Gianna Mäkinen - 

As a child, Gianna's happiest birthdays were spent with her Mummo. They were usually quiet days, with small outings and little games. When she thinks back on her childhood, she thinks about these times. During those days, she often longed for either of her parents to send for her, to bring her with them on their adventures in Italy or France. 

All of her happiest birthdays occur after meeting Riley, not even necessarily after they romantically get together. After their sophomore year - the first summer after they'd truly let each other in - Riley made it a point to with with Gianna for all of her birthdays. There hasn't been a single year that's gone by since college, that Gianna hasn't received a call at 12:01am on her birthday from Riley, received flowers from her, and been taken out to dinner - always Riley's treat. That will never change.