that's how we spent our birthdays... right or wrong

in stark contrast to the birthdays that kids today are used to, ours -- my bro and mine -- were simple...
at the start of the birthday week itself, there were discussions of what my parents had done that particular day, X or Y years back... as the day drew closer, the details increased... the intensity of the sun (in my case), the sudden shower (in his), the uncle or aunt who had come that day, the time when my Dad waiting outside the OT (in both cases) saw us first...
these we heard with rapt attention... only in my bro's case, i had some detail to fill in which he could not...
the day began with a soft hug and kiss from our parents early in the morning... that was the only day they did this... affection, for them, was not a thing for public display... then some special dish that we liked, a constant dessert -- rice pudding, that's considered auspicious... and some calls from uncles/aunts who cared to remember...
no special gifts, except books... no party calling all the kids in town... but we felt on top of the world, as if we were the chosen ones for that day...
now, we the same ones, celebrate our kids' birthdays with expensive (relatively) gifts, a party calling their friends, a cake cutting that has replaced the rice pudding, forget the hugs and kisses that we do every day... and i am not sure whether our kids really feel as the chosen one...
are we right as parents? or were they?
were we ok as kids? are are they today?...
for once, i do not know... and am confused...