Birthdays: What do normal people do?

grousescot

This is the first year I've really thought I'd rather no one had marked mine. I'm in my mid 30s now and I've worked most of my birthdays for the last decade unless it fell on a weekend. I'd much rather folk who wanted to send me a present or card put the money towards a charity. I'm getting the same feeling about Christmas too.

I can see how if you have children, especially when they're small, they'll enjoy marking your birthday and significant birthdays are opportunities for families to get together that aren't weddings or funerals. But other than that I don't see the point.

islandgirl8

I work in Palliative Care and I see many people who don't get to celebrate another birthday. It has made to appreciate every birthday and I make sure I never work on that day (take annual leave), do exactly what I like that day and get spoilt by my family. I make sure that my children know that it is a privilege to have another birthday. I hope they carry on with these traditions. Birthdays needn't to be expensive but they should be special and a celebration of life.

catkins

pigpen wrote: »

I want to be spoilt and appreciated every day.. like I am special to them not just there to be nice to one day a year.. I'm not going to forget if I have been treated shoddily 364 days a year and think 'oh well.. it doesn't matter they were nice to me on my birthday!'

If they love me it is an every day thing not an annual event.

I am appreciated by my OH every day and I appreciate him every day. It is perfectly possible to be nice to someone all year but still try and make their birthday special.

This is like the argument people who don't "do" Valentines Day make - "Oh we don't need to be told to be romantic/nice/
generous etc on one day of the year". Why assume that people who celebrate a certain day, whether it be a birthday or Valentines Day, are not loving, appreciative etc of their OH all year round?

pigpen wrote: »

Plenty of people don't have the time or resources to do meals out every day etc.. but it would be MORE special and meaningful if someone said they had booked to take me out or just bought me a gift because they saw it and thought of me or because they wanted to spend time with me rather than it being.. oh boring.. it's their birthday again I suppose I should make an effort'

I have NEVER been out to mark my birthday either.. not ever. Not for a meal or a drink or anything.

Me and my OH DO book a surprise meal, night away, weekend away or buy each other a gift if we see something the other will like - doesn't have to be big or expensive and we both love spending time with each other. Birthdays, because we both take the day off work gives us more time to spend together on an important day

pigpen wrote: »

I LOVE buying/making/treating the ones I love.. but I do that all the time.

So do I and OH but we also like making birthdays and anniversaries special

catkins

islandgirl8 wrote: »

I work in Palliative Care and I see many people who don't get to celebrate another birthday. It has made to appreciate every birthday and I make sure I never work on that day (take annual leave), do exactly what I like that day and get spoilt by my family. I make sure that my children know that it is a privilege to have another birthday. I hope they carry on with these traditions. Birthdays needn't to be expensive but they should be special and a celebration of life.

Totally agree. None of us know how long ourselves or our loved ones will live. We should be making the most of every day but definitely making birthdays special.

Slinky

I'm reminded of somebody I knew years ago. She always took her birthday off work and never mentioned it to the people she worked with.

A friend of mine who also knew her said to me in all innocence (having seen her DOB because she was her dental nurse, in the days before Data Protection and all that), I never knew X was 38. I fell about laughing because X claimed she was 30, and she obviously didn't want people at work asking her what her age was on her birthday!

I never told X that I knew her little secret!

rachbc

Hubby and I always take day off for each others birthday - presents, day out, nice meal in the evening - either cooked at home or go out, sometimes with kids/ parents other times just is. Bottle of champers at some point too usually.