Community Chat

[Carmie]

No one has celebrated my birthday for over 22 years.  It's never been a big deal for me. I so get a few cards though.

When my birthday rolls around, I think of my mother and thank her for giving me life.  I wish she was still alive so that I could tell her face to face.

i do make a cake for hubby and buy a gift for my kids, their spouses and my grands when their day come around.

[ECBG]

We always celebrate birthdays with a big family dinner on that Sunday afternoon and have birthday cake, icecream, and presents.  For our grandsons, I have the bakery make the cake.  For an adult I make the cake.

Our DIL had not had birthday parties or presents growing up.  She was never excited about her birthday because it's two weeks before Christmas.  (Mine is two weeks after Christmas.).  I have made sure we have had a party for her since she has been with us, and we don't use Christmas paper!

[meallen616]

Enjoy your day for all who celebrate,

[goldensrbest]

I was born on december 26th, i always felt a little cheated out of celebrations growing up,never a birthday party, when kids being invited, seems my birthday and christmas got put together.

[shoptilyadropagain]

Growing up, birthdays were not a HUGE deal.  We had a cake & presents but I think I only had one birthday party.  I do not have children but my nieces & nephews and now great nieces, etc. all have birthday parties.  It's normally just for the family but there is always a cook-out or meal involved too.  Personally, I think it's overkill to celebrate birthdays for adults

[deepwaterdotter]

I prefer to let my birthday pass without notice or celebration.  If you like the attention from others, I hope you are the 'star' on your special day.

[Stormygirl]

I think whether one celebrates or not depends on many factors. Cultural influences, personal expectations, having or not having family, traditions differing, financial situations etc etc just to name a few. Not everyone has grown up with a charmed life full of family either. I totally understand others saying they do not care or do not want a gift for reasons other then some would understand.......to say those people are "lying" or "stupid" and name calling is very insensitive. I know growing up in the foster/orphanage system I didnt have those birthday parties or cakes. I totally wish it was a lie ........wouldnt that be wonderful. I envied people who had "family" 

I eventually married into a family that loved thier birthday cakes, parties and it took some time to get used to that hoopla and I didnt even like cake...but now I just go with the flow as DH likes his cake. He insists on buying me one so he can eat it  LOL. I admit was hard to get into something that I had built a brick wall around...you know all things family. As far as birthday/holiday presents we stopped doing that years ago.

[just bee]

Better-half and I have our birthdays within a couple days of each other.  We do not exchange gifts.  In fact, we really don't do much celebrating.  If we need something for the house we'll buy it.

What I do like about having a birthday is taking a vacation day.  I once worked for a company that gave each employee the day off on his/her birthday.  I thought that was a brilliant policy.

[faeriemoon]

I always tried to make my kids' birthdays special.  We had a family party, they had a kid party (not an elaborate fiasco; just a party), a special meal of their choosing, and of course, a gift I knew they would like.

Growing up, there wasn't much fuss made over our birthdays and I wanted it to be different for my kids.

[JaneMarple]

When I was growing up I didn't have a party every year, on the off years without a party I would get a big gift such as a bicycle or a trip to an amusement park. But my siblings and I always got a cake and ice cream with the family.

My twins' birthday was a few weeks ago and my youngest is this coming Sunday, I've sent all three a gift wrapped present like I do every year.