Community Chat

[DowntonAbbey]

My DIL in her country they do not celebrate birthdays after a certain age because they think it is just for the kids but I think it is becaucse they don't want to spend money on a gift..........very frugal..........birthday, it is your day of life and it should be celebrated as you choose.  I even purchase usually my own cakes and invite friends, yet this past year, my sister in law gave me a cake and a beautiful party in Dallas.

[chrystaltree]

Is it just your dil's family that does that or is that the culure of the country?  To be honest, in my family we always made huge deal out of kids burthdays but less, much less for the adults and it seems the older the adults get, the smaller the birthday celebrations.  There's no right way or wrong way.  Families do things differently.

[SeaMaiden]

I have not celebrated my birthday for at least 30 years.  As a child it was celebrated and I loved Birthdays.  I just would rather not dwell on my age and getting older I guess.  Just live for the moment.  I do not celebrate any holidays either. 

[Goldengate8361]

Really.....we should make a bigger deal the older you are....because you've made it to a certain age. (There is an accomplishment.) Kids have hardly lived at all, so it's really not a big deal when they have a birthday.

[Imadickens]

In my family, everyone except my dh had a birthday between the end of October and Christmas! It wasn't the money as much as find gifts for two holidays so closely together! So, once I got married we made an agreement that birthdays had a $10 limit. Just something to show you were thought of! Plus, we did not buy expensive cards! A handwritten note was perfect. We still had a cake for each person because we all enjoyed that!

Now, we still don't go way out but we do make sure everyone has a special day! That person chooses where we eat dinner and there is always a cake!

[Desertdi]

Birthdays were NOT a "big deal" in my family.   

[GCR18]

We always had and still have birthday parties.  My sister's kids are 13 and 16 and like the hoopla.  My mother complains a little, but she likes the gifts and cake.  Since I live far from the family, I miss most of the parties.  I do though try not to miss my mother's.

[Bird mama]

As far as immediate family birthdays when I was growing up, it was pretty much immediate family, a cake and ice cream.   I think I had one sleepover with two girlfriends in grade school.  When I was 13, there was a party with neighborhood kids and family.  I kept the cake ice cream thing going for my parents and DH till they died.  DH and I made a fuss over each other, a card per day for the 5 days before the day, lol.  Lots of presents - look it made him happy :-)  I celebrated my dog's birthday each year with a cake and ice cream too.  I'm not a cake person, so last few years I usually get together with my middle sister for dinner or a movie.  I just like the face time, we don't really need to go anywhere, jus sit at the table and run our mouths :-)  I make a fuss over my sister with presents.  There aren't many of us left.  I just went to a small familt party for my great niece today.  Kids parties are great, they get so excited.

[Kitlynn]

I am a December birthday gal and I love presents so I always enjoy my day! I am grateful for every year I get and I celebrate that I have gotten it!! When I hear someone say I don't care and I don't want anything I am inclined to think one of two things. Either they are lying or awfully stupid!! Now I will say I am happy with a card, phone call or message also. It is just the fact that people have taken the time to think of me and I appreciate that.

[Shorty2U]

Ha! I wish it was in our culture not to celebrate birthdays after a certain age! lol. We always have family get togethers for all of our birthdays. So my grown kids (and grandkids) are already bugging me to go out to an Italian place for my birthday (Halloween). I don't want to but don't want to hurt their feelings, so I guess I will be stuck going. I know I should be grateful I have a great family (including my kids, grandkids, and wonderful husband). But, I am going into a new decade and I no longer like my birthday and just want to forget it!