<delurk mode>
After doing a lot of complaining in Flamsterette_X’s very nice thread about October Doper birthdays, I just wondered if anybody had any horror stories on anything birthday-related, awful gifts, disastrous parties, etc.
Just so you can show me that --when I said it could be worse-- it is. (envision smilie here)
-Mrs Myron
I once overheard two colleagues talking about organising some sort of celebration for me on my approaching birthday. As I, for various reasons, definitely was not in a mood for it I told them that I would hear of nothing of that sort.
When the day arrived they had done it anyway, so I simply refused to take part and sat, angrily, typing away on my computer as the others were eating my birthday cake.
Afterwords one of them said to me that I, by refusing to take part, had hurt her feelings. It never occurred to her that, in my opinion, it was the other way round.
And, BTW, she is an ex GF and I still consider her one of my best friends in spite of this.
I don’t like birthdays for me. If someone else wants to celebrate for themselves, that’s fine, but I don’t want anything. And what I don’t want most of all is someone saying, “But it’s your biiiiiiirthday! You have to do soooooooomething!” Yes it is and no I don’t.
The exception was when I turned 30. I decided I was gonna do something. Not much, but something. We invited people over, I had a movie I wanted to watch, everything was cool. Then most of the people didn’t show up until 2 hours late, after they’d been out drinking. Two fell asleep on the sofa. I decided, “screw em” and went to watch the movie and then was told that nobody wanted to watch that, so we had to watch something else.
So after that I said “Fuck this”. And let me tell you, whenever one of those people has a birthday and decides what everyone has to do to celebrate it, I grind my teeth and I hate myself for doing it, but I buck up and give them what they want instead of telling them to go screw themselves like I think I should.
I have gotten some absolutely horrible presents. Things that no one in their right mind would think I would want, and I’m not a good enough liar to pretend that I like them. Whenever I would hear “It’s the thought that counts” I would think that’s what’s bothering me, there was thought behind this!
So I wouldn’t get upset, and I wouldn’t piss off anymore lousy gift givers with my attempt at fake appreciation (the lips say thanks, but the expression says “what the hell is this thing?”) I have an absolute no presents rule for birthdays.
Parties are the same way. I have had some great parties for people, but for me it’s been half-assed last minute attempts that are very, very uncomfortable for everyone. I throw parties for myself now! I’m not picky and appreciate the efforts, but that’s what they seem to lack, effort.
Christmas seems to go okay for some reason, maybe they have more time to shop.
I do not like to celebrate my birthday. My usual scheme for minimizing irritation is simply not telling anyone when it is.
The last time I tried to do anything, all but one of my friends cancelled at the last possible minute. I have also had the distinct pleasure of getting rejected one year for a job on my birthday, and another year getting rejected from school just before it. And there are one or two more indignities that are best not discussed in public.
I tend to keep a low profile and just try not to remind myself that I am one year closer to death. 
I’ve gotten to that age (I’m 32 now) where birthdays don’t really have much significance anymore and that I don’t like to be reminded that yet another year has passed me by and I am still single. I don’t mind if people I know recognize my birthday in passing, but I don’t want anyone, especially people with whom I have little acquaintence, to go out of his or her way to commemorate it. I especially don’t want anyone coming up to me and singing “Happy Birthday” to me (we have a guy in the office who will do this if he is told that it is someone’s birthday, and he sings it LOUDLY, too. Off with his nuts if he ever comes up to me for this!)
My family gets together to celebrate birthdays and this is cool. It’s low-key, just a dinner, some cake and a few tasteful and thoughtful presents are given.
The only birthday that sucked for me was when I was seven. They put trick candles on my cake (the ones you can’t blow out). I didn’t find this to be very funny, even though the rest of the family had a good laugh over watching me try to blow those damn candles out.
No, I love my birthday. It is the only day of the year that people single me out for special attention. I actually tell people weeks in advance that my birthday is coming. Last year, when I turned 40, I told everyone at the beginning of the year that it would be a wonderful year for a surprise party. Alas, no one gave me one.
I dislike my birthday because no one outside my immediate family remembers it. Throughout the year, people ask me when my birthday is, but when it comes around, no one says anything. Even my mother forgot one year.
I haven’t celebrated a birthday since my college years and I’m not sure why, even after years of expensive therapy. They certainly were fun back when I turned 18, 19, 20, and 21…great gifts, wonderful dinners with fine booze paid for by friends, hot sex. For some reason I just lost interest in celebrating, and I dislike to be reminded of it when it rolls around. When people ask when it is, I give 'em a date approximately six months away.
I love birthdays. Not just my own, but other people’s, too. To me, it’s not so much a celebration of “You’re a year older,” but a celebration that you are the person you are. A kind of “thank you for being part of my life.” Of course, I also really like throwing and attending parties.
My worst birthday was when I turned 20. I was studying in England, and I hadn’t made any friends yet. So I was alone in this foreign country, far away from family and friends. Not too fun. But other than that, I don’t have any traumatic birthday stories.
I’m the grumpiest git you’ve ever seen when it comes to my birthday.
Not only have I never had a birthday party (not even as a kid), but I’ve never even gone for a night out with friends - Every time I tried to arrange one of those it turned out like Legomancer’s and Maeglin’s stories, but with no-one turning up at all.
I hate birthdays.
Thank you for going a bit towards explaining my antipathy towards birthday celebrations, as that is the sort of sentiment that makes me want to vomit.
I love my birthday and celebrate it every year for at least a week. Mrs. Lorenzo gets the actual evening of my birthday. We celebrate another evening with my parents, two (a weekend) with my sister and her family, one with my friend Pete, one with my friend Dean and one with my partners in crime at work.
I like to drag it out as long as possible for all that it’s worth. I’ll get some small gifts from “the boss” and my sister and a cash gift of variable size from my parents depending on what kind of year they think I had, however, the main thing is great company and great food for a week. I’m pretty lucky to have so many great folks to share my birthday with me.
This is the kind of sentiment that makes me feel warm, fuzzy and sparkly inside. Your birthday is truly the only day of the year that mere acquaintances will acknowledge you just for your mere existence. You don’t have to do anything to earn it–just keep breathing.
My birthday is comming up soon and I am not looking forward to it. Another birthday alone, another year gone by and the same old crap. So theres nothing really to celebrate. I dont want any presents, no happy birthday comments, no cards, nothing. For me it will be just another day.
You were complaining in my thread? Well, the nerve. 
Can’t say as I’ve really had any bad birthdays, but there was the time a couple of years ago where my mother chose where I’d go for my birthday. Her rationale was that I’d already chosen where to go with my friends the previous night, so she got to choose on my actual birthday. Right. :rolleyes:
F_X
The only acceptable form of birthday celebration is sexual favors from that special someone. I can’t be bothered with anything else. Yeah, another year has passed and I managed not to kill myself. I don’t think that is worthy of a card and a cake. I’t not really MY day.
I haven’t had a birthday party since I was ten, and I’d really like one that I didn’t have to give myself. Unfortunately, I don’t really have a lot of friends. I always believe in celebrating birthdays in some way, even if it’s just your choice of dinner and a cake. It’s not so much celebrating your age, but your existence on this planet.
I hate being asked “What do you want for your birthday?” or “What are you doing for your birthday?” It’s just another day. It’s not that big a deal. One day closer to retirement. If you send chocolate, I’ll thank you. If you forget about it, no biggie.
Birthday’s are GREAT!
How so? Oh, you youngsters (and hell, I’m only $49.95 plus shipping and handling) …, the alternative really sucks. Enjoy every birthday you “achieve”. There are things to see, places to go, and people to do!
Get off your whine.