My ex’s birthday is January 3rd. In the fooferaw of the holidays, I did forget it one year. He was hurt (understandably - I would have been, too), and I felt like a ass. After that, I always made sure to buy his birthday gift before any Christmas presents.
VCNJ~
I count on my mother to remind me of mine. If she forgot, I would probably notice…a few weeks later. Come to think of it, she also reminds me of hers, my dad’s, sibling’s and yes, even my kids.
That woman better live forever or I will have to do something extreme. Like buy a calendar.
I would rather forget Christmas then the birthday of someone I cared about. Birthdays are everyones own lil special moment-sure they lose some gloss once you get past your teens but jesus has had more the 2000 how can I forget a friend’s 43rd?
If my entire family forgot my birthday, I would be very upset. I don’t like to have a lot of fuss, but I do like to be remembered, and if I forgot the birthday of my parents, siblings or kids, I’d feel like an absolute jerk.
Which reminds me, I’d better get a card for my husband’s birthday tomorrow!
IANYEB* but we share the same birthday. I have had that happen to me, too. My little sister is also born on January 3rd, so I can usually count on talking to her that day. I would bet that he bitched about the combination X-mas/Birthday gifts from relatives too.
*I Am Not Your Ex Boyfriend.
Wouldn’t bother me at all.
In fact, several years ago, my family forgot my birthday until later on in the day. It might’ve been odd, but at the time, one of my aunts was in the process of dying from ovarian cancer, so their minds were, understandably, on more important matters.
At any rate, I really didn’t mind the forgetfulness. For one thing, I don’t pay much attention to my own birthday (occasionally, I might take myself out on a “date”), and even if I do decide to honor it, it’s my birthday, and I’m the only one who has a responsibility for honoring it. Also, I don’t have a Beaverish relationship with my family. This means that I don’t speak with them often (no, I don’t particularly hate them–we’re just not that close), so for me, this translates into there’s no reason to call me or send me cards on my birthday. If you *do * want to send something, money’s always appreciated, but gestures really aren’t necessary. Depending on the well-wisher, I’m touched when it happens, but I don’t feel slighted if it doesn’t.
I try to remember and acknowledge other people’s birthdays, especially if I know that that kind of stuff is important to them. And I *like * doing it when I can. But for me? Meh.
Yeah, I know, I’m strange.
My daughter also was born 1/3. Ditto on the holiday bitching.
Man, March must be a horny month! 
I wouldn’t find it too surprising if my siblings forgot, but my parents and SO are a different story. The day my mother forgets a birthday is the day hell freezes over.
I think the mom is passive aggressive. Everyone always knows it’s my birthday because I tell them all - “Two weeks til my birthday!” “Oh my god I’m going to be __ years old on Friday! Argh!” etc.
Anyone who passively sits through her entire birthday so she can make everyone squirm is a big old bitch. In my humble opinion.
My mom’s like that, too. She still calls me at 6:01AM on the day (that’s the time on my birth certificate). Though she says it’s less fun now that I’m usually already up.
Then there’s DH’s family. They called us in August 1994 to wish us happy 1st wedding anniversary. We got married in October 1991. They were there.
Pfft. We haven’t even gotten a wedding present from my father in law yet. His present was “I’ll make you some furniture!” (He’s a woodworker.) Yeah, we’re still waiting.
I forget everybody else’s. It seems fair that they all should forget mine.
I’m with Fern Forest on this.