For the second time in about a month I've read about someone on here ending an on-line friendship/relationship because of a forgotten birthday. So, if someone special to you (in real-life, on-line, or whatever) forgets your birthday, how do you react?
As every year passes and I slowly (but not slowly enough, I'm starting to realize) grow older, my birthday starts to mean less and less to me. Don't get me wrong, it is always awesome to have someone, even a stranger, wish me a happy one when the day does come. However, as long as I got a card or a phone call from my family, I'm good. Everything in addition to that is nice and truly appreciated but far from necessary. I would never even consider unfriending someone over something so insignificant to me but I suppose the day might mean more to other people.
I can’t think of a good tagline so this will have to do. Suggest a better one for me?
if a friend, whether online or "real," forgot my birthday, I couldn't really care less.
Spouse, on the other hand, that's a different story.
(I answered the poll as if the question was "friend" and not "friend / lover ")
Could care less about my birthday. In the past, the first time I've remembered it's actually my birthday is when my mum has rung me up to wish me a happy birthday. I don't tell people when it is because it means nothing and I feel fake having to pretend i care when someone gushes over it. There's one proviso, in workplaces in the habit of having a cake everytime it's someones birthday. I guess anything can be justified by cake, but even then I can buy my own cake.
What someone does on every day of the year is far far more important than that one, and i do have a habit of coming to work with sweets for no reason at all now.
I didn't put my answer here....
I don't typically celebrate my birthday, outside of taking the day off of work, if I can. So I expect others to forget it, since I never remind them.
I am not big on Birthdays. My wife has forgotten it many times. She, on the other hand, relishes birthdays. If I forgot hers, I'd be dead.
Unfair? Maybe. But it isn't a make or break issue for me.
Growing up birthdays were a reason for the adults in my life to get together and drink. The only time in gradeschool I invited my class to a picnic (my birthday is early June) only one person showed up. Later for my surprise sweet 16 my bf at the time conveniently forgot to invite my friends because they were predominantly male. Again at my 18th bday/graduation/joining the service party again only one person came. Not very good memories.
As an adult I make sure anyone I care for has a special day. Even as far as throwing my husband his first party at 30. I don't get Valentine's day, mother's day, or Christmas I would love to feel special for my bday. I generally get a happy bday from my husband as we go to bed. It definitely hurts.
I don't care. Nearly every year for well over a decade my family and some family friends to go to Rockygrass, a 3 day outdoor bluegrass festival, and it is always held the weekend of (or very near) my birthday. I don't need anything else - it's like thousands of people and 20 great bands coming to my birthday party.
You can still get me presents though!
Every year, my twin forgets my birthday and I forget hers.
As far as Lush goes, the cautious side would never put my exact birthday anywhere on the web, so I'm perfectly fine with letting it pass.
Also my bf has dispensation not to make a big deal of it. We don't limit our special times to the color of calendar letters.
I don't recall ever having anyone celebrate my birthday as I was growing up. My spouse tries to make my birthday special but I'm not really into it. Going out to dinner is fine. That being said, this past year I was in a production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and on my birthday I had a rehearsal. I arrived and the whole cast was gathered around a piano and began singing "Happy Birthday" as I entered the room. I will say that I was extremely touched. No one had ever done anything like that before. It was memorable for an old man like me.
Seriously, online? Sometimes one may not be able to log in that day because of work or family obligations, etc. The friends birthday reminder list sure helps. But there are days I can't get on or days I can only get on for 5 or 10 minutes and not have time. I do my best. But holding someone to those standards is just ridiculous.
In real life there are more birthdays than I can keep up with. If I can keep up with my wife's and my mom's I have met the two main ones I can't miss. And I try real hard on my little sister's. My brother? ha He'll call me early in the a.m. and ask what I got him for his birthday. I always get him a gag gift.
I share a birthday with about 16.5 million folks. See how special I am? BTW, for anyone who GAF, it is April 23rd.
I couldn't care less about my birthday and decided to stop at age 28. My life, my rules. I did not sign up for the annual recognition event although i try to remember those of the people close to me. Personally I'm more interested in what they did the other 364 days, likewise what i did the rest of the year. Regrettably I'm a disorganized fuckup so I forget sometimes. I'm usually able to redeem myself.
oh...and Happy Birthday in advance Sprite!
i don’t make a big fuss out of my birthday, but that being said, there are two people who would hurt my feelings if they ever forgot. my parents. my mom has woken me up on my birthday with a call since my first year of college. since cell phones have become popular, my dad began calling us kids at our time of birth. once i get those two calls, all is well? as far as online goes, remembering is greatly appreciated, but not a crime if you happen to miss it.
Well, my birthday falls on a particularly inauspicious day in American history, so I understand when people forget it. Heck, I forget that it's my birthday.
On the plus side? Every birthday since that birthday in 2001, if I wake up, turn on CNN and nothing has been bombed, hijacked, or otherwise caused horror on American soil, then my birthday is totally made. So the bar is set pretty low as to what constitutes a "happy birthday" now.
Want to spend some time wallowing in a Recommended Read? Pick one! Or two! Or seven!
My wife always wants to do MORE for my b-day than I do. I'd probably be happy if she forgot it one year (actually, she was away for it one year but we celebrated before she left). I'm at an age where I don't treat it as a big deal anymore.
Well, i guess he'd have a good reason. So... yeah. I wouldn't mind. I'm not really hung up on birthdays and anniversaries and stuff. My parents never liked mothers/fathers day. Their motto was 'every day should be mothers day!' Which is true.
Mine is 10th May... a big one for me this year... 30. Dont forget!
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