How do you feel about birthdays?

Question

Do you celebrate them? Are birthdays important to you? If so why? If not why not?

Lliam · Accepted Answer

My wife is real thoughtful and always asks what I would like to do for my birthday. I usually just pick a restaurant with good food that I don't get to have very often and sometimes we travel an hour or so to one that has something different.
She always gets me a card and writes something real sweet inside.

We celebrate her birthdays the same way, except she usually wants to take a short trip for two days or even a week. I always give her a nice card and write something sweet inside, and I wrote her a long poem for her one year. I have also given her small, affectionate gifts before.

I organized a great surprise party for her 49th and 50th birthdays, too.

We usually don't buy each other gifts because we would rather pick things out for ourselves and don't have to wait for birthdays to do it. And I can't buy her jewelry because she's allergic to ear rings and has her own taste in necklaces and bracelets. So, again, I let her pick out whatever she likes whenever she finds something.

She gave me wonderful surprise parties for my 50th and 60th birthdays with friends, dinner and cake. For my 50th, she paid a guy we knew to write and perform a humorous biographical folk song about me.
I also remember my 50th because one of the guests was a new friend who I didn't know very well yet. When everyone sang Happy Birthday, I heard a voice. It was clear and perfect. The lady's name was Janis Martin who, come to find out, was a highly acclaimed American opera singer who had recently retired. When she sang Happy Birthday, she didn't do it in operatic style or try to overpower anyone, but I never heard a more beautiful voice. She and I became closer friends after that and we went to some gatherings where she had fun singing show tunes.

One year, I went to a railroad museum.

One year, I went to an air museum.

For my 65th, she took me to a place that is famous for making life-size sculptures of things like cowboys, wild animals and dinosaurs. We toured their show room and then walked around in a wooded area where they had dinosaur sculptures and a sabre tooth tiger lurking and took photos of ourselves with them.

For my 67th birthday, we spent two days in Santa Rosa and my wife surprised me with a ride in an open cockpit bi-wing airplane. The pilot performed aerobatics for me.
She knew that had been on my bucket list since I was a kid.
We had planned to stay in the area longer but it was 2021 and half the places were closed due to Covid.

So, sometimes birthdays are really fun and memorable.

OneViewpoint · Accepted Answer

Funny you should ask. My birthday is coming up in 10 days. Any celebration is very modest on my part. Just shake my hand and wish me a happy birthday. Acknowledgement is enough. More is too much. I don't like being the center of attention. Is it important to me? Nah. It's just another arbitrary date humans have chosen to celebrate. I don't feel different before or after a birthday.

Birthdays are milestones for kids because they change so fast for 18 years or so. So yeah, do it up for kids. Make them feel special. Give them some good memories. But for adults, it's enough to simple say happy birthday.

For me a birthday isn't about gifts and attention. I have everything I want or need. And I've been told I'm impossible to buy for. If there's anything I want I just buy it in the moment. And I really don't like being put in a forced social situation.

So for me, I've kinda made my birthday a personal thing. This year I'm taking my backpack and the rest of my gear up on the side of a mountain, far off any trail, for a week. I'll be unplugged and alone. It's a time for some deep introspective thought. About my life to this point. Turning 60. A major part of my life just ended, no more adventures all over the planet. I totally exited that life back in Dec 2025. Even though I let myself be pulled back in twice in 2026 so far. I need to let it go. So what do I see replacing that passion? Is there any replacement? Are my business projects too boring to keep me fully satisfied? Should I look to find something long term with a woman again? That sort of thought. Solitude has it's benefits.

And then I'll come down off the mountain with two stone tablets... no no no, anything but that. 🤣

DeeDeeDeVour · Accepted Answer

I like to throw parties for birthday celebrants who are dear to me.

To the contrary, I don't like celebrating my own birthday but that just can't be avoided because there's always somebody who will throw a party for me.

petitedollbabee · Accepted Answer

I feel they are important. Everyone deserves to be celebrated on the day they entered this world.

NathanDavis · Answer

I don't celebrate my birthdays out of habit...

growing up as an extremely shy kid... the last thing I wanted was to have an "entire day" and full of a whole lot of people "focused on me"

and every time, it was a living nightmare and ordeal lmao... I think It was around age 9 or 10, when I had my last birthday party and my mother said "no more..."

and after that... it's just a habit for me not to make a big deal out of it... a few of my friends like to celebrate my birthdays though... but it's usually a very little thing and some details only

Intelligent_Lady · Answer

I used to love birthdays, but this year something changed. I'm not as excited about them as I used to be. However, I still think I'll always celebrate them, because every birthday is a reminder that I'm still here and have another year of life to appreciate.

Bkay123 · Answer

I hate birthdays. We never celebrate them in my house. But my mom expects us to go above and beyond for her. When we do she still complains. Which is why birthdays aren’t important to me anymore. Plus people forget about mine anyway.

BCRanger10 · Answer

Mine isn't so much. I don't think my wife really cares that much about hers either. We make a bit of a deal for our kids though. They need to understand that it's good that they're alive and to mark their age.

WellBye · Answer

It's just another day of the week for me. I don't celebrate my own or my family's/friends. I also hate getting gifts anyway, it's so hard to pretend to like the shitty ones. 😂

RavVid · Answer

Not important and prefer it is not acknowledge but I know others do want happy birthday. Especially women - they make a point of telling you. It seems childish to me - not for a grown man..

capriVib · Answer

I don't care for celebrating birthdays; we're just getting older and a year closer to death. Birthdays should be just for kids, at least it brings them joy.

TonyMetal___86 · Answer

Birthdays are important to me because i like to remember my loved ones that i care about them and that the day they were born was a blessing to me, i always celebrate my birthday and my mom and son's birthday.

msc545 · Answer

I absolutely hate my birthday. I refuse to acknowledge the day at all, and I don't tell anybody when my birthday is. Most adopted people feel this way about their birthdays. I am no exception to that.

Calyptomaniac · Answer

After 25 or so, they just started making me feel old so I try to do as little as possible for them. It doesn't stop my mother from trying to make a big deal out of them though.

Nikki1989 · Answer

Nah, never celebrated mine. I have, however, attended many other people's birthday parties.

Cidknee · Answer

I'm all for'em! I don't prepare celebrations for my own. I've known people who do. If somebody does for me, happened once, I take it accordingly. Its very nice. I've helped coordinate a few. I think those are the best, friends showing love.

Mynameisbobby · Answer

I like when others remember my birthday and want to celebrate it with me! I too like celebrating others birthdays also because it makes them feel special too!!

Darcey · Answer

I never really cared about birthdays. My mum and family always did something nice for me but I never had a real friend who remembered my birthday, so I don't care for them.

queenofcardio · Answer

I'll celebrate others but don't particularly care for mine.

Sunrising · Answer

I don't like them because they come all too soon every year, and I'm getting older 🤣

Beckybooboo · Answer

I feel they're mainly for children and people reaching a milestone birthday.

ammar12343 · Answer

I’ve always preferred celebrating accomplishments but but wife loves celebrating birthdays lol

DecentMan · Answer

Not really important for me but if others enjoy it why not

DryGermanGuy · Answer

Pointless and rather sad above a certain, probably individually chosen, age. 😕

andreasderjuengere · Answer

The birthdays of selected others are 'important' to me.

_Jenny_ · Answer

@thegreenyogi I’m getting too old to have birthday parties

exitseven · Answer

I think that I have had too many. I would like to give some back.

Iron_Man · Answer

Would you like to hear a wild birthday song from Luther Campbell? You probably never heard of him before

alina_521 · Answer

Actually it depends on the person who's birthday is it.

Friendlybro79 · Answer

I don't like big parties for me but I like them for others lol. I don't know why.

AngryCarl3 · Answer

I'm indifferent. It's a number, nothing to celebrate.

Anonymous · Answer

I don't celebrate Just a reminder that I am unloved and I can't even love myself. + My life goals are incomplete especially love and relationship.

ZameerAnsari91 · Answer

I don't celebrate birthdays at all, if someone will wish me then its fine, and if not, still fine,

najekim · Answer

Just another day for me. Except I do take it as a vacation day.

RedInnocent69 · Answer

I don’t unless others want to. They’re not very important to me

Anonymous · Answer

Bored of so many, should be our birthday every day not only from time to time, we should rejoice life every day

sage2021 · Answer

Just always glad when the day is over with.

Shiprex · Answer

Bored of them I had so many

Marissa4 · Answer

I enjoy them. Mine coming up soon.

Xawyx-2 · Answer

I celebrate them, every year.

soe11 · Answer

Absolutely we do every year.

jamesgoldman · Answer

I celebrate simply steak, Scotch and a cigar

AgentG111 · Answer

They are for the young and the old.

clearskiess · Answer

Not that important

beefcakebradybatson · Answer

Love them.(My 73rd is in 36 days.)

Iamcoming · Answer

Nothing. I font celebrate my birthday

MissSunshine2 · Answer

I love them.

How do you feel about birthdays?

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How do you feel about your birthdays?

How do you feel about birthdays?

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How do you feel about your birthdays?

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