Adults that make a huge deal about their birthday...

naturelle25 · May 2011

kind of irritate me. I have two friends who recently turned 30 and let me tell you it was a week long extravaganza of parties, gifts and trips. You would think by looking at their pics of FB they had just turned 21. I dont get it. It seems weird to me that you yourself would plan such festivities for your own birthday.

JennaHope · May 2011

I know a few people like that too. Not that they plan their own parties but they get very upset if someone else doesn't plan something. One is completely single (never married, no kids and no BF) so I can understand her making a big deal of her bday since no one else will but overall it's still strange to me.

twh2006 · May 2011

I'd do it if I could. When the kids are gone I'm totally taking a birthday trip every year. It works out for us though because dh's birthday is within a month of mine. We also love to travel.

JOEBunny · May 2011

Uhm... I am taking a group of friends to the mountains for the weekend for my 39th birthday. I did it for my 35th birthday. I am paying for the house, they are paying for food (mostly eat at the house), but that is all. It is a huge house and we will have 6-8 people with their own beds. I think it will be fun. I don't really expect gifts, just time with them.

mattlovesme2006 · May 2011

I think (especially as a Mom when finding time for yourself is rare) that occasionally it is nice to have a big deal made over you. A birthday is a great time for that. Not saying that a party is to be expected year after year, but maybe milestone birthdays. To be completely honest, today happens to be my birthday and I am a little bummed that only my close family members and my best friend from childhood remembered to say anything to me.

JOEBunny · May 2011

mattlovesme2006:
I think (especially as a Mom when finding time for yourself is rare) that occasionally it is nice to have a big deal made over you. A birthday is a great time for that. Not saying that a party is to be expected year after year, but maybe milestone birthdays. To be completely honest, today happens to be my birthday and I am a little bummed that only my close family members and my best friend from childhood remembered to say anything to me.

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Mattlovesme, Happy Birthday to you! Hope you have a great day and get something you like from DH.

Daisy77 · May 2011

We whooped it up for my 30th (and DH's as well) but that's about it. Nothing super huge either. Mine is in the summer so we did a bonfire, keg, food (and cake!) with family and good friends. For DH's (in January) friends and some family came over to hang out and have a good time as well.

The rest of the birthdays? We're lucky if we can find a sitter just to do dinner and a movie:)

msnehz · May 2011

naturelle25:
kind of irritate me. I have two friends who recently turned 30 and let me tell you it was a week long extravaganza of parties, gifts and trips. You would think by looking at their pics of FB they had just turned 21. I dont get it. It seems weird to me that you yourself would plan such festivities for your own birthday.

I think I find it more weird that it irritates you. A birthday is a special day for anyone. It's their day! Some choose to celebrated it in a more private way, some likes to go all out and some just don't celebrate. Why would someone else's way of celebrating THEIR DAY irritate you????

mattlovesme2006 · May 2011

JOEBunny:
mattlovesme2006:
I think (especially as a Mom when finding time for yourself is rare) that occasionally it is nice to have a big deal made over you. A birthday is a great time for that. Not saying that a party is to be expected year after year, but maybe milestone birthdays. To be completely honest, today happens to be my birthday and I am a little bummed that only my close family members and my best friend from childhood remembered to say anything to me.
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Mattlovesme, Happy Birthday to you! Hope you have a great day and get something you like from DH.

Thanks! That cheered me up!

DevonPow · May 2011

I have been planning my 35th for a while now

A year from October - a big group of girlfriends and I are going to the Carribean together. No husbands, no kids, lots of sun and drinks!

I see no problem with it, as long as you don;t expect people to give you gifts. DH and I always do big trips for milestone birthdays - why not have fun?

DevonPow · May 2011

And 30 is a big deal! For DH's 30th we went to NYC, stayed at an amazing suite in the Waldorf, had some amazing meals, lots of shopping, shows...3 days of fun! His 35th this year we were at Disney (kind of a joint birthday trip for him and for DS) - not as exciting, but still fun. You only live once.

hellopoppyseed · May 2011

mattlovesme2006:
I think (especially as a Mom when finding time for yourself is rare) that occasionally it is nice to have a big deal made over you. A birthday is a great time for that. Not saying that a party is to be expected year after year, but maybe milestone birthdays. To be completely honest, today happens to be my birthday and I am a little bummed that only my close family members and my best friend from childhood remembered to say anything to me.

Happy Birthday! I don't sing as well as JoeBunny. Hope you have a great day.

mattlovesme2006 · May 2011

hellopoppyseed:
mattlovesme2006:
I think (especially as a Mom when finding time for yourself is rare) that occasionally it is nice to have a big deal made over you. A birthday is a great time for that. Not saying that a party is to be expected year after year, but maybe milestone birthdays. To be completely honest, today happens to be my birthday and I am a little bummed that only my close family members and my best friend from childhood remembered to say anything to me.
Happy Birthday! I don't sing as well as JoeBunny. Hope you have a great day.

Thank you Smile

EnglishMajor03 · May 2011

hellopoppyseed:
mattlovesme2006:
I think (especially as a Mom when finding time for yourself is rare) that occasionally it is nice to have a big deal made over you. A birthday is a great time for that. Not saying that a party is to be expected year after year, but maybe milestone birthdays. To be completely honest, today happens to be my birthday and I am a little bummed that only my close family members and my best friend from childhood remembered to say anything to me.
Happy Birthday! I don't sing as well as JoeBunny. Hope you have a great day.

Ditto hellopoppy

And I have to agree with others. I had a great 30th and so did my DH. It is sad when no one recognizes your birthday and it's hard to get out with the kids. But, I also took my birthday off every year that I was in college and working. It was definitely a personal holiday!

ktsnshn · May 2011

We made a bid deal out of my 30th. DH hosted a big party with our friends and family, and then surprised me with a trip to NY. I am already planning a Vegas trip with my former college roommates for when we turn 40. That said, while I love celebrating birthdays, I do have a friend that expects us all to go out to a fancy restaurant on her birthday every year, and chip in for her dinner, and bring her a gift. This gets annoying to me, so I can see why OP might be annoyed by other's b-day celebrations.

MAprincess · May 2011

I like making a deal of some sort of DH's birthday (and of course my children) but generally not a big fuss is made of my birthday and I am fine with that as long as it is acknowledged. DH surprised me this year by taking me out to dinner and 10 of my close friends were waiting for me when we got there. I thought that was nice. No gifts- just hanging out with people. As long as someone isn't throwing a huge event every year that they expect me to attend/pay for/bring them a gift then I am fine with celebrating birthdays with company and cake! And I am all for big fusses on milestone birthdays if th birthday girl/boy wants it that way. I just wouldn't attend if it bothered me at all. Why should it bother me if someone goes on a big trip and/or has a big party for their 30th?

WhitePicketFence · May 2011

Eh, I can see why people choose to have a big celebration in honor of milestone birthdays. I, myself, plan to do a bigger celebration for DH when he turns 30 in a few years. Most of the time, our birthdays are pretty low-key. There's nothing wrong with throwing large birthday celebrations every once in awhile. Why not have a little fun?

lms_bride · May 2011

Meet my FIL. Such a turn off! Ugh. I mean, everyone wants to feel special on their birthday. I get that. And yes, I always want my husband to plan *something* but that could be something as simple as a special dinner at home or a picnic or something.

Yeah I can't imagine making a big deal about my own birthday. I think it is kind of the age we live in though. I just feel like a lot of people are "it's all about me" and that sort of spills over into things like birthdays.

JennaHope · May 2011

For me it's the every year big deal that's strange. Not the milestone birthdays.

EnglishMajor03 · May 2011

JennaHope:
For me it's the every year big deal that's strange. Not the milestone birthdays.

I agree with this.

Liz342 · May 2011

I agree with you naturelle! It drives me nuts too. I know a lot of people like this, in fact, one of my FB friends just had a bday (not a milestone) and posted about all of the festivities all week on FB.

I never make a big deal out of my bdays and we usually just have a small family dinner and that's it. Even for the milestones, I don't really care. I guess it would be fun to make a big deal out of my 30th or something like that but I seriously doubt there will be anything big planned when the time comes.

broomy · May 2011

I agree with you, OP. I have one friend who dedicates the week prior and the week following her birthday all to celebrating HER. I have another friend who plans herself a big dinner thing every year and gets completely bent out of shape if someone can't make it. Another friend always picks the MOST expensive restaurant, and still expects gifts.... I finally just stopped going to hers. Even if it's just once a year, I cannot afford to drop $100 on your birthday, crazy lady!!

My ideal birthday is when DH plans something simple. This year, we met up with a couple of friends at my favorite bar and had some drinks, just like any other Friday night (well, any other Friday night before having a baby, lol). Nothing big.

Now, what REALLY irritates me is couples who throw themselves anniversary parties and invite everyone they know. WTF, why do I want to celebrate your anniversary with you? LOL.

MommyMich · May 2011

This Saturday is my 30th and I am planning dinner and an evening with friends. Seems like a perfect excuse to go out and have a good time. I don't care about gifts, just going out with friends and enjoying ourselves, something that we don't get to do very often since we all have kids.

nsees · May 2011

Most of the people I know that are like that don't have kids yet. Everyone else barely mentions their own birthday and seem to choose to focus on their kids' birthdays instead.

So I guess I'm saying if they're still childless I kinda get it more but it's still not how I am.

jlpowers82 · May 2011

Mine & DH's bday's are 2 days apart, same age and everything. It just happens that I am also a teacher and we have break over our birthday's. So we always go somewhere to relax and unwind. I feel like even if our birthday's weren't at this time we'd still take a trip somewhere, but it just happens to coincide with our bday's. I plan on still doing this even though I'll be a SAHM once the LO arrives and we'll take her with us.

Glendi2.0 · May 2011

mattlovesme2006:
I think (especially as a Mom when finding time for yourself is rare) that occasionally it is nice to have a big deal made over you. A birthday is a great time for that. Not saying that a party is to be expected year after year, but maybe milestone birthdays. To be completely honest, today happens to be my birthday and I am a little bummed that only my close family members and my best friend from childhood remembered to say anything to me.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! No reason you can't enjoy your special day just because you aren't 7 years old!

signed,

a self-proclaimed birthday lover Smile

mattlovesme2006 · May 2011

Glendi:
mattlovesme2006:
I think (especially as a Mom when finding time for yourself is rare) that occasionally it is nice to have a big deal made over you. A birthday is a great time for that. Not saying that a party is to be expected year after year, but maybe milestone birthdays. To be completely honest, today happens to be my birthday and I am a little bummed that only my close family members and my best friend from childhood remembered to say anything to me.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! No reason you can't enjoy your special day just because you aren't 7 years old!
signed,
a self-proclaimed birthday lover

Thank you very much! Smile

sassy_mommy · May 2011

I have no problem with people celebrating happy occasions. I'd much rather my friends get happy about reaching 30 than be miserable as though their lives are now over.

tara07733 · May 2011

I see nothing wrong with i but I am also a person who doesn't see certain holidays/celebrations as for either adults or kids. Certain traditions are very much driven by family history so if these things were always big deals in your family it probably doesn't change once you're an adult. I like celebrating my birthday but don't go crazy planning It or bragging about gifts. But like I said I don't see anything wrong with it at all.

robinsokj · May 2011

we went to Key West for my H's 30th and will go to Vegas for mine next year. Judge all you want.

Now, those people who are turning 32 and have an updated countdown that lasts two weeks get the side eye from me. i just blocked said person from my FB feed

AshleyEric609 · May 2011

All I care about is if my husband acknowledges it. Otherwise, whatever.

eaglesfan700 · May 2011

Meh, I like birthdays, no matter if it's a milestone or not. I like making others feel special and when people do thoughtful things for me.

I do think it is ridic if someone expects people to give them gifts and spend a ton of money. My birthday is tough because it's very close to Christmas. I usually go to dinner with a few friends and whoever can make it, great - NBD if you can't. Also no gifts.

H is awesome about planning something nice for just the two of us for my birthday

Dochas · May 2011

If the OP means it in an extreme way, then I agree. People taking trips with spouses, dinners for 30th birthdays and things like that I don't include. I think she means EXTREME. Like expecting friends to worship them for the week before and after. Or anyone mentioning their birthday WEEK and expecting people to be excited about it. I went to Africa for my 30th so I'm all for doing something special for yourself. It's expecting everyone else to behave like your Mother did when you turned 5 every year on your birthday that's ridiculous.

A comedian said "There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age 11."

rubber_chicken · May 2011

I imagine these are the same people who's parents threw them huge parties every year with themes and bouncy castles and whatnot.

My husband threw me a huge surprise party for my 30th, and I did the same for him (only it wasn't a surprise). That's it for now though - it's just dinners out until the big 35. I do find it weird when people plan their own thing though.

Want a personalized experience?

Adults that make a huge deal about their birthday...

Re: Adults that make a huge deal about their birthday...

Choose Another Board

Search Boards