Should birthdays be celebrated?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
42 Answers
Yes. Everyone should feel special at least one day a year.
No. They should be mourned.
Depends on your age and willingness to do it.
With each birthday, you have moved 1 year closer to your grave.
I don’t celebrate mine. In fact I somehow changed my Facebook settings so my birthday this year was visible and it was annoying.
If the birthday person wishes or enjoys it, why not? By thesame token, those who loathe birthday celebrations deserve to have their preference respected.
But of course. A birthday celebrates the fact that someone was born. At least for me, a birthday means that this world is a slightly better place, simply because that person’s here and among us.
If someone hates his/her birthday, that does need to be respected. For the rest of us, though, have fun!
It depends on the culture. The family that I taught English to thought celebrating birthdays was strange.
Yes. In my family it is the most important day of the year. That’s your day, no one else’s. Well, except for everyone else born on the same day.
Are we talking ing my birthday? Then absolutely yes!
Abso-bloody-lutely! How will my family spoil me with presents if we don’t celebrate birthdays? Plus, I love to spoil my kids and husband on their birthdays. It’s fun.
Don’t you want to celebrate your birthday @MrGrimm888?
Only for children. I never liked the attention anyway. I usually lie about my birthday, when queried. Five years from now, they’ll never know the difference.
@Earthbound_Misfit . No. My birthday is coming up soon. That’s why I asked. I kind of agree with Loli. It’s just another day closer to death…
I get it with children. But it’s not for me….
Hmmm, multiple lurve for stating the bleedin obvious while displaying abject misery…typical Fluther ;-}
It’s up to the individual, clearly.
”...just another day closer to death…” there’s a cheerful outlook on life! In my world, birthdays are like landings, every one you walk away from is a good one. And there’s cake. Another cake closer to death, but cake, nonetheless!
But then, I like getting older. It’s different and interesting.
I don’t look at it as “another year closer to death.” I look at it as a celebration of the life we’re living. Another year of life. Another year of loving our family and friends and they are loving us.
another year of life that is gone forever
For the young, definitely, for the old not so much.
What about the young at heart @flutherother?
@MrGrimm888! Another day closer to death? Geez! What a happy, happy thought :-( Get in touch with your inner child man!
@Earthbound Misfit The young at heart, like myself, can celebrate birthdays with the young. There is a limit to how many candles can be put on a cake.
@flutherother, they make number shaped candles. Eliminates the problem of square footage on the cake top. :-P
I don’t overthink it. As I get older I am surprised how old I am every day, not just on my birthday. My birthday, or as I celebrate it, my birthday month, is just a mark of when I was born, and reason to do something fun.
You don’t have to number the years to celebrate another year of life. Personally, I love birthdays, and I don’t care who knows I’ll turn 69 on October 5!~
PARTY AT @Strauss‘s HOUSE OCTOBER 5! Can’t wait.
Cake at @strauss’S house October 5!!!! I love cake!
Only if people want to celebrate that. No forcing. Your enemies and other strangers certainly couldn’t care less about your birthday.
My MIL is steadfast that we all celebrate birthdays. I’m sorry but I’m a middle aged man, I don’t want a birthday party like I’m twelve. All of the other inlaws and their spouses feel this way as well yet nobody will put their foot down. Now with tons of grand kids we have one every godamned weekend. I’d rather have my birthday to do what I want.
^^^ “I’d rather have my birthday to do what I want.”
That’s your answer to the OP’s question – you want to celebrate your birthday, but by doing what you’d like to do, and with the people of your choosing. Your MIL’s draconian rules are ruining birthdays for your entire family. Sadly, she really throws all those parties for herself, not for the guests-of-(so-called) honor.
This is a tough one, and it happens in so many families, workplaces, and groups of friends. MIL would be devastated by a rebellion, so nobody’s willing to speak up.
That is exactly correct. My wife likes to entertain too but we all like her parties. When my wife is the host I can see my MIL stew, she feels deprived when she can’t be the center of attention. Usually she creates so much drama we really would rather let her have her way than get that stirred up.
@Love_my_doggie Once a month for everyone in that month. You can’t be going to a birthday party every week, that’s crazy talk.
When I was a kid my mom wanted to be left alone in her birthday, and everyone to forget her name. Lol. I almost never do something on the actual day if my birthday. Too close to too many holidays. Everyone is tired, including me. It’s enough already.
I tried to adopt your ‘birthday month’ model @JLeslie. My family balked at the idea. I was very disappointed.
@ARE_you_kidding_me, weekly birthday parties sounds like hell. I love birthdays, but we all just get together and go out for dinner. We try to choose to go to different restaurants, but one of our favourite things to do is to visit the German club. Oh my god. The food and beer are just divine. We all have fun and mostly we don’t bother with birthday cakes. I doubt anyone could fit birthday cake in after eating at the German Club anyway!
German club with the kinder? That sounds like an adult place.
Nooo, I’m not sure how to explain it. We have a really multicultural community. Different cultural groups have their own clubs. So there is a Greek club, a German club, an Italian club etc. And they usually have restaurants. I would actually like to identify all the different clubs and try a different one for each birthday. The German club has a great restaurant and the bar serves German beer. I love German food and beer. Kids can go too. It’s more family oriented. I’m sure they do have events where kids are not invited, but there are often kids there when we go. It’s always jam-packed. You have to book because it’s so popular.
There are no topless frauleins.
I see. Lol. As long as no one is topless.
Birthday girl/boy choice.
Answer this question 
