Is it important to you that everyone you know will tell you congratulations for your birthday?

Good grief, no. I tend to forget my own and everyone else’s, why would I require that someone remember mine?

Not at all. I don’t really expect any recognition of my birthday from anyone outside of my family. It’s not a big deal, I have one every year.

It is nice if people remember, but hell, I don’t remember half of theirs, so it would be strange if I got upset with them for either not remembering or not knowing. I like celebrating my birthday, don’t get me wrong, but it is just another day after all. The older I get, the more I realize that.

No. Not even a little bit.
My birthday isn’t representative of anything I did. Everyone in the whole world gets a birthday just for being born. I’m not sure why people think they’re such a big deal. Why would someone congratulate me? I didn’t do anything except pop out.

I prefer it when they forget. It usually gives me a pang of anxiety when I am wished Happy Birthday. I look forward to the day when I can get through it without being reminded of it once!

I have never had anyone say “Congratulations” to me for my birthday. That’s kind of weird… “Congratulations on being one year older!”

No. I expect my mother to acknowledge it and an SO if I’m with one at the time but that’s about it.

My dad forgot my birthday this year, it took him 3 days to remember (my brother had to remind him), I was pretty fucking pissed, i didn’t answer his calls for 3–4 months.

Well, If you have Facebook, for example, than any one you know see the day when you have a birthday. What If they just don’t say anything? It’s only takes two seconed to say something nice…

My birthday was always the day you went back to work or school after the holidays. Consequently, no one remembered it! Also, people were kind of tired of celebrations, and it often went by the wayside.

It bothered me a lot when I was a kid, but as an adult, I learned to create for myself the birthday celebration that I wanted. Now, I am fine about it.

@Ranimi23: about the fb thing, some of us don’t check in on a daily basis. I know I get notifications, hundreds of them and somewhere mixed in are the b-days for people but I know for sure I’ve missed some and not out of any conscious snub or neglect. Friends are friends throughout the year, you know. If it’s a bf/gf who forgets your birthday then that really hurts, sure.

Facebook? Seriously? First problem, Facebook has moved the birthday reminders and they’re pretty easy to miss now. Second, it’s Facebook. Sometimes it’s nice to get a happy birthday on Facebook, but who cares about one more in a string of wall posts from people who you barely even know?

Basically I’ve quit doing birthday greetings on Facebook because I miss too many of the reminders and I don’t want anyone else thinking “Hey, he didn’t say happy birthday to me!”

I say happy birthday to people I know, but if you are referring to Facebook..no, I do not say happy birthday to everyone.

I don’t need to hear it from anyone but family. I do expect it to be acknowledged by my parents and husband.
Also, I never congratulate anyone. I wish them a happy birthday.

It’s nice to hear a happy birthday when it comes. I only expect it from the people I’m closest to, like family and my closest friends. People I talk to often but am not really friends with, they can wish me happy birthday or not – it won’t bother me if they don’t. Some of them probably don’t even know when my birthday is.
And.. people say “congratulations” on your birthday? For what? Your mom did the hard part. Maybe people should wish happy birthday to kids and congratulate the mothers. Hehe.

I don’t expect anyone to remember my birthday except my parents.

I remind my son before he goes to bed the night before to be nice to me and wish me happy birthday the next day. I usually also ask him to make me a present.

I expect a select few to remember, but I don’t think most people do. The date of it is near a major holiday, which sort of overshadows my birthday.

I only hope that my husband and parents remember. I also hope that my adult and teenaged children remember (they usually do). If friends remember that is very nice, but not expected at all.

No, not really. I’d just like my parents to not forget.

@Ranimi23: Is your birthday coming up?

I’d be hurt if my husband and my sister didn’t say anything. My parents never say anything anymore, so I’m used to that. I’d actually rather not hear it from strangers or facebook acquaintances. Makes me uneasy.

No not really. Id probably forget that I have a birthday if my wife didnt remind me. lol.

No.. I really don’t like people making a big fuss over me. i HATE having happy birthday sung to me.

@absalom, I had may birthday yesterday.
I asked a question and got a lot of answers whice made me very happy :-)

My Question

There is one girl I like very much and thought will remember it, but she didn’t. Just made me sad for a while, but maybe it didn’t ment to be so I got the message.

So long as my wife and daughter remember, I’m good.

Everything else is gravy.
but really, who doesn’t like gravy?

@scamp I hate it too. I was forced to have an 18th birthday party.

I don’t like when people say happy birthday on Facebook, unless it’s a really good friend or family and they have something worthwhile to say. The 300+ “Happy Birthdayyyyyy” messages this year just pissed me off.
As long as my SO tells me happy birthday, I’ll be content.

I would say no. I’m not really a fan of the new trend on facebook, where everyone waits until 12am on your birthday, then starts spamming your wall with congratulations. By the time I find one of those, I’m always like the 36th person to say it, and by the it’s kinda gotten old. But don’t get me wrong; if I see you on the street and it’s your birthday, I will smile and give you a hug. I’m just not too worried about getting it in return.

@cheebdragon Really? Is he a good dad and good dude in general? If so, wow, pretty harsh. People forget things, even things that are important to them.

not everyone but at least the people I consider “close” to me, last year a person that I believed was a very close friend forgot… now we are no longer close (I don’t consider her a friend anymore, now she is soemone I know) It is very important to me :)

For the first 20 years of my life it was moderately important, more so during the first decade since it also represented new opportunities and chances to acquire stuff. However, after you had 30 or 40 or more of them it really becomes just another day, or the day your insurance premium jumps higher. You don’t really want any more stuff, so you tend to keep it quiet.

I keep trying to forget my birthday, but someone always goes and reminds me.

I agree with @Foolaholic about the happy birthday spamming on Facebook. It just seems fake and stupid too me.

For the most part I don’t get that bothered, except when it comes to a few close friends. I figure our bond is such that they would remember my birthday and at least text me that day. Most of my friends do, but when they don’t I can’t help but be a little disappointed.

My parents never fail to forget my birthday, which makes me happy.

I don’t know if that’s important, but I do like to hear it, even if it’s just on Facebook. I like seeing that so many people are willing to post it on my wall or say it to me. I’m glad people acknowledge it. What was interesting was this year, there were several people who posted things like “I had no idea you were so young!” or “Happy Birthday little man!”. You know how much I like that kinda stuff…lol. But if a friend or someone doesn’t say anything, I’m not going to get worked up about it. I probably won’t even notice.

It’s rare that people I consider close friends or family members will actually forget my birthday, though. At least, it hasn’t happened yet. It’s impossible for my parents to forget because my birthday is their anniversary (I was their 6th Anniversary present). ^_^

I wonder about people who get upset when things that are very important to them aren’t that important to the rest of the world. If a friend has a baby, that calls for a congratulations, but don’t expect a Happy Birthay on his 4th birthday without a reminder.

BTW posting a birthdate, your name and area where you live can lead to identity fraud

.Also I should hit 10,000 before Christmas if anybody wants to mark their calendar. lol

The only people that I really want to remember my birthday are my husband and my BFF. And with my BFF, if she says something within a week or so, it’s okay.

Happy Birthday!

mostly just my friends and family

ALMOST EVERYONE.

Oh and happy belated birthday.

The older I get the less I care (and i’m 26, lol).
Really I know who cares about me and they don’t need to remember my birthday or wish me a happy one for that to be confirmed.
Now hubby on the other hand best remember, hehe but I remind him just in case ;)

Tell the truth @tedibear39 – the BFF is more reliable on this than the husband. <;P

i do , i want to feel important and i think somepeople are kidding themselves when they say they dont care if people remember , but i think each person does, you have very few days in your life when you are important why not enjoy that one….

I suppose my lack of caring (which is not kidding myself) could come from the fact that my birthday is two days after Christmas. So I’ve never really had it hyped up. Plus I just don’t have a belief system where celebrating a birthday is overly important so long as I am loved and supported. If I want my birthday to be remembered then I remind people and if I want to do something then I let it be known.

Probally not.
My friends just know when it’s my birthday and then they give me a hug and make me feel special and then everyone says “Happy Birthday’’ and then I feel great! :)

No, I’m usually the only one who makes much note of it, and I don’t say anything. I usually get one or two cards. I’m just kind of biding my time until my 100th. That one is going to be a biggie, on the 11 o’clock news and such.

My one brother forgot to call this year. We always call. Can’t say that I wasn’t disappointed. I finally got a call a week later.

My good friends and the rest of my immediate and extended fam usually do. Yes, I’d be bummed if they didn’t call.

I can’t say it is not intersting. It is!
I care about people but you are not always get back the same response as you give.

Birthdays are important, up to the point you turn 10. After that, it’s just self-absorbtion.

@filmfann

I disagree. For many reasons, but mainly that some of the largest birthday parties I’ve been to have been 16s and 17s. Also 18 and 21 are important for obvious reasons.

And who is more self absorbed than a 16 year old girl on her birthday?

“Self-absorption” and “important” are not opposites.

Anyway, I’m just saying that I don’t think birthdays have any objective importance and I think it’s up to the individual. I’ve never assigned too much importance to my recent birthdays other than that I want to go to a restaurant with my friends or go to a party of some sort. It’s an excuse to celebrate and I’m always looking for those… :)

For the record, my 16th birthday was awesome. All I did was go to the beach with my friends and hang out (it was the day before school started or something like that). Couldn’t have been better. :)

I like a few close people to remember but not like the whole world to say it to me all day lol.

I’s horrible because i never remember peoples birthdays, I tend to rely on facebook to tell me, but when it is my birthday, I can’t help being an attention whore! Even though I know for others it’s just a normal day in their lifes, and i know I shouldn’t expect much, but for some reason i do. I can’t help it.

My only requirement has ever been that it be a celebratory day, but it’s only really happened that way once in my whole life. That was the best surprise party ever.

My birthday is in 61 days from now – just saying…

Why should I care about other people’s birthdays?
“Other people” meaning people who I barely or don’t know at all.

@galileogirl – LoL! Funnily enough, it’s the opposite. My husband is always spot on, but my BFF sometimes waits until I visit her. Which is usually July. (My birthday is in May.)

I was born in mid-summer, with a brother born 340 days later then another brother born 384 daysfter that (the next 3 were spaced over 11 years, the more babies-the farther the spacing evidently) We always had impromptu joint birthdays where my parents would invite all the neighbor kids and bring out cake and ice cream. 15 minutes and and a round of “Happy Birthday” later and it was over-no games, no presents. My one and only personal birthday party was when I was 47. My sister wanted a theme for a family barbecue and it happened to be the week of my birthday. It was supposed to be a surprise, but it was more of a shock but at least I got presents.

Now pull out your handkerchiefs.

I have always been the independent, straightforward, no-nonsense person I am here. My Dad gave me something that nobody else in the world would have thought of.. Later my Mom said he picked it out against her advice. It was a pastel unicorn music box and it is my most precious possession today.

@hungryhungryhortence Do they become less significant each time you trade up?

@likeradar I usually refer to him as being Satan, but in reality he’s not really “evil”, he’s just an asshole, a really manipulative asshole.

I suppose its nice for people to say it, but to be honest I’m not bothered if they do or not. I try to say it to others but sometimes I don’t. :)

Anyways, nowadays if I am going to say it I just do it through Facebook. :P

The facebook birthday notice is unobtrusive and easy to miss. I think its absurd to require all and sundry to remember to tell you happy birthday. If people remember, that’s nice. But when they don’t, there’s nothing wrong with it at all.