Birthdays

My birthday is in mid-June--often during one of the first summer heatwaves. I generally get taken out to dinner by friends on the closest Saturday to "the day" rather than have a party. My birthday is rarely wonderful, rarely awful. It's usually pleasant.

I too have an early December birthday and though the weather isn't always the greatest--especially in the midwest--at least I'm not in college anymore. For 6 years, I had finals or final projects due the day of or the day after my birthday. On one particularly bad year I did not sleep the entire 24 hours of my birthday because I was frantically finishing a paper.
Having a drink on my birthday was something I only did at great academic peril (but still did!). The worst part of it was that all my friends were in the same boat and couldn't celebrate, and then once the agony of finals week was over, everyone's out of school like bats out of hell and I'm left drinking alone.
Just be glad you're not a college student (I hope--or not one forever)!

PrettySquareGal said:

My birthday is tomorrow. I turn 40. Top THAT one. lol

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OK - 49 on Friday. Does that top it?

There is a cure for those who give you combo Christmas-birthday presents, and I think I posted that before somewhere here on the Lounge. I used to (and still do) hate that. I cured a relative of it by giving her something that she really wanted badly as a combo Christmas-birthday gift. It had two crucial parts. She got one for her spring birthday, the rest the following Christmas. Became legend in the family, and it was the last time I got a combo gift.

Last year, we had the big windstorm on my birthday. I was coming home from a board meeting and saw whole areas dropping off the power grid. We had power at home until shortly before 11, right at the climax of a movie I was watching - we'd heard about a 101 mph gust at the airport (10 miles due west) about that time, then out went the lights. We spent the next six days with no power. It was really odd driving around the next few evenings, and driving miles & miles & miles before you saw a light or open store or gas station.

Totally screwed up the holidays - I'd set aside the 15th do do all the online gift orders for friends & family out of town, plus print our Christmas cards & letters and get those in the mail, and the day after that for decorating the house and yard. All that data - mailing lists, cards, gift lists, etc. were in my desktop computer. By the time we had power again, everyone knew the situation and things would be arriving late. Went to the mall the day the power was back on and ran around deciding what to get for those in town in lieu of what I was going to order. Checked my list with the other half, and next night we head for the mall, only to find out a tree weakened by the storm had fallen over and took out the power to the University District which meant U-Village was dark along with all the traffic signals for miles around. And that's when I announced, "I'm done with Christmas this year. That tears it. I've had it. It's over!"

And the best part was not a mention of my birthday from my partner nor several friends who have tantrums if you miss their birthdays (and I never do). It was only 2 weeks later that a friend mentioned it at her holiday party. "You got my card, right? I just realized - your birthday was the day of the storm, too! I'm going to call the weather service - they've been looking for a name for the windstorm - I'm going to suggest it be called your birthday blow-out!" Yeah, right...actually several friends DID jump on that bandwagon.

I was touched, though, that a 101 year old aunt, who just started suffering senile dementia a year or so before, who doesn't remember who her grandchildren, great-grandchildren nor son are anymore, was after her daughter for weeks to get a birthday card for me. She sent THREE not remembering she'd done them. And the odd thing is we weren't that close when I was a kid. I probably saw her 5 times between birth and high school, then suddenly since the move to Seattle 13 years ago, she'd call & write to see how we were doing. Weird how the mind works.

Miss Brill said:

Oh, gawd, I usually end up with guys who forget (or pretend to forget) my birthday, They always magically remember the next day, or after they get their next paycheck. But the moment is over. I don't follow "The Rules" for most things, but if a guy forgets my birthday, he is out of there. I hate cheap and inconsiderate men.


Happy (late) birthday.

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Mi Esposa's birthday is on Valentine's Day (2/14), so it's pretty unforgettable. And our anniversary is on NYE (12/31), again pretty unforgettable. So I get a double two-fer.

The downside is: Do you know how hard/expensive it is to get a table for dinner on Valentines Day and New Years' Eve?

Last year was her 40th (shhh, don't tell her I told you). I planned (with her input) a party at the Nasher Sculpture Center (http://www.nashersculpturecenter.org/index.cfm?FuseAction=Page&PageID=1000001) in downtown Dallas. I invited about 30 friends. We had dinner and drinks at a bar/restaurant that they set up in the museum on certain nights each month. The museum provided a docent for a guided tour of the collection. It was pretty amazing. I had invitations printed that looked like ticket stubs. She had fun. It actually wound up being much less than I planned to spend, so the museum got a nice contribution after we were done.

For our anniversary this year (our 18th) we're going on a cruise, so the activities for the evening will be pre-planned. Pretty low impact for me.

I haven't celebrated my own birthday for years. TBH, I lost all interest after I turned 17. When I still lived with the folks I had to tolerate some sort of fuss, but they knew better (aside from my 21st..... hated every single minute of that, had to tell my dad that eventually to make sure it wasn't repeated on my 30th) than to organise a party, which was something. Since I moved to London, I've managed to keep it quiet for the most part. Nobody knows in work, which is good, and only a handful of friends are aware; I conspire to keep everyone else in the dark otherwise. None of my friends over here would be aware but for an exgirlfriend who, despite knowing how much I hate my own birthday, made them aware of it. Fortunately they all know better than to make a fuss, even if they can't bring themselves not to acknowledge it at all. I consider my birthday to be my own personal New Year's Eve, and a singularly depressing experience. Other people's birthdays I'm all about, but I prefer mine to go unacknowledged as far as is possible.

Edward said:

...Nobody knows in work, which is good, ...

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I'm with you Edward, I go to great lengths to make sure nobody knows when my birthday is at work. There are few things worse than an office birthday party. Some folks mean well, but they're still excruciating.

imoldfashioned said:

I'm with you Edward, I go to great lengths to make sure nobody knows when my birthday is at work. There are few things worse than an office birthday party. Some folks mean well, but they're still excruciating.

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It also means you can take the next day off if you have something to do without anyone thinking you have a hangover.....

I love my birthday

and get very excited (not as excited as Christmas day but not far off). My other half is a year and a week younger than me so we usually have our summer party in the middle of the two dates.

So birthdays for me are frantic cooking for a couple of days, pimms sparkly wine (too much of both if at all possible) and friends, we all then get up the following day in varying states of disrepair and eat a big breakfast with the last of the stragglers.

Love it

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

I'm glad there are a few of you December birthday folks out there that can share my pain. I just wish for ONCE I could have a decent birthday to speak of so I could laugh the rest off.

I'm not that sentimental about alot of things, but I see you people with your June/July birthdays - and you LOVE them.

I'm jealous, I guess.

August is usually the one month out of the summer where I'm forced to live with my parents, so my birthday 8/26, is usually rather uneventful. We go out to dinner, which is nice, but none of my friends or my boyfriend are around.

Actually, for my birthday this year one of my friends from LA visited, but that was a first. And I got into my first fender bender the day before, so that kinda ruined it for me!

My birthdays are never horrible, but they are none too thrilling.

Undertow said:

I'm glad there are a few of you December birthday folks out there that can share my pain.

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My mom's birthday is December 27th, and I think she always felt lost in the shuffle. People give her gifts or send cards for Christmas, and kind of lump her birthday in there with the Christmas greetings. Her birthday is actually December 27, 1941, so her birth was right after Pearl Harbor.

I also have a cousin who was born on December 21st, and everyone does him the same way (Christmas+Birthday greetings, not just birthday).

My birthday is in the middle of July: Everyone's paid off the previous holiday season and haven't yet started saving for the next, but they're all on vacation or dodging the Southern California heat and forget about me, anyway. lol

My 21st was a good one: I'd just started doing fashion photography, and took pictures of a beautiful lady on my day. She gave me a bottle of champagne from her uncle's vineyard in Arkansas (Wiederkehr Wine Cellars) and said we'd share it on another day. Several years later it went foggy and I had to throw it out. She and I are still friends.

My 35th birthday was probably the best. I was in Phoenix visiting with the family of the girlfriend I had at the time. Not only was it the only birthday I'd actually celebrated as an adult, but the only surprise birthday party ever in my life.

The company I work for has a policy where each sick day not taken through the year (up to the six provided) is paid to the employee alongside the first paycheck in July. I use it to buy a birthday present for myself. I then take the following week off so that I can watch at least one week of the Tour de France. lol

At least I can celebrate my own birthday.


Lee

So for those of you finding yourselves surprised each year, what are some of your AWESOME stories?

What was a great birthday and how did it happen?

Awsome Dad Award.

MaryDeluxe said:

My Dad always rings my doorbell at 7 am and brings me a cake and flowers! I make a pot of coffee and we eat cake for breakfast and have some Dad/Daughter time.

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Aw, that's like one of those Hallmark commericials. My kids always look at me to see if I'm crying during those commercials. My Daughters are young teenagers now. I always bring flowers home to them on their birthdays.
I love what your Dad does. He's definately in the "Dad Hall of Fame".
Marty Mathis

Edward said:

...I consider my birthday to be my own personal New Year's Eve...

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That's funny, because New Year's Eve is my own, personal Birthday.

I hate a fuss- good food, a good film and get drunk...
Oh- but it's New Year's Eve...

Bugger.


B
T

Marty M. said:

Aw, that's like one of those Hallmark commericials. My kids always look at me to see if I'm crying during those commercials. My Daughters are young teenagers now. I always bring flowers home to them on their birthdays.
I love what your Dad does. He's definately in the "Dad Hall of Fame".
Marty Mathis

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I love this! Marty, my dad has always bought me flowers for my birthday and still sends them to me every year if I am not home for my birthday. He does the same for my little girl. And she thought that was just the bees knees, getting a bouquet of flowers on her birthday! Nothing like a man giving you flowers.

May birthday here

My birthday sometimes falls on Mother's day or Friday 13th.

The years my birthday fell on Mother's day it sucked. It would never be "MY" day. I had the share the spot light.

One year after I had my daughter, my birthday was on Mother's day and I had college graduation on the same day. That was an extra special day for me.

My husband birthday is the 28 of December and he hates it. It would always get looped in with Christmas and New Year's.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MaryDeluxe
My Dad always rings my doorbell at 7 am and brings me a cake and flowers! I make a pot of coffee and we eat cake for breakfast and have some Dad/Daughter time.

Marty M. said:

Aw, that's like one of those Hallmark commericials. My kids always look at me to see if I'm crying during those commercials. My Daughters are young teenagers now. I always bring flowers home to them on their birthdays.
I love what your Dad does. He's definately in the "Dad Hall of Fame".
Marty Mathis

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Lucky girls, in both families.

Sorry I missed your birthday, Undertow. Happy belated birthday!

If I lived near Des Moines, I'd visit ya on your birthday.

Personally, I tend not to make a fuss about my birthday. Only my parents really care anyways, so if I did care about my own birthday I suppose it would be a bit depressing.

Christmas kid.

My youngest kid will turn 12 on Christmas day. She doesn't mind sharing the spot light. Christmas morning is about Family. Christmas afternoon is all about my Daughter. We also make sure to play Dino on Christmas, since he died that day my Daughter was born. By the way, I did think about naming her Dina, but I didn't.
Marty Mathis