I had a discussion recently with someone about this. Since we don’t really celebrated our birthdays we weren’t sure what’s “normal “.
Yes
I share my birthday with my mom and son, which makes it easy for everyone to remember.
I don’t celebrate my birthday and I don’t tell people my birthday unless it’s required for something.
I don’t particularly like celebrating birthdays or holidays so I definitely do not expect anyone to remember. I also avoid telling my birthday whenever I can evading as I can. That being said I throw peoples birthday into my cal as I discover them so I can be congnizant of them since most people do celebrate that stuff. If you want to impress me though get me a really relevant gift out of the blue that you got for free, made, or was just a steal of a deal. or a handmedown. don’t be like seinfeld though and lie to me on how cheap you got the thing as the experience should be authentic.
I go out of my way to not have people know my birthday.
In Germany it’s customary for those having the birthday to bring cake to work. That way coworkers know.
And friends should find out when you invite them to a birthday party. Doesn’t have to be a big party when you’re an adult. You just invite them, eat something together, have some fun. Depends on the friend group.
TIL Hobbit Culture was based, in part, on Germans.
Another win for home offices!
If they’re close friends and family I definitely expect them to remember. It’s a good indicator of who I can trust in my life as well, those who usually remember just also happen to be on the trustworthy list.
We’ve been debating whether someone remembering a birthday is a reflection of how much they care or not.
Remembering birthdays is a reflection of how much someone cares about birthdays. There’s no need to read anything more into that.
Many people (this thread is an example) are either completely indifferent to birthdays or even dislike them. To us (I’m indifferent) birthdays are totally pointless and basically a fact related to identification, like a student number or social insurance number. I remember my student and social insurance number because I have to, in order to function at school and in society. I don’t ask anyone else’s student numbers because it’s entirely pointless and useless information to me.
Well said.
For me it correlates so yes. I’m not saying one is necessarily caused by the other.
Conversely, I set up birthday reminders for the people I care about.
Everyone has smart phones and already adds people’s phone numbers in their contacts. Just add their birthdays as well and you will be reminded. If you don’t, you don’t care.
HAHA No, I don’t expect them to remember, and I don’t remind them. In August I’ll be 47 I haven’t had a birthday party, gift, or card since I was maybe 25, the year my mother passed away. I’ve been married for 21 years. Not to be clear, my wife does say “Happy birthday”. But she’s not really a gift giver type of person.
But she’s not really a gift giver type of person.
not even a bday blowie?
Not to share too much, but that type of gift doesn’t require it being my birthday.
Let them know for those that I want to know get together with. Otherwise if they remember … great, if not no big deal.
I hate birthdays so I am OK with everyone forgetting
I guess it also depends on culture. In Latinamerica many people consider birthdays a big deal so forgetting it would be considered a faux pas.
For me personally I care if my partner and close friends remember, coworkers, my dentist, etc. I don’t give a damn but if they so happen to congratulate me or send a gift or whatever, I thank them graciously and try to correspond in the same manner when it is theirs.
For example, my yoga teacher found out about my birthday because SO sent me flowers to the studio so I could enjoy myself starting the day, so said teacher gifted me a box of my favorite incense. It was a nice touch but definitely due to circumnstances. I enjoyed it nevertheless. So now I will be getting her a nice beautiful plant for her balcony.
Neither. Its just another nail in the coffin/ thread on the urn lid
I hope they forget my birthday. Me too, thanks.
The only celebrating I do is eating slightly more unhealthy, take the day off work unless it’s going to be a short day, and maybe look to see if any games in my “maybe if it’s on steep sale” list are on sale.
That’s it.
I don’t remind people, I dont expect anyone to remember, but it’s nice when they do.
My excuse for missing people’s birthdays is I DO know the date… I just don’t know what the date today is. Sure I know my sister was born on the 12th, but that doesn’t matter if I think today is the 10th and it’s actually the 15th…
So if I have that much problem, it wouldn’t be very chill to be upset with others for missing mine.
I expect my mother and identical twin to remember my birthday. I hope my husband remembers, but would not be upset if he didn’t. (He’s never forgotten)
