Birthdays

[Arvid of Rivendell]

(This is my first poll, so no promises about the quality.)

 

I couldn't care less about my birthday, and I wish people would just let it pass quietly. I hate it when people ask about my birthday, what gifts I want, etc. I'd rather be alone on my birthday, but if close friends want to do something with me, I don't mind. I don't like getting gifts and cards - if you want to get me something, just give me some cash and I'll treat myself to Barnes and Noble. I'd prefer to do what I do every other day of the week (watch TV, read, and wonder when the next wave of existential crisis is going to hit).

 

My birthday just feels like any other day of the year, and it seems pointless to celebrate it. I'm wondering how other people feel about theirs. 

[Skycaptain]

So far as cards go, not really, just save the paper and postage, but money is always useful 

The actual day is a nothing to me, although it has significance pertaining to an inanimate object which is my sole physical reminder of persons past 

 

Ideally I'd just work on my birthday, and have a "nobody knows it's my birthday" hang out with friends later. Family can happen later on when the weather is more conducive to doing something than Britain in January 

[Ace ♠ At ♠ Archery]

I prefer to just get money, but gifts are ok too. I like to spend it with my family/friends and go shopping or for a nice meal.

[Tja]

Until joining AVEN, and receiving birthday wishes here, I didn't care for my birthday. Now, I enjoy it.

Last year, for the first time in decades, I received gifts and cards, from 2 lovely AVENites.  *I love my Sunny & Tummy*

[daveb]

I like my birthday and make of it what I want it to be (and have been doing that for the past 40 years or so). I do like getting cards and gifts (maybe because I don't get many for any occasion, so it's more special when it does happen). But I like the cards, gifts, and acknowledgments to come from people I care about, not just anybody. I hate things like the way some restaurants make a big todo about birthdays, surprise parties or big parties, or any sort of event/commemoration that involves people who I am not friends with or on good terms with.

[Flyaway4me]

I love birthdays! I love the idea of celebrating a person´s life. Being grateful for someone else´s or your own life. I enjoy a nice meal on my birthday. Perhaps to a drag show, a party at home with my friends, a bonfire, roller skating, staying in with my crush 

[Starscream]

I don't care about my birthday, but that doesn't stop my family from making a big deal about it. I used to have more fun with it, but now, it's like, whatever. Getting gifts is nice sometimes, but my feelings wouldn't be hurt if I didn't get any. As for that last question: I don't care. Nothing. Treat myself. Just "hang out".

 

[Larkaloke]

I like my birthday. It's nice to have made it another year and all that (and yes, I know it may be odd to think that at my age, but I've felt that way ever since I was eight or so). Also, it's a good excuse to eat things I like and hang out with the family. I do like getting stuff; my family are all really good at getting me things and I like, and I don't generally buy very much for myself.

 

Mostly on my birthday I do a quick gift exchange (my brother and I have birthdays exactly half a year apart, so we have a tradition of giving each other gifts on both our birthdays), usually spend most of the day playing D&D and/or MERP, try to get outside a bit if it's nice, and then get some good food. I prefer it if nobody I meet in person other than my family knows it's my birthday, though, because then they'll probably try to talk to me about it and make a big thing of it.

[Mauru]

I like my birthday, and since I share it worth my brother I usually spend it with my family. I don't do anything special, but sometimes I use it as an excuse to buy something for myself  

[Piotrek]

I don't pay much attention to it, especially as my family tends to celebrate name-days rather than birthdays. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Name_day

[Ortac]

Well, for me personally, my birthday feels just like any other day of the year, nothing is different or special about it, except for the fact that I am one year closer to my death! What is there to celebrate about that? 

 

[Groovy Teacakes]

I really love parties and people, so my birthday is a good excuse for that! I mainly eat nice food on my actual birthday and go somewhere with my family. I still go to school and my birthday is always in the Easter holidays, which means we get to do fun stuff during the day. I also love receiving cards from people and gifts (but only from people who know me, family friends sending me presents is not good at all), especially when they're handmade cards! The best birthday present I ever got was a lemon.

[drjohnhwatson]

I actually get insanely bummed around my birthday, which is in...eight days now.  Sigh.  I ask for it off at work every year and I haven't not gotten off it, probably because it's pretty lax with days and also because I very rarely ask off.  I just...I don't know.  Nothing much happens.

 

I got ridiculously upset a few years ago because like...it was my birthday and nobody even paid any attention to me at the get-together.  People say I'm "hard to buy for" when I'm probably the easiest person alive.  I'll take used books, I love old photographs and documents, I like socks from shows and stuff I like, I like mugs...I mean, there's SO MUCH one can get me, and it's all fairly cheap.  You could get me a set of old photographs like 20 or 30 or more for $20 and I'd be happy as a clam.

 

But at this birthday everyone just talked with one another.  I think my (younger) sister brought a friend or boyfriend and talked to them the whole time, my nieces went off together, my (older) sister and her boyfriend talked and presumably argued, my grandparents talked with my parents...there wasn't even enough room at the table for everyone to eat so I had to eat in a completely different room.  I even got up and left halfway through and no one even noticed until afterward and my mom came to tell me that I was being rude and I burst into tears that no one even cared and she must have felt bad or guilty because she told me to get dressed (I'd changed into pyjamas, haha) and she'd take me out for Chinese.

 

I just see it as another exercise in which I can be ignored, and it hurts more than other days or holidays because one would think at least on this day people would make an effort to speak with me or interact with me.

 

Ah well.

 

.

[Skycaptain]

So far as cards go, not really, just save the paper and postage, but money is always useful 

The actual day is a nothing to me, although it has significance pertaining to an inanimate object which is my sole physical reminder of persons past 

 

Ideally I'd just work on my birthday, and have a "nobody knows it's my birthday" hang out with friends later. Family can happen later on when the weather is more conducive to doing something than Britain in January 

[Homer]

Don't really care. Gifts are nice, but that doesn't depend on what the calendar says. It's just one of 365 days which means either work, visiting someone or footie travels.

 

I have forgotten about it in the past, too...

[J. van Deijck]

uh. my birthday is in 3 days and I'm gonna spend it at work.

[Scott1989]

I'm one that doesn't care about my borthday but others do. Normally I get forced to go out for dinner with immediate family (though when I was younger and still at my parents house, I could get away with just a takeaway at home which I do prefer than going out). Think school helped me really treat it as just like any other day, as once I had a substitute teacher at an early age go OTT on me cause I said something to someone (about an f1 keychain I had which they asked about) just as the teacher entered the room after lunch. I was initally given detention but at the end of class she let me off if I apologised, which I did as I didn't want to waste my birthday and it seemed like an easy choice.

 

Don't think I ever took the day off for my birthday. In fact for my last one, I was off work the 2 days before it due to my works rota and I worked the day of my birthday. Luckily my bday dinner then was just down the road from the office and booked for shorrly after my shift, so was very conveniant.

 

Don't mind gifts but I don't for crazy them either.

 

1 thibg I hate about birthdays is Facebook. Years ago I was an intern (great experiance) and on the day of my birthday while I was there, Facebook launched that Birthday thong where ot tells everyone you know it's your birthday and let enxourage them to post on my wall. I quickly disabled it, but a colleague had saw and mentioned it in person infront of another colleague who didin't know and ended up feeling insilted I hadn't mentioned it. Luckily tlI told them both there and then that I don't normally celebrate it hence why I said nothing and would apprecoate it staying between the 3 of us, which lessend the feeling of insult.

 

Also once came into workon a day not on my birthday and saw birthday decerations. I thought "Thank God that's not for me as I would die if that happened to me". Got closer to it and found out it was for my teams first anniversary in the office so technically it was for me as well. At least there was cake.

[Muledeer]

Since today is my birthday I will comment on this thread.  I usually don't make a big deal about it or tell anybody.  This being an internet forum, I feel safe sharing today.  I just don't like bringing attention to myself form others, whether it is deserved or not.  I treat my birthday like any other day but somehow I feel just a little bit special today.   I don't expect anyone wish me a happy birthday or send me a card or text message but is nice when they do. 

[XYZ96]

I like my Birthday ..

and I like to spend it with friends doing whatever, my best birthday, a friend and I made a bunch of chocolate mousse, ate so much that we both got terrible stomach aches and then watched a DVD in the evening, it was great  ..

 

[SamwiseLovesLife]

I like the fact that it's an excuse to see family, friends, etc.

 

I don't care about it being all about me, I don't care about presents,etc. I don't care about getting older (not until I'm 60+ at least)

 

It's a nice day, meal or something with my favourite people (and/or animals)

[binary suns]

I host no special excitement for my birthday. it's just a day, idk. there is some sense of growth that comes with remembering my, well, growth. but I prefer to subjectively mark my growth by the notable events thereof, interspersed throughout the year..

 

for the socend cwestion I inserted "myself" as well as "other" because I do actauly like to self-reflect on my birthday, as well as take extra time to relax or be casual. But, I don't exacly oppose social interaction either really, and it is kind of endearing to receive attention about it... tho in its unecessity, mildly annoying,. lol

[Puck]

I like making my birthday special but it doesn't have to be over the top

 

A nice meal with good friends and a hangout after would be great!

[iff]

I love on my birthday to take a selection of my favourite music albums of the last 12 months and just listen to them, sometimes i'll hold it over to the next saturday which is the day i listen to the most music i listen to

 

 

[iff]

@Arvid of Rivendell

 

This poll is being locked and moved to the read only Census archive for it's respective year. As part of ongoing Census organization, and in an attempt to keep the demographics of the polls current with the active user base at the time, the polls will last for one year from now on. However, members are allowed and even encouraged to re-start new polls similar to the archived ones if they like them.

 

iff, Census Forum Moderator