I celebrate my birthday, would take the whole day to do things in it and then meet up with friend and see butchard gardens and then supper out, loved it when that happened. Then that was over those times and then this couple planned birthday for me, I suggested some things to go and do and enjoy and lunch out and then she invited ladies over from this senior centre and loved it and had supper there and they brought gifts which I so didn't expect plus cake too. I never had those birthdays with cake,etc. and other family members did and I wished for that so much too and not a nothing day of nothing and like it didn't exist and birthdays should be special as its the day we were all born and we should be important. I have no idea this year what will happen if anything.

kathy

We neither avoid nor do we over celebrate adult birthdays in our family. Sometimes we all go out to dinner. For years my birthday was pretty much last on the list of being celebrated. The kids would call and ask if we going to have a birthday dinner for dad? Then it was DD's birthday a week before mine. DS's is 3 weeks after mine. This is the first time in decades my birthday was chosen as the family dinner birthday. DH insisted on it. He made the reservations and bought a cake.

I don't hide my age. I turned 66 a few weeks ago. A couple of my friends take me out to lunch or dinner on my birthday. Not on the actual day but around the time. I was supposed to go out tonight with a friend for my BD dinner but took a rain check. Woke up with a change in weather headache today. We're flexible. We'll do it next week. ;-)

My birthday and our anniversary are the same day so yes we celebrate both. That means 2 gifts lol.

I have one friend with whom I celebrate birthdays, although maybe not on the exact day. We get together for a long lunch and catch up as we don't see each other very often. It works because our birthdays are about six months apart, so each of our birthdays is a perfect reason to get together.

It is just another day to me....no big deal. I try to remember my husband's birthday and bake a cake for him or fix something he especially likes. Actually, he especially likes just about everything. we don't exchange gifts on any occasion, but I did get him something "for Christmas" this past Christmas. Actually, I got it for him because I knew he'd like it and I would have gotten it no matter what time of the year. It just so happened to be close to Christmas. It is a ship's clock. I found it in a thrift shop. It is like a port hole...round and the frame is brass. The glass has a slight bevel. It's a handsome clock and probably came off of a yacht. And it only cost $10. He has a "new" shrimp boat, so it will go on that one.

We usually go out for a nice dinner. Sometimes we do it the weekend before or after if our birthdays fall during the week so we have more time instead of trying to get somewhere after work. We don't exchange gifts anymore. Usually we choose and purchase an item for ourselves that we'd consider a treat and call that our birthday gift.

We acknowledge but don't do much. We celebrate with our good friends with Mexican food and margaritas. One in January, one in June, and two together in October. We no longer have birthday celebrations with the family, it's too hard to make schedules work.

My boss and her DH are German, and they don't celebrate anything. I think I know when her birthday is, but she doesn't like any attention. Years ago, he mentioned that they'd had an anniversary, but they both forgot until days later. I asked what anniversary it was, they didn't know. We did the math, they'd missed #25. ;/

Do "I" celebrate my birthday? No, but if anyone else wants to, fine with me. My 76th is coming up soon. I have been told that cake will arrive along with the granddog for a day long visit. Makes my day special enough.

Yes! I love to celebrate/honor birthdays-mine and those of friends and family. I jokingly say that I celebrate my Birth Month- you just can't get all of the birthday lunches, dinners, meet-ups for coffee/etc. accomplished in one day.

Yes! DH and I are just under 5 weeks apart in age (I'm the "older woman" for that five weeks and BOY do I hear it - LOL). We generally invite all our friends to join us at our favorite neighborhood restaurant then walk to our favorite neighborhood pub. We also do a combined "birthday trip" to somewhere. Last year we both turned 50, so I got a trip to London, and DH got a trip to New York City - which is funny, because London is "his" city and NYC is "mine." This year, we're going to Paris for a combined birthday trip. If we don't take a trip, we get our entire birthday weekend to do whatever we want, and the other person has to agree to go along and NOT COMPLAIN (that's probably aimed more at me than him... haha). So, it could be a day trailing around thrift shops/shoe stores/boutiques for me, or a trip to a car parts store/tool store/u-pull-it car junk yard for him.

After having cancer and not expecting to see 40, I celebrate BIGLY. :)

Always. While raising my two DD's, my birthday would be dinner out. Usually a gift of my choice. Before kids, we took a vacation for at least a week to a warm place in January, DH;s birthday.

Fast forward, we started going away again in January, then I decided I wanted to be away for mine. We're going to Sedona in June for mine.

For the milestone birthdays, I did special trips. Hawaii for DH, Italy for me.

I have two local friends, and we take each other out for our birthdays.

I'm in a birthday group with 6 friends. We take the "birthday girl out to lunch and on milestone birthdays we go out to dinner. I get dinner this year! We don't buy presents but always acknowledge the birthday either with a special dinner or baking cookies for DH or going out to dinner for me.

I turned 63 last Saturday. Yes, I celebrated! and Yes, I will celebrate some more this evening... as I spend it with Uschi and Sophia! :)

Like Marilyn, it is just another day of the year. The missus always gives me a card and we sometimes go out to eat, but not always (long lines at the Sonic ya know).

When I was a working dude, I noticed that some of my co-workers would take the day off for whatever reason, but I just kept on doing my job. When I was in the Navy, one friend went into a deep funk when he turned 25 - a quarter of a century! Oh my! He never made it to 50, his heart gave out.

I don't think it's necessary to celebrate it, but my 67th will be this Sat., and my kids and grandkids have a bbq at the lake planned. I do appreciate them remembering and caring enough about me to get together with me, so I will be thankful.

Yes, just did. We went upstate to a most fab (pricey) restaurant and the food was worth every penny. Then we met with my cousins and took a 5 mile hike in the woods to a lovely overlook. Then headed out for some wine/beer and nachos. Made for a lovely day. When we vacation, we say it's celebrating something or other whether we are or not. I mean, why not?

For me, my birthday has never really been a big deal. My siblings always had birthday parties but I never really did. (maybe only once or twice) My birthday is only 11 days before Christmas so people are often more focused on that. We do normally go out to eat but that is about it.

Yes we both celebrate our birthdays. Usually it's dinner out at a fancy restaurant.

Every Tuesday evening we get together with family to play cards so birthdays of the week are celebrated on Tuesday with a cake and other treats (and gifts/cards too!).

Last year when I turned 50 we took a vacation to Arizona since I wanted to be warm on my birthday for once in my life (February birthday).

Next year hubby turns 50 so we may plan a trip for that as well. Don't know where yet.

Yes, we celebrate in some way, usually going out to dinner together or with family and friends. Last year was a milestone for DH (70) and it was also our 25th anniversary right after his birthday, so we planned a big vacation to Alaska to celebrate both. My birthday isn't until August so it's usually too hot to do much.

After we kids became teenagers, it was like Mom and Dad stopped the birthday cake thing and gifts. Never did have a birthday party growing up. After I left home and bought my own house, still didn't have a party, but would always buy myself a birthday cake! A real, decorated birthday cake from the bakery.

Then later musician friends would sometimes buy me a gift (other member and my BF has the same birth date) and I'd get cards. Now days, I still buy me a cake. I still receive cards but only one or two. Some years BF and a couple of other friends go out to eat. I like birthdays. I was always sad when my Mom wouldn't even send me a card, but my family was never very demonstrative in that and other ways. One day I hinted I loved birthday cards, she started to send one! ha

DH's 65th is coming up in a week. We will do what we usually always do, go out to eat, have a cake, cards and presents at home. My whole life, birthdays have been always celebrated like that.

Only DH and DIL have birthdays outside of the late-February to late-April timeframe. We are in Hawaii Jan. - Mar., so we celebrate all the Spring Birthdays this month. (The Grands get cards and gifts ON their days and have parties with their young friends.) DIL gets her own B'day celebration in June and DH gets one in July. We don't go out; just lunch and cake for family at home.

We've vacationed all over the place at all times of the year, and we go out 'whenever'.

A former neighbor and I share the same birth DAY, although many years apart, so we keep in touch for that. His wife was born right after New Year's -- family always 'forgot', so I make an effort to *remember*!

As an 'only', I always had birthday parties when I was a child -- a dozen or more friends for a luncheon and a cake with candles. (Do you remember playing party games, including "Telephone" around the table at parties?")

I feel about the same as watchme's comments, we mostly neither celebrate nor avoid adult birthdays. We've fallen into the pattern of getting each kid and spouse a significant gift - determined by asking what they'd like. We see them if we can but don't worry if we can't. Grandkids are little - they get gifts from us and have the normal little kid-type parties/events. I don't expect a gift from my kids in return. Sometimes they band together to get something for me and/or similarly for my wife on her birthday, sometimes not. I'm happy either way.

We don't hide or otherwise bemoan our ages but for me, after having several dozen birthday extravaganzas (exaggerated intentionally), the desire to continue to have more has passed. It's just another day, neither good nor bad.

I am like Hounds, I celebrate a birthday month! Yes our celebrations are almost always family dinners, a chance for all of our family to get together and visit if we can. I never had a children's birthday party when I was growing up. My children did. My husband has seldom even remembered my birthday in the past to even say Happy Birthday.

When my Mother was living, she would usually have a birthday meal for me and one for my sister when it was her birthday, many times we were all invited to each family meal. Fun times.

Sue

No. DH never remembered, my son will text a Happy Birthday and thats it! so sad :^( I hate BD's & holidays we never did anything for them. (Not my choice either)

I celebrate my birthday every sixth year...when it falls on Thanksgiving. Otherwise, I would rather forget how old I am.

Well we usually don't do any thing special on our birthdays. But tomorrow I turn 60 & I am dreading this birthday. So today I went & got my toes done. And tomorrow we leave for Macon Ga. for the weekend. I want to see the Allman Brothers museum & the cemetery where Duane Allman & Barry Oakley are buried. It is the same cemetery where Elizabeth Reed is buried which inspired their song "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed." Can you tell I am an Allman Brothers fan?

I hate to go OT, but Anglophilia, you mentioned having a traditional tea in London. Have you ever had tea at the National Gallery café? I found it to be very reasonable and also very good. It's been about 3 years since I went there for tea, but check it out and see if they still do it. Highly recommend. At the time it was the best bargain for high tea in the city.

I would have birthday parties when I was younger. Then in my mid 20's my husband would put together shows at local venues and have our friends (bands) play a show. Lots of fun :) But as I got closer to 30 I had thought about how many birthdays, baby showers or pampered chef type parties that I had been invited to and had been the only one to show up. I didn't want to wait for that to happen to me. lol So for my 30th birthday my husband and I went to New York. We absolutely fell in love with it and I had so much fun I didn't even think about turning 30. And still to this day I don't feel like I'm in my 30's. Been to NY a few more times for my b-day since. :)

It's one thing when a couple, or families, mutually agree to not do anything elaborate and tone-down adult birthday celebrations.

It's something altogether different when a spouse or partner doesn't even remember to mention it. That's shocking.

Thanks all for your answers.

What Elmer said. JoAnn I'd celebrate with you. :)

I've really enjoyed our new way of celebrating our birthdays with a trip. That's our gift to each other. If the kids are in the mood we still might have cake and pizza, nothing fancy to commemorate their days and ours. The days of gift giving are behind us for the most part. Spending time still happens though. :). We love that gift.

I used to but not anymore, the whole thing became tiresome.

Heck no. I don't want people giving me trinket trash and don't need the tired old phrases. I think birthday cards for adults is a waste of money and resources. Want to give cash or take me out to eat or something to that effect? No problem. And that ship's clock would certainly not be refused or returned! But no, I don't celebrate birthdays and haven't for decades.

Although come to think of it I guess I do have a couple people with whom birthdays or holidays are prompting to get together since we do tend to procrastinate on the visits. Although I don't really consider that "celebrating", rather more of a motivation. And I often will acknowledge an event with a simple email greeting and some have reciprocated.