QOTD #29: How do you celebrate your birthday?

My birthday is two weeks before Christmas, so its always been a shitshow for as long as I could remember. My family has a lot of birthdays clustered around the same time too, so I remember as a kid having sort of a communal free for all birthday party, where the cake might have everyone's name on it, or just be very generic. I'd guess my first 7 birthdays were very special and unique to me, but I don't remember any of them. After 7 the grouped up birthdays were expected. Then I got into high school and birthdays were almost nonexistant because that's when exams would start. And its been that way ever since. Traditionally I have an exam on my birthday. This year I do. -_-
So, overall, birthdays to me are just another day. Possibly with cake, if there's time for it.

 

My wife and I have birthdays a week apart.
We go out for dinner at a really nice seafood restaurant; it's our annual jaunt to that particular restaurant.

I often work on my birthday. My brother does what @rogue49 does and takes the day off. I think that's a cool thing to do and I should start doing it.

 

No big deal for me. I buy pretty much what I need and want (leading a simple life has its benefits) during the year. The used books I buy cheap count as my gifts. Any family celebrations are low-key.

My wife learned, before we were married, that
I DO NOT LIKE SURPRISES.

 

My wife's birthday is serious business, mine not so much.

I took her to Chicago and spent the weekend at the Art Institute and Book of Mormon, last year. I don't think we did anything for mine.

My wife's birthday and mine are 2 weeks apart. Joe Satriani is playing Denver in between and ought to do this year.

 

I celebrate all week!

Well, not as much this past year. For my 34th, I was very low-key. Dinner & board games with my closest NC friends (who are a married couple.) Eden made Cincinnati-style coneys and baked potatoes, and we played Cards Against Humanity and Ticket to Ride. On Birthday Eve, I listened to the Reds game, hung out online with other Reds fans, and drank some Guinness. I rang in my 34th by singing Wilson Phillips at the top of my lungs, using my hairbrush as a mic.

We don't have a good "party house," (or "having people over at all" house, for that matter), so birthday celebrations have always been elsewhere. If the Crawdads are in town, we get a group together and go to a game. The Hickory Taproom was the popular choice for a few years, mostly because that's where everyone from work hung out. In Ohio, I did karaoke or went dancing. Bonfire parties were always good.

Aside from the actual celebrations, I always take some time to do or buy something nice for myself. This year, I bought a Fitbit. In years past, I've gotten a new haircut, had a mini-shopping spree at the bookstore, taken a long walk in the woods, gone to the movies, bought a video game I'd been wanting, or spent the day reading and snuggling with my dogs.

 

I don't celebrate mine anymore. It wasn't really a big deal after middle school. Mine falls right when school was always starting and people weren't really around. Now, I just don't care. I spent mine alone this year and last. Hubs turns 40 this week, the party is Friday. The stripper ass cake has been ordered. He likes to do something for his as his childhood birthdays were less than stellar.

 

My birthday is at the end of June. As a kid this meant that school was out and my friends were dispersed. Having a party was a rare thing.

In University, this trend continued.

My wife is a teacher and most of my friends here are teachers (see where this is going). At the end of the school year, my wife, and most of my friends, leave town. It's a rare thing to celebrate my birthday these days.

 

I LOVE MY BIRTHDAY! It falls on or near Labor Day, so I take advantage of the 3-day weekend. I usually take that day off of work if it's a weekday and spend time by myself. The celebrations are a little less crazy these days, but they're still fun.

 

Very quietly, usually with my kiddos.

 

I invite some co-workers to go out to lunch with me, but other than that, I celebrate it by myself. It is a big deal to me, but I do different things to mark the occasion.

 

normally its just another day. im not big on parties, its easier just for it to be another day

 

Ok so I like lemon cake with vanilla ice cream, a home cooked meal with my family, no presents, and a long slow blow job when Sandy and I go to bed.