Do you tell people it's your birthday?

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My birthday was May 4, and I've always been hesitant to tell anyone. Partially because I don't think my birthday is particularly worth celebrating. I never felt I did anything that deserved gifts or all the attention. I guess I'd rather get gifts and recognition for an achievement.

That and I also feel I'm being a burden to people. I fear that if I tell people it's my birthday, at work, or whatever, they will want to celebrate it not because they care, but because they feel obligation or pity. I stand outside myself looking at who I am, and that's how I would react if I told "myself" my birthday. "Sheesh, what do you want?"

This year seemed confirmation of my fears. Someone at work found out about my birthday, and insisted we do sandwiches for lunch. I ordered a plain turkey sandwich from Jimmy Johns, and put some ketchup on it. I was promptly asked why I didn't like veggies and other stuff, and I make up an excuse because I dare not tell them the truth about me, and this syndrome. Another mocked my putting ketchup on it, saying it was gross, while the first agreed. Maybe I find what they eat gross. I don't say that to their face, because I understand it's their taste, so f**k them for criticizing my taste.

Then another coworker learned it was my birthday, and acted slightly insulted, that I didn't tell her. I can understand why. I guess people would rather you open up to them, but I'm just so afraid to be open, because it just leads to my being mocked like the whole sandwich thing. And so I just avoid any attention and not tell people about my birthday.

And really, I don't care about my birthday. Just marks me being one year older, without having had a major accomplishment as a filmmaker, one more year without ever having had a girlfriend. One more year struggling to make ends meet and make my films, as my friends get married to beautiful girls, have kids, get a house and car and are happy.

What about you all?

I'm over 50. No one needs to know my birthday, as what most folks consider a 'celebration' is too loud, too crowded, and too much for me to handle. I've even deleted my birthday from my WP profile.

I tell people that it's my Birthday, but I don't keep going on about it.

Hey, we share a birthday. Mine is May 4th as well.

I agree. It's frustrating. I think this is one of the few years I have gotten what I have wanted for my birthday... A few people who I care about wishing me a happy birthday.

I don't like getting things. I don't like people making a fuss over me. I appreciate an acknologement that I exist and that they like the fact that I have been on the earth for another year, but I don't want anything else.

I try to accept that other people have different ideas of what a birthday is supposed to be and I don't get too bent out of shape over what people do or say, but I sure wish they'd not make a fuss over it.

But in answer to your question, no I don't tell people it is my birthday. It't easier to keep silent and avoid the fuss.

^This.

Only a few people know. This year, my bf had to work late on my birthday, so he came over afterwards with a custard from a restaurant we both like. That was nice, but any more than that would have been too much.

I don't tell people my birthday for a different reason. They always seem to forget. And it hurts. I'd just rather not tell anyone.

Example: I had a "friend" who asked me when my birthday was. I told her. Over the next 6 weeks she asked me 2 more times when my birthday was. My birthday came. She forgot. FYI, my birthday was only 10 days after hers.

2nd example: I had a different "friend" who asked for my birthday. I was hesitant, and told her why, and she said she understood because she didn't like it when her birthday was forgotten. So I told her. She promptly wrote it down in her day planner calendar. She forgot my birthday.

3rd example: One year my birthday was on a Thursday. The previous Sunday I mentioned my birthday was coming up to a "friend", including the actual date. She forgot, too.

I could go on, but I'll spare everyone the mess.

I tell people, but it never really matters much because I always end up having to work some stupid hours.

I do like to celebrate my birthday but I find as I'm getting older and older my birthday is starting to seem less important. A nice dinner is all I need

No.

Nah I pretty much hate my birthdays.

I rallied people 2 years ago when I first came to grad school and used it as an "excuse" to try to get to know people because I was in a new place (my birthday's in september so it was a couple weeks after the semester started). A lot of people got hammered including myself and it was an awesome time and in retrospect I actually made a couple legit friends in the process, but I think that was the only time I've done anything or gave a s**t about my birthday since my 21st.

No.

I hate attention that isn't based on some type of achievement. So I don't tell anyone, and try to be absent from work on the day.

I dont tell people.

FB reminders have ruined this for me.

2 years ago I had to greet most people at my year/had to pretend I wasnt annoyed when one of the cool kids on my class decided to gather about 50 random people(I was on a hall and he just asked those that were near us) to sing happy birthday to me.

Last year I was greeted by most of my class mates because one of them had me on fb and he told the others(I was also accused of changing the date on fb for some reason).

And this year wasnt any better(ended up throwing some sort of party due to neighbours/family pressure and all I did was worry about the things that might end up broken).

I just changed my birthdate on the spanish version of fb to the 29th february 1912, hopefully people will get that its a fake date.

no.

Sometimes. Don't really want to advertise being older.

No, because they could not give a stuff about me