Late happy birthday from me (sorry I didn't check the forums yesterday)! What everyone above has said is very true. I've never had a single birthday party or anything special (in the popular sense of the word) done for me and I'm nearly 25. I don't expect people to do anything either. I prefer no parties (always hated them) or anything that puts me on the spot, so it works out anyway.
My family has still never forgotten and I feel very blessed for that - before I moved abroad it was our little tradition to just go and eat out at the birthday boy/girls choice of restaurant or often times just a fast food place. We laugh and make light of the fact that's all we do while others have huge dos over their birthday, but in all seriousness we all prefer the way we are. Quiet, reserved, deeper thinkers that appreciate the small things. As I've said in other posts, I find the majority of people's "friends" are just people to be entertained with i.e. ignore the deeper things in life and when something critical does come along those "friends" suddenly scarper. So when you look at other peoples ways of celebrating (or anything really), try to remember that it's probably not all it's cracked up to be.
I have also noticed that most people today have the attention span of a humming bird and once one entertainment/distraction is over they're onto the next, so really are any of these days special to them like they might be for us since we stop to notice who's thought of us? I'm starting to ramble now, but I suppose my point is, hold on for that 1 person, or maybe more, who'll inevitably show up in your life and really appreciate you. Those are the people worth living for, IMPH.
