comment: >
  
  Agreed. This is why my friends don't even know my birthday. I don't want to participate in this social tradition.  But to each their own! Some people just wanna be happy and celebrate for a day.
context: Personally I don't really care that much about having big  celebrations for my own birthday, but opinions like these always carry the energy of someone that wants to give off the vibe of "edgy" and "different". Not saying that's what your doing, but that's the general vibe it gives off. 
  Birthdays are a celebration of life. A nice little reminder of your growth and existence in the world. 
  You tend to celebrate it with people that love and care about you, and they want to be there to celebrate the anniversary of your arrival in the world and by extension your presence in their life. 
  And it may not seem like much, but sometimes it's nice to just ground yourself and say "wow another year of existing, there were some good times and some bad times, but here I am still kicking away, that's pretty nice." 
  Life isn't easy, it can be chaotic, overbearing, and crushing, but it can also be wonderfully complex, joyful, and downright beautiful. 
  So I can see why people would like to celebrate the fact that they were able to live to experience everything that they have. >
  
  Wow. I came here to say something similar, but your inference here completely blew mine out of the water. Thank you for such a wonderful comment. Cheers to you random redditor. >
  
  Much appreciated! >
  
  It's excuse to make someone feel special And to have a gathering. Same with literally all holidays. >
  
  I prefer the term reason instead of excuse.  Excuse implies that it shouldn't happen but we found some loophole.  Humans are social creatures and our well-being is boosted by positive emotions; parties and celebrations are good for us. >
  
  You're right. Birthdays aren't special. But any excuse to celebrate something and see my friends. The older I get the less time I have for that. So it's nice to have an excuse to get to hang out with the people I love >
  
  Why do you need an excuse? >
  
  Idk because business and responsibilities. So usually we meet for holidays and birthdays. An occasional random Saturday. The random times are fewer and far between because everyone has different schedules. >
  
  Oh weeee you must be fun at parties. >
  
  Heh. Over the age of 12, your birthday isn't special to you. It's special for the people who enjoy having you in their lives.
  A birthday is a rough measure of your impact in people's lives. >
  
  Reminds me of a bit of life advice I picked up:
  Call your mom on your birthday; after all, it's a special day for her, too. >
  
  That's fair. >
  
  God you people are so annoying sometimes. Do you want gifts? Do you like cake? Many days are doomy and gloomy, why not sprinkle in some useless celebration >
  
  Seriously. Bitching and moaning about not wanting positive things in life. >
  
  I look at it as an excuse to celebrate life and spoil yourself or letting other spoil you and appreciate your presence in their lives. >
  
  I'm sorry no one showed up at your birthday party. >
  
  Nah, it should be obvious I don’t celebrate. >
  
  I hate adults like both of you. Life is only bland if you allow it to be. Days are stories to be told, and special days like birthdays are even more so. Viewing life as bland is just as bad as viewing celebrations as pointless. >
  
  thats so impractical, after a certain age life does becomes bland and repetitive, sure u can try making if more fun but u cant rly help it. >
  
  I think it's pretty good system for every person to have a day each year where they are celebrated and treated in a special way.
  Sure, you could reduce it down to not being anything significant. Or it's the anniversary of you entering the world and beginning your life. A measure for how long you've spent on the planet.
  It's a reason to see your family, to do something special for someone, and to give yourself the day off from your routine. Maybe you don't need that excuse, but many people do. >
  
  For some, it is a time to celebrate the achievements and milestones they have reached over the past year and to look forward to what the future may bring. For others, it is a time to spend with friends and loved ones and to feel appreciated and valued. >
  
  You could say that about all the holidays too. Those are just excuses to get together with your loved ones and celebrate. Nothing special about Christmas, but it's fun to celebrate it. >
  
  
  Nothing special about Christmas
  
  Not really true to Christians... >
  
  It's just another birthday celebration and it's not even the right date, Jesus was born in summer or something and Christmas was originally just a pagan holiday. So it's meaningless in a way, but people just put meaning behind it, just like birthdays. >
  
  Why celebrate anything then? >
  
  Well I can say that my parents believed as you do. After age 10 in 1977. They completely forgot mine. Not so much as a “happy birthday Phillip”  it hurt for a while parents who forgot my birthday but as I got older? Times I don’t want to be reminded I’m now 55 yrs old. >
  
  Killjoy >
  
  Depends on age. Birthday for a 7 year old is much different than a birthday for a 43 year old. You cannot put all birthdays and peoples perspective of them in one box >
  
  They're special because we make them special. Life would be more boring without these things. Having an excuse for fun is a good thing. >
  
  No. The celebration is that you survived another year by breathing on your own. >
  
  I hate birthdays to. I hate being the center of attention. An entire party revolving around me is an absolute nightmare. For my birthday i usually just take my mom, sister, my wife and kids out to dinner and thats more than enough birthday party for me >
  
  I mean, sure, birthdays are just days like any other. We can't even say it's an objective way of measuring aging because the duration of a year has changed over history. Our birth has been an event that day, just as the many same events happening every day.
  But ffs can we NOT try to nullify everything based on what they bring/are about?
  Birthdays are those moments of special where you fully live a "you" thing with your friends and close relatives.
  I mean, just as birthdays, Christmas, Easter, etc. are pointless too. They bring nothing, they are about historical events that we know batshit about except for holy books, just events that supposedly* happened those days.
  My birthdays are "me" days, my friend's birthdays are "her" days, my lover's birthdays are "his" days and so on and so on.
  It just feels good to have a day that sure is about your impressive win of the sperm race, but that is also about underlining that you are here. You are part of this world, you are here, not the second-to-you sperm in the race. Again, it's not about winning the race, everyone alive did it, it's about celebrating you being here and part of this world, and part of the lives of those who love you.
  *I do not try to challenge or question any beliefs from anyone. Anyone believes whatever they want in their full and absolute right. >
  
  Someone hurt you >
  
  you must be fun at parties >
  
  I'm sorry you never got to experience the joy of celebrating another year of your existence with the people you love the most. >
  
  I see birthdays as a celebration that ive survived another year, which is an accomplishment in itself lol >
  
  This gets posted almost every other day here. Why do the mods allow these reposts and none of the others? >
  
  I don't see another mention of it for at least a month, and that's stretching to include "birthdays should be private". Closest actual one is "birthdays are lame" in October >
  
  It is mentioned all the time. Literally all the time. I have frequented this sub for a while, and yes, it is mentioned quite regularly with a slight variation in the title. The posts are probably removed though. >
  
  By that logic nothing is special. Proposal? Who cares so many people have got married. Got your dream job? So what, millions of people have too. Bought a house? They're everywhere, it's not special at all.
  Just because something might be common across everyone, it doesn't mean that it isn't special on an individual level. >
  
  None of the holidays are special if you think about it. They're just another regular day of the year if you don't celebrate them. 
  But that's the whole point. It's not special. But it's a good excuse to do something fun with family and / or friends. Don't look for a reason to be happy; just take any chance you have. >
  
  
  Cause you won the race to the egg? Literally every human that has existed has won the race.
  
  When you put this in context, it's actually pretty impressive. Like there are fewer than 8 billion people on earth, compared to how many sperms that never made it to the egg? Is there even a number high enough to measure that? That's a LOT of losers. >
  
  You remember me when I was being traumatized. I didn’t have friends and my life for me was useless. I didn’t see importance on birthdays because no one important was there when I celebrated it. Of course my family was but I treat them as humans only. I really wanted friends, my birthday on 2016 was only a depressive day like others to think how life is cruel and That I didn’t  have friends,  crying. The comments of op remembered how I was when I was traumatized. I had the same mood. But today I’m feeling alive and finally celebrating birthday with my friends, maybe you didn’t found the right way to celebrate. >
  
  It makes me a little sad when people hate their bdays. There are only 2 choices when it comes to age. Get older, or die. 
  To me, birthdays are a celebration of being alive another year. 
  Everything thinks it’s so annoying to grow old, but so many people don’t get that opportunity. Every year I see news of people younger than me, people I graduated with dying and to me that makes Birthdays more special. Every person that died in a car wreck was probably having a regular day and then it’s just lights out. 
  The next moment isn’t promised in life. Enjoy it while you can >
  
  Nothing is special. Things are special because society agrees that they are - and that's enough.
  Everyone and everything you love will someday be dead, including you. Why enjoy any of it, if the end is inevitable? We cling on to what we can, and find the joy in what we can, precisely because it's the only meaning we'll ever have in our short, pointless lives.
  You win today's pizza-cutter award: All edge, and no point. >
  
  Hey it's nice thing to have one day a year where you are celebrated and made to feel special why complain? >
  
  Are you mad your cake wasn't your favorite flavor? What a common, average and edgy take >
  
  I see birthdays as nothing special in of themselves, but it's us that make it special. Without us, birthdays would not be special. >
  
  One day a year you try to make someone feel glad that they were born. Express that you are glad it happened to them because without the birth thing they wouldn't be in your life. And the other sperm could have been shitty people. Like yeah everyone else was born, but I don't care that you were born OP. I will not be celebrating your birth. But if you want to be glad about it once a year I won't fault you for it. >
  
  I hate to see adults acting like fucking 9 year olds because "it's my BIRTHday" >
  
  yeah you’re right. nothing is special and we’re going to die one day. >
  
  For me, growing up super poor, it was one of the two times (Birthday and Christmas) that we felt special and got things. Our daily lives were filled with scrimping on food and wearing hand me downs with holes in them, playing with sticks and snails we found in the yard and hoping that we might find something cool at the dump for free that someone left there. 
  But on our birthday......its was different. We still didnt have much, but my mom would make it so special. You would wake up to a balloon and a small piece of candy or gum or something that we didnt usually get. And there would be a special note with it. If we were at school that day then it would get packed in our lunchbox and that was the best thing ever to open at lunch. Sometimes we would get 50 cents to get a lollipop at school and you felt on top of the world.  That night, my mom would make us whatever meal we wanted. No scrimping on dinner, whatever meal we wanted (within reason of course) and then a homemade cake of choice. My mom would do her best to get us a gift that really meant something to us. Wasnt always very much, but usually something we really loved. It was just a day all about you and an escape from the realities of daily life as a poor child.
  Now as an adult with money, I dont care if a penny is spent on me for my birthday, but I still love when people who are close to me celebrate me. It could be through a handwritten note, just making the effort to spend time with me, or cooking me a meal. It has nothing to do with the actual fact that you were born, It's the idea that someone really loves you and wants to take a day to celebrate you. Maybe do something for you to make you feel loved and special. >
  
  I didn't just win a race. I am both the egg and the race. >
  
  yeah I hate fun too, good on you OP. >
  
  sorry but this is a particularly socially unintelligent take. humans are social creatures and that is reflected in most things that we do. birthdays are a celebration of one's life, the symbolic day being the anniversary of their birth. the communal celebration is to express to someone that you care about them. gifts are an extension of that. for the individual, the celebration may be a comfort to feel that love and care, it may be a reminder of one's self-worth, or it may be an act of self-love if someone is celebrating alone. even if you're birthday isn't important to you, they are important to a lot of other people. >
  
  It’s just my excuse to get wasted and try to have a social life >
  
  I think it’s cool that the earth has completed another orbit of the sun since you were born. >
  
  I agree, yours is nothing special, we don't need to celebrate it. But, mine is special though. >
  
  I've always thought the same. I understand kids birthdays,  it's a bit about the anniversary of parents becoming parents and surviving milestones along with the friends and family who have been there for them. But as an adult? What difference is 26 from 32? That day has no relevance to me, and I find the singing / cake forced on people in workplaces is inappropriate (and awkward) >
  
  I agree 100%. Birthdays are garbage. Congratulations on getting a step closer to death 🥳🥳 >
  
  Or congratulations on surviving one more year. >
  
  we all know that the fact that birthday are just like the same normal day as yesterday or tomorrow, but why not being a bit grateful for your own birthday? it's only once a year, and it doesn't need to be all glam and party. just a birthday thoughts that counts, and birthdates are important to be remembered as that was the same day our beloved mother gave birth to us. the birthdates helps us remembered the day our mother held us for the first time. some people doesn't even get the chance to be held by their mother on their very first birthdate. so, let's be grateful together. grateful that we were safely born, and have the chance to held by our family, have the chance to live, and to experience. we can send our gratitude everyday to our mother that gave born to us, but birthday makes it different. different birthdates are for different siblings, different special days, let's be grateful to our birthday and appreciate it. it's only once a year. >
  
  This seems like something Dwight Shrute would say :) >
  
  I agree that birthdays are silly and I personally don't like a big celebration for mine and all the gifts. However, I like that birthdays bring people together. >
  
  By that logic any celebration or party isn't special. Why have parties at all? >
  
  Funsponge. >
  
  Does something need to be special to be celebrated? >
  
  You make things special. If someone is manipulating you, okay I get it. If you're a parent, buy a God damn cake for your kid. >
  
  It probably started because infant mortality was so high in the past that a child making it to their first birthday was a big deal worth celebrating and we’ve just continued the tradition. >
  
  It’s a day dedicated to celebrating me I was the sperm that won fuck the rest of that load celebrate my age with me >
  
  For some people it’s the only race they’ve ever won. >
  
  Birthdays are not meant to be special for you. It was one of happiest days of your parents life, thats why. >
  
  I don’t know man. It’s the way your family and friends celebrate you. My friend lives in another country and was coming home after 3 years. She chose the dates around my birthday (could only get leave in that month). That’s sweet. >
  
  You never know when your last birthday will be, why take it lightly? >
  
  On your birthday always share joy with your parents. It's their special day too. (Unless they are assholes, then fuck them.) >
  
  Somebody just had a shitty birthday party. >
  
  My mother is happier than me at my birthdays. She says that it is also her day. I just see that it is another day on the calendar  plus benefits (cake and presents) >
  
  People keep confusing something being arbitrary and meaningless. That we have decided to celebrate birthdays is arbitrary, we didn’t and don’t need to. That it has no value is very different. It’s an excuse to appreciate someone, and an excuse to be appreciated. Those are good things. 
  Tl;dr arbitrary does not mean without meaning or merit. >
  
  Sometimes I read these things and wonder why people like this haven’t ended themselves yet. If you try so hard to suck the joy, excitement, celebration out of everything you must have a miserable existence >
  
  you are such a redditor omfg >
  
  You might not celebrate serving a year but for some it's kinda a big achievement 🤣