newmoon Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 as someone who always takes their birthday off, i struggle to understand why anyone would come in on their birthday. assuming the person has ample vacation time or a floating holiday to use, why come in? the thought was prompted by a girl last week who came in on her birthday with her own cake and ice cream to boot, and she went around declaring to everyone that it was her birthday. she has two small kids at home and a husband, so why not just stay home and celebrate her day? she doesn't have a job where she's on a deadline, so i wonder why she, and others, come in? why? 2 Link to post Share on other sites
pink_sugar Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 I came in on my brithday...my office celebrates birthdays and it was embarrassing. However, my husband alsp had to work and there wasn't much point in taking an unpaid day off. Link to post Share on other sites
mrs rubble Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Last year I was rostered on a graveyard shift on my birthday, I tried to get the day off, and swap shifts- I found a guy willing to fill in for me, but the boss wouldn't let us swap. So I didn't bring cake!!!!!!! 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Trishern Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 as someone who always takes their birthday off, i struggle to understand why anyone would come in on their birthday. assuming the person has ample vacation time or a floating holiday to use, why come in? the thought was prompted by a girl last week who came in on her birthday with her own cake and ice cream to boot, and she went around declaring to everyone that it was her birthday. she has two small kids at home and a husband, so why not just stay home and celebrate her day? she doesn't have a job where she's on a deadline, so i wonder why she, and others, come in? why? I always take a day's leave on my birthday. I don't need to be dealing the usual staff issues and things on that day. I treat myself and go for a spa or something. Mrs T 2 Link to post Share on other sites
kenmore Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 I can't remember the last time I took my birthday off. If it falls on a day off, that's one thing but I don't go out of my way. It's really just another day. 4 Link to post Share on other sites
applej4 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Not everyone thinks their birthday is a national holiday/big deal. Life goes on. Sometimes people have work to do. 4 Link to post Share on other sites
Got it Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 If I need to focus on something at work, I work it. I really don't think it is that big of a day to need to always take it off, it can be celebrated on another day, a trip instead, etc. To each their own, I think it is weird to treat it like it needs to be Christmas or something. Normally if I avoid work its because I don't want the attention, so I don't want coworkers saying/doing anything. Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Well, I do like birthday celebrations, but I wouldn't take the day off for my birthday because my SO and friends would all still be working anyway. What's the point? Might as well just wait for the weekend to celebrate it properly. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
xxoo Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I enjoy my coworkers and we celebrate each other's birthdays. The husband and kids are at work/school, and we'll celebrate later in the day. I don't see any reason NOT to work that day, unless you don't enjoy your job. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Author newmoon Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share Posted August 17, 2015 Not everyone thinks their birthday is a national holiday/big deal. Life goes on. Sometimes people have work to do. i'd agree with that but, if someone doesn't take the day off and then wanders in with cake and "it's my birthday" then they aren't actually treating it as just another workday. they want recognition and/or celebration. it seems that someone who comes to work on their birthday actually wants more attention than someone who doesn't. if you stay home no one will care, whereas if you go in at some point in the day someone will say happy birthday, or your co-workers will find out and make you the center of attention, etc. i tend to think people who go in (when they can take a paid day off) are attention-seeking more than believing "it's just a day." could be linked to jobs as well - i bet people in customer service take the day off more than business execs. Link to post Share on other sites
xxoo Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 It sounds like the issue is you don't want to celebrate your coworker's birthdays. Many of us enjoy it. And even if we don't, we enjoy free cake 5 Link to post Share on other sites
Ms. Faust Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I always work my birthday, but I notice several of my coworkers save their PTO and will take their whole birthday WEEK off. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author newmoon Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share Posted August 17, 2015 I always work my birthday, but I notice several of my coworkers save their PTO and will take their whole birthday WEEK off. i do that as well... i always plan a long vacation that extends through my birthday Link to post Share on other sites
CC12 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 It's not strange to work on your birthday. Plenty of adults do it. It is strange to bring your own cake to work on your birthday and force all your captive coworkers to celebrate with you. It's a bit sad, really. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
kenmore Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 One day a long time ago in my family business I asked my dad if we should close for Veterans day in order to honor vets. His response was "I'm a veteran, come in to work to honor me." Of course I was fishing for a day off and no I did not serve. I was part of that group born in the early sixties who weren't drafted and before the voluntary enlisting craze came on. It went without question we'd go in and work and that set the precedent. Other precedents while running our own business: no birthdays off, no "eves", no anniversaries, no presidents day, Martin Luther King's birthday (that was not even a real holiday back then!) Only the few big ones! I hear what you're saying but I think eventually you will feel differently, especially if you are ever self employed. I hate to say this, but the more birthdays you have, the less important they are to you. You may come to resent them. To me, especially now that I'm no longer with someone I care to celebrate it with, I'd rather work that day than most. I'd as soon it just went by ASAP. I truly hope you enjoy yours and by all means take time off while you want to. Enjoy everything while you want to! It's your time to shine! Hugs! Ken Link to post Share on other sites
RoseVille Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I usually don't get to decide when criminals get arrested or to have the cajones to ask a judge for the day off to celebrate my birthday when the defendant's rights trump my birthday. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
madjac74 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 as someone who always takes their birthday off, i struggle to understand why anyone would come in on their birthday. assuming the person has ample vacation time or a floating holiday to use, why come in? the thought was prompted by a girl last week who came in on her birthday with her own cake and ice cream to boot, and she went around declaring to everyone that it was her birthday. she has two small kids at home and a husband, so why not just stay home and celebrate her day? she doesn't have a job where she's on a deadline, so i wonder why she, and others, come in? why? A lot of people need to make money and pay bills. Not everyone is as blessed as you with your ample paid vacations. I get like 6 weeks vacation a year and I could care less about wasting it on my birthday. What if it's on a Tuesday?? Why waste a vacation day on a Tuesday? It was nice of your coworker to share her birthday with you guys by bringing in ice cream and cake. Lots of people do that where I work. Lots of the responses in this thread seem snobbish 4 Link to post Share on other sites
ufo8mycat Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Why would I take my birthday off? If it is a week day everyone is at work. I would rather take a cake into the office and... well... have cake. Why are you so concerned about others getting attention? Link to post Share on other sites
ASG Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I LOVE my birthday! But I've never taken it off! Not that I've worked every birthday, I haven't, but I never went out of my way to have the day off. I had friends who wouldn't even go to school on their birthday... I wanted to go to school. And be with friends! I have wanted to go to work on my birthday and celebrate with my colleagues. I honestly don't understand what the big deal is... 1 Link to post Share on other sites
anna121 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Count me as one who also loves my birthday, has almost complete control of my work schedule but has never thought of taking the day off. If my birthday falls during the week, I celebrate it that night or on the weekend. Sometimes friends will want to take me to lunch. That's fine. I personally wouldn't bring in treats, but would find it charming if someone else did on their birthday. Link to post Share on other sites
veggirl Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 If my bday fell on a Monday or Friday I'd prob take it off and do a long weekend with my bf. A random Weds or something? Nah. I used to take it off regardless when I was younger, but I'm not 22 anymore so it's not that big of a deal. I wouldn't take it off just to stay home and do nothing. I'd rather save my vaca days for actual plans. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
applej4 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Newmoon how is whether or not people work on their birthday your concern? There are more important things in life. Link to post Share on other sites
GunslingerRoland Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I don't know many adults that take their birthday off (unless it's for a specific reason, like vacation, or something special planned). Would my kids and wife all take the day off too? Sounds very self indulgent, I'm not 8. lol I don't even let my kids take the day off from school for their birthday. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
loveweary11 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 At my age. I work on my birthday, try to forget it in any way possible!!! Link to post Share on other sites
RecentChange Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 (edited) I have always worked on my birthday. As does everyone else in my professional office. I don't make a bid deal about my birthday though - really, I don't need a celebration of MEEEEEEE!!!! I find making a huge deal - or even worse, demanding a big affair for one's birthday really off putting. I am going to stop short of calling egotistical, because maybe that is how some people were raised.... but I don't get it. And I find its usually women who want their birthday to be a big production. What do we do at my office for birthdays? We have some wine, relax, and shoot the **** a little (then its back to work!) Edited August 17, 2015 by RecentChange Link to post Share on other sites
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