My Special Day

Posted by : foongpc | Monday, December 1, 2008 | Published in

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Today is 1st December 2008. It's the first day of the last month of the year.

Today is a very special day. For me specifically.

It's the day when I get to be one year wiser, one year smarter and one year richer (I am not talking about money here, no thanks to the current economic conditions)

Maybe one year bigger (read fatter) but not one year taller.

And definitely not one year younger. How I wish I can turn back time!

Yes, you guessed it! It's my birthday today!!

So wish me Happy Birthday!

And sing the birthday song.....


This picture clearly shows how I feel when I was 10 years old seeing my birthday cake! I hope there will always be only one candle on all my birthday cakes! LOL

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday to Foong PC,
Happy birthday to me.

Thanks everyone for singing along. I hope you remember to change the word "me" to "you". Ha ha!

Surprisingly, I don't celebrate my birthday. I've celebrated it once when I was small, and once in my adult life, but never again after that.

Oh, of course there will be friends who drop me birthday cards and sms me birthday greetings, but I don't go out and have a meal or buy a birthday cake to celebrate.

Want to know why? Because I'm sick of celebrating birthdays!

There was one year when I celebrated my friends' and relatives' birthdays every month! Yes there was at least one birthday party or dinner to attend every month of that year. Each month, I had to think of what birthday present to buy for my friends. Frankly, I'm sick of it!

So I told my friends that I no longer celebrate birthdays, and that means I won't celebrate their birthdays too. No more birthday presents, no more birthday parties. If they want to hold parties, please don't bother to invite me. Because I sure as hell won't turn up!

Now you may think I'm being arrogant or unkind, but really, not celebrating birthdays does not mean I don't care. I do. I still send my friends birthday cards, or sms them birthday greetings. Sometimes, if I have the time, I would go out for a drink with the birthday boy or girl. But no presents. None. I don't believe in giving presents and then expecting presents on my own birthday.

What about you? Do you celebrate your birthday? Do you feel compelled to buy birthday presents for your friends? Do you expect birthday presents from your friends?

(38) Comments

  1. Anonymous

    Hey a birthday on the first day of the last month of the year. Happy Bday Big Boy!

    I do celebrate ppl's bday but not my own....it has become like just an ordinary day for me. A dinner with family's all I do.

    Ok...you don't celebrate your own but I gather there's no harm in attending a frens' special day isn't? Sometimes, the presence is more important than the presents.

    December 1, 2008 at 8:53 AM
  2. TZ said...

    Dude, I do not celebrate my birthday too unless my frenz throw me a surprise party :p Otherwise i prefer to be a quiet birthday... hehehe... my birthday will be during CNY next year :-p

    Hey are you free to dropped by TGIF tonite... :-p We can put you stand up @ the bar for your unforgettable birthday moment.. hiak! hiak! No celebration, just standing on the bar and the TGIF crew sing Bday song to you ;p

    Anyway, Happy Birthday Dude!... May all your wishes come true eh!

    December 1, 2008 at 9:22 AM
  3. Anonymous

    Happy Birthday!!!

    December 1, 2008 at 9:40 AM
  4. Pete said...

    Hi, Happy Birthday. Wish you all the best!

    December 1, 2008 at 10:02 AM
  5. Angie Tan said...

    Happy B'day!!! :-)

    December 1, 2008 at 10:13 AM
  6. eiling lim said...

    Hey happy birthday! May all your wishes come true!

    December 1, 2008 at 11:40 AM
  7. lina said...

    Happy birthday!

    So happens I bought a cake to celebrate a friend's birthday today too! Will think of you when we sing the birthday song. :)

    December 1, 2008 at 12:24 PM
  8. Anonymous

    Happy birthday to you!!
    I still celebrate though..
    Not neccessarily with cake.. but to go out and enjoy.

    But well, celebrating doesn't mean presents you know.. I've always been giving with no returns.. LOL! You just have to be sincere in giving.. =)

    December 1, 2008 at 12:35 PM
  9. day-dreamer said...

    Happy Birthday foongpc! :)

    Normally in campus we celebrate our classmates' birthday by going out to eat together and then buy a cake, sing the Happy Birthday song, cut the cake and eat it. Simple and nice, no need to headache about what presents to buy (I hate this part too =X). As for those friends who are close enough, we just ask each other what presents we want and then the other party will get it. No malu-malu and no wastage of items that you aren't sure whether people will want/like. Haha.

    Enjoy your day ya!

    December 1, 2008 at 12:59 PM
  10. Victor Kiu said...

    Happy Birthday man!!

    Wish your dream come true~

    December 1, 2008 at 2:24 PM
  11. HappySurfer said...

    Aww....Happy Birthday Foong and many happy returns. May all your dreams, hopes and fantasies come true. Have a really wonderful day!

    December 1, 2008 at 2:25 PM
  12. foongpc said...

    my bug life, TQ! What you said is right - there's no harm in attending a friend's birthday but if I start attending one and not attending another, the friend whom I did not attend may feel I favoured the other over him or her. Also, I'm sick of wrecking my brain trying to think of what presents to buy for each of my friends! That's why I decided not to attend any birthday celebrations unless it's someone who does not know my other friends (ie. not in the same circle of friends)

    December 1, 2008 at 2:26 PM
  13. foongpc said...

    tz, that's great to have your birthday coincides with CNY!
    Oh, so nice of you to invite me to TGIF to give me a memorable birthday! But sorry to say, I'm taken tonight : )
    Thanks anyway! Yeah, I have a lot of wishes and I hope all of them come true!! : )

    December 1, 2008 at 2:34 PM
  14. foongpc said...

    gallivanter, pete, angie tan, neo & eiling, thanks!! : )

    lina, oh, celebrating friend's birthday? Thanks for thinking of me. Very nice of you! : )

    cashmere, thanks! I'm used to not celebrate my birthday, so it's OK. I don't mind giving presents and not receiving any but I am just so tired of thinking what presents to buy for each of my birthday friends! So in the end, decided not to buy any presents and attend any birthday celebration! : )

    December 1, 2008 at 2:42 PM
  15. foongpc said...

    day-dreamer, thanks! It's good that you have an agreement with all your friends. But my friends are not all in agreement with whether to buy presents or not. So it's just too much of a headache to me.

    victor kiu & happysurfer, thanks for the wonderful birthday greetings! : )

    December 1, 2008 at 2:46 PM
  16. Anonymous

    happy birthday!

    i don't throw my own birthday parties anymore, usually my good frens will organize for me then invite me :D likewise, when it's others' bd, the same gang would do the same. no presents though, just a cake n dinner

    December 1, 2008 at 6:03 PM
  17. LifeRamblings said...

    wow, one year older oredi, huh?happy birthday, foong! have plenty of fun and many happy returns of the day. my birthday falls on December too but mine has always been celebrated on a small scale.

    December 1, 2008 at 11:37 PM
  18. Anonymous

    Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear FoongPC....Happy birthday to YOU! :o) Lucky you, you don't have to hear me sing. LOL

    I only celebrate my birthday with my husband and kids. We buy a small cake (my kids's love cakes) and my little one helps me blow out the candle.

    December 1, 2008 at 11:59 PM
  19. Monica said...

    Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you,
    Happy birthday to Foong PC,
    Happy birthday to you!

    well, I prefer to acknowledge my birthday quietly :-D

    December 2, 2008 at 6:15 AM
  20. Anonymous

    Happy birthday to you. I love buying presents for friends' birthdays...or sometimes lazy, just give them angpow to get themselves something nice. Don't really celebrate my birthdays...maybe just go out for dinner or sumting. Old liao mah...no partying anymore. Wah...you remind me of Ebenezer Scooge of A Christmas Carol. LOL!!!

    December 2, 2008 at 6:50 AM
  21. Preston said...

    Happy Birthday! Celebrations don't necessarily mean presents. Life is full of bookmarks and birthdays are just one of them. :) Hugs...

    December 2, 2008 at 11:07 AM
  22. Anonymous

    Birthday is always special to a person, So, Happy birthday, My friend!

    Though my parents, sister and I are living in three different cities, But we celebrate birthday for each other.

    Seldom I send birthday gifts to my friends. But I will bring gifts for them when I see something great on my tour. :)

    December 2, 2008 at 12:16 PM
  23. Faisal Admar said...

    Happy birthday Foong PC.

    To me birthday is good to celebrate since it is only once a year.

    Birthdays that I never miss are my family members. The latest I bought mom a gold watch since her watch was stolen when the thief broke my car last time. Since then, she never buy a watch for herself. I felt very happy to see a sweet smile on her face when I gave her the watch :)

    There are so many sweet memories celebrating birthday with family and also some friends.

    I buy presents for family and friends but never think of getting one in return. If I get one, then it is a bonus :)

    I love make peoples around me happy even though nowadays I have been very quiet :)

    Maybe it is just me.

    December 2, 2008 at 9:15 PM
  24. Anonymous

    Happy belated birthday to you foongpc! many happy returns and may ur wishes come true! :)

    December 2, 2008 at 9:55 PM
  25. foongpc said...

    xin, thanks! I guess if just dinner then ok, no need so much hassles thinking what presents to get! : )

    life ramblings, thanks! yeah, one year older : (

    babette, I don't mind hearing you sing even if you sing out of pitch as long as it's a birthday song for me. Haha! Celebrating with family is wonderful and it's really a great thing to do! : )

    December 3, 2008 at 1:01 AM
  26. foongpc said...

    monica, thank you for singing the birthday song! : )

    suituapui, oh c'mon! Surely I don't sound like Scrooge - I am not selfish, and I don't despise happiness. And I love Christmas!! Eh, maybe you can send me some angpows for my birthday! : )

    preston, amen to that! : )

    December 3, 2008 at 1:07 AM
  27. foongpc said...

    iWalk, thanks! It's great to celebrate birthdays with family members! : )

    faisal admar, thanks! I'm so used to not celebrate my birthdays, and the same goes for my family members, birthdays to us are no big deal. But I think it's wonderful of you to celebrate all your family members' birthdays! I know why you are so quiet nowadays - you are still unhappy with how your colleagues treated you at work, right? : )

    carrot, thanks so much for your birthday wishes!! : )

    December 3, 2008 at 1:12 AM
  28. twosuperheroes said...

    Oh gosh foong, so sorry for wishing you late... HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!! May you have many many happy returns and a great year ahead! :p

    December 3, 2008 at 11:33 AM
  29. synical said...

    Belated birthday greetings from me.

    Anyhow, I'm not much for throwing parties anymore, but I don't mind getting presents and what not.
    (Of course cash is also preferable)

    My birthday's gonna be on CNY next year, so should I shamelessly ask for double angpow? kakaka....

    December 3, 2008 at 6:56 PM
  30. foongpc said...

    twosuperheroes, thanks for your wishes!! : )

    synical, haha! I don't mind cash as birthday presents too! Maybe you should ask for double angpow for CNY next year! : )

    December 4, 2008 at 1:23 AM
  31. Unknown said...

    happy belated birthday! celebrate it in your heart :)

    December 4, 2008 at 6:36 AM
  32. foongpc said...

    Thanks, quachee! : )

    December 4, 2008 at 2:20 PM
  33. Nick Phillips (15/03/1967 - 04/11/2022) said...

    Sorry for the late wish but here's wishing you a happy birthday my fiend :D May all your dreams and wishes come true :D

    December 5, 2008 at 2:46 PM
  34. Mariuca said...

    HAPPY Belated BIRTHDAY Foong! So how young are you this year? I hope u had a great day and here's to many more to come! :):):)

    December 6, 2008 at 6:00 AM
  35. foongpc said...

    nick phillips, thanks! : )

    mariuca, thanks! That's a very good question - how "young" am I? Well, I am not as young as last year. Haha!

    December 6, 2008 at 6:49 PM
  36. levian said...

    why not talk it over with close friends? for me, we "communicate" regarding that exact part that causes you to be "sick of birthdays". no birthday presents (well, unless one of us decide to give another a surprise), just treat each other to a meal. wolla! no headache, not sick of birthdays. ;)

    December 9, 2008 at 8:20 PM
  37. Tekkaus said...

    Happy belated birthday to you! I do celebrate birthdays with friends. But I don't expect them to celebrate with me in return. All I wish for my birthday is that my family is happy and safe. And of course I would be more than happy if my families (which they always did) remember my birthday. No need for fancy present, dinner etc. Just their being-around are suffice to cheer me up!

    Haha =) Anyway Happy Birthday Foong! Hey, where's my present? LOL!

    December 10, 2008 at 3:48 AM
  38. Caroline said...

    wow i tot u bluffed me dat day when we chat, u oso 1st dec pula. ;)

    March 22, 2010 at 7:34 PM