I have a niece who loves her birthday. She looks forward to it every year and is very disappointed if we don’t make a big deal about it. On the other hand, I can’t say I ever loved my birthday – and I love it even less so as the years add up. I guess it beats the alternative but I was never one to look forward to my birthday. I don’t like being in the spotlight and I don’t like to receive gifts. At the beginning of every year I check the calendar and hope that my birthday falls on a weekend so that I miss all the hoopla that takes place at work – even though weekend birthdays are celebrated on Friday or Monday so your birthday cannot be avoided. But I have to say I do enjoy the business birthday cards I get from my boss each year. Having worked in the same company for 27 years that adds up to 26 cards and counting. Every year, without fail, when I arrive at work on my actual birthday, or the Friday or Monday before, there is a card for me waiting on my desk.
My boss orders personalized birthday cards at the beginning of each year and he marks his calendar for all upcoming birthdays. Even though we all know we are getting a birthday card it is still a pleasant surprise to see the card waiting for us when we arrive at work. He orders birthday cards – his name and the company name are already printed – but then he adds some personal notes. This is what makes the birthday card so special. He tells us all the nice things he should be telling us all year long instead of just on our birthday. But hey, at least he tells us!
At least you get birthday cards from your boss. Our boss is a Jehovah’s Witness so we can’t celebrate birthdays. All of us get together twice a year and go out and celebrate all the birthdays that fall between those 2 dates. We don’t tell him becasue we don’t want to offend him. Everyone gets a birthday card and we all try to outdo one another with the cards we buy.
When I started my current job about 3 months ago, my supervisor asked me for things I liked most about my previous job. One of the things I told her was that the bosses always handed out birthday cards. She thought it was a great idea and now I am in charge of ordering and distributing birthday cards for all 200 of our employees Reward or punishment? lol. But really, thjis will be a great way for me to get to know all of my new co-workers.