Hellobee Boards

I agree with you that how you grew up def affects how you view holidays/special occasions. You either follow your parent(s)' view, or if you were deprived as a child or something, now you'd see these occasions as very important. Or maybe your family made such big productions out of everything you were scarred for life!

Both our families never really care about celebrating anything so holidays and birthdays are never a big deal. So DH & I aren't big on celebrating or going all out for any holidays.

I'm not into MY birthday, but if like other peoples!

I do try to make Father's Day special for my husband, but I'm honestly not great at it. And although I would be happy to get something on Mother's Day, I definitely do not expect anything.

Not really. We hardly celebrated mother's/father's day growing up and birthdays stopped being a big deal in my family by age 12.

I'm only annoyed by people who have "birthday weeks".

I'm not really into them. My husbands family gets together for everyone's birthdays but I didn't grow up like this so sometimes I feel it gets to be a little much but to each their own

I like to do nice things for DH just because, but i also like to do them for these holidays, etc. I think it's important to not get complacent. I think it's nice to show some effort! I just like special occasions and to feel special sometimes, and I figured everyone does. I've never honestly known someone to not appreciate flowers or a card or a simple "hey, i appreciate you".

DH and I do not buy each other gifts or cards for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Valentines or any of the Hallmark type occasions. We just never have. DH has never bought me flowers and never bought me chocolates!! We do take each other's (and our own) birthdays off work, though, and spend the time together. I think for us it's more about quality time than spending money so it's not like we don't *recognize* birthdays....

We do make a fuss of other people on these occasions, though, if it means something to them. We will make a big fuss of LO, too!!

I actually don't feel that strongly about Mother's Day for myself but I do for my mom & I know I will make a big deal of DH'S first father's day. I am a HUGE birthday fanatic. Everyone must serve me & do as I say & tell me I'm beautiful & love me lol but in my defense I do the exact same thing for others birthdays (if we are close). It's just how it was in my house & I like it. I like treating others special & I like being treated special.

I'm into most holidays because it's an excuse to get together with family and friends. Not usually anything extravagant, unless it's a big one like first Father's Day or my dad's 75th birthday. Then I try to do something big, but usually I just want to do something to make the other person feel special.

I looooove birthdays! My mom always made them special and I like doing the same.

I am anti-holiday but I do love mother's day now that I am a mom and father's day now that dh is a dad and all of our birthdays. Those are sincere holidays for me I will celebrate (what they represent) any day, even the arbitrary (predetermined as a holiday/ time to celebrate) day! other than that I resent the guilt and obligation around holidays in large part due to the relatives I grew up around and the way holidays were handled and being more of a free spirit and anti-consumer.

I also feel that holidays are a bit elitist. DH works every holiday... as if they are just for certain classes. I carry a certain resentment toward them for that reason. For example I planned a much needed weekend for us and dh found out he had to work that weekend because it happened to be Easter and a million people wanted off to be with family... When it comes to personal holidays however I like celebrating them and I know I have a better association with them now that they are more on our own terms. (Negative associations stem from relatives.)

I am not but I want to be better at it. I have a LO turning 2 next month and I really should be planning it but I haven't started yet

I'm not into it and it's probably because of how it was raised. My parents didn't make a big deal about any holidays or birthdays. I'm trying to make it a bigger deal for my kids, though.

I am TOTALLY into these days! I like doing little things to make my DH feel special and appreciated on his birthday and Father's Day...waking up early to cook or go get one of his favorite breakfasts, finding a gift I think he'd like, and just kind of pampering him that day. I do think that comes from my parents - my parents always took us shopping before those days to choose something for mom/dad, and I can remember my dad waking up early to go get my mom a birthday cafe mocha, or my mom making a special trip to the grocery store to make sure we had dad's favorite foods on Father's Day. Plus I loved having them do those special things for me on my birthday!

DH, on the other hand, comes from a family where those days aren't a big deal - he appreciates what I do for him, but didn't necessarily feel inclined to do the same. That took some work, because while the everyday stuff is what really makes up a marriage...I'm not going to lie, those days are special for me and I don't think it's asking a lot for him to put a bit of extra thought into doing nice things for me twice a year. But I think we have a pretty good system going now - I'm pretty blunt about what I would like since subtle hints don't take, and he will basically get me whatever I asked for or take me wherever I mentioned and act like it's his idea, hahaha.

ETA: And I feel the need to clarify that my hints are not diva-like! For my birthday last month all I wanted was a date night so that we could eat at Mongolian Barbecue and go to the movies to see see Divergent. For Mother's Day I sent him links to pretty birthstone jewelry, but it was all pretty inexpensive stuff, like $50 and under. I went kind of nuts on his birthday though, but it was his 30th, so I consider that to be a good excuse

I'm into all holidays and celebrations but they aren't all equal. I do want them to be special though for myself and for the people I love. Mother's Day isn't huge yet but i would be sad if it was completely forgotten. Birthdays I am less into now than I was and don't need a party anymore but I like to feel special.y sons birthday is a huge deal to me. Christmas an Halloween are my absolutely favorite ones! I seriously get excited just thinking about them.

@Mae: my dad was not into holidays, so i used to feel bad for my mom because she would try to make bdays and Christmas special for us. When I became older I would go over board to "me up" the years when I didn't know any better that holidays were one sided. Granted I was kid, but starting at 14 she was spoiled. Once I became an adult she pretty much stopped celebrating my bday outside of a call. Yet expected to be pampered for her 3 holidays. Then, I really was turned off when she complained one Christmas for not getting alot and put the blame on my husband- "I got more before you had to start buying for him." Pretty ungrateful.

This year we are doing something on both Sat and Sun and let's just say this is so stupid. I am nice to her, treat her often, and tell her how much I love her and appreciate her all the time. Mother's Day has become a litmus test for love when really mom's are cherished year round.

@Mae: Unfortunately, at my DH's house growing up it wasn't even money-based. They're well off, but my MIL will just throw a bunch of clearance/garage sale/dollar store crap in a bag and call it a day, price stickers still on the stuff on everything (seriously...even if it's from a garage sale.) So for him even putting real thought into a gift, or looking more at what the card said than if it cost more than $1, was still something I kind of had to teach him. Because while it's not about how much money he spends...that goes both ways, you know? I'm not asking him to spend a ton, but if he puts more thought into how he can spend the least amount of money rather than what he thinks I would really like, that's a problem. I'm still not sure he really gets why it's important to me, but he knows that it is and it's not a problem anymore.