Do you celebrate your co-workers Birthday's at work?

PenelopeBags · Mar 27th, 2008, 04:52 PM

We don't really do much Birthday celebrating at my job, but I thought this was funny - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMczbilSreM
You can evaluate your work place worth by how your Birthday is celebrated in the office. It really could mean something - do you think so?

Pursegrrl · Mar 27th, 2008, 05:06 PM

That's pretty funny!

At my last job I was contracting and when I hit the big 4-0 I was pretty lowkey about it so no one did anything...not a real b-day place.

My current job? Well when our CEO had his b-day we pulled out the stops with a huge cake and the whole works (no, no stripper like the video clip in the OP suggests, hehehe).

A long time ago at my import/export job our receptionist would order a cake each month and have the names of everyone with a b-day that month on the cake. Pretty cool!

elizat · Mar 27th, 2008, 05:15 PM

That's funny!

We've done a cake for the month for all if there are birthdays in the month and it's just "cake" day and nobody is acknowledged. Really a waste, IMO. We've had a split w/ the firm and my guess is that nothing will be done now, which is fine too.

For work friends, I do gifts though, but something small.

PenelopeBags · Mar 27th, 2008, 05:15 PM

That is really funny about your CEO! The video is right (except for the stripper!), the CEO gets the works! LOL!
That is so cute that the receptionist would get a cake each month!

mellecyn · Mar 27th, 2008, 05:43 PM

There is this tradition here that on our birthday we get our desk covered with flags ! sweet, they NEVER missed 1 ! and then you go buy cake for your colleagues.

madamestuff · Mar 27th, 2008, 05:56 PM

My boss, who is this completely amazing and dynamic mother-of-two works twelve hours a day but is still home to make dinner and do school projects as well as out-performing every expectation everyone could ever have had of her role somehow finds the time to bake from scratch a completely organic entirely customised cake for them to share with the team.

I'll really miss them when I go back to Australia!

Pursegrrl · Mar 27th, 2008, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenelopeBags

That is really funny about your CEO! The video is right (except for the stripper!), the CEO gets the works! LOL!
That is so cute that the receptionist would get a cake each month!

Yes, our CEO turned the big 6-0 so it was a big deal. [I work for a publicly traded firm so his age is no secret to anyone.] And oh my gosh, he's pretty old school conservative, so no WAY would there be any strippers. I hear when he started here a few years ago he did away with the Friday beer cart

. Guess those were the days

.

PenelopeBags · Mar 27th, 2008, 06:33 PM

I want my desk covered in flags! That is so fun! That means everyone at your company gets acknowledged for their work place worth according to the video!

As far as the beer cart goes Pursegrrl, those must have been the good old days!

madamestuff - your boss sounds awesome! She bakes cakes for everyone - I am jealous! What does everyone do for her Birthday?

NoSnowHere · Mar 27th, 2008, 08:20 PM

We are asked to pitch in for a cake but no gifts are given usually.

Mid- · Mar 27th, 2008, 08:23 PM

When our company was small with about 60-70 employees, we used to have a little birthday gathering for everyone including CEOs and somehow managed to make most of them a surprise. We all had a staff birthday list next to the phone directory.

Now that the company got much larger, they are mostly done department base, but the spirit is still there.

I personally love coming in the office early and decorate the birthday girl/boy's office/cubicle with balloons and such like crazy LOL!!

kymmie · Mar 28th, 2008, 12:20 AM

All the Kindergarten teachers & assistants at my elementary school throw elaborate birthday parties. We all try to out do each other with theme parties. Its stupid and funny all at the same time. My assistant and I have birthdays right after each other (5th and 6th) so we plan our parties together. This year we are having a Hollywood themed party.

madamefifi · Mar 28th, 2008, 12:34 AM

When I turned 40 my co-workers put a huge bash for me complete with black streamer, black flowers, and a black cake, LOL. I was very touched.

rachieface · Mar 28th, 2008, 12:35 AM

haha YES. We allllllllllways go out for each others birthdays either to dinner or drinks or both. We like each other or something hehe.

divalicioust · Mar 28th, 2008, 09:37 AM

Yes, we have a cake for every member (21) in our department. Last year I had a chocolate cake and special Hello Kitty cupcakes from our assistant.

purly · Mar 28th, 2008, 10:09 AM

We never celebrate anyone's birthday because everyone gets their birthday off.

I like the strategy: it prevents birthday drama and time spent thinking about birthdays while also making the employee happy.

Mar 27th, 2008, 05:43 PM	#5
mellecyn Take me to LV Joined: Feb 2006 Location: 300 km from LV somewhere in Europe Posts: 2,251	There is this tradition here that on our birthday we get our desk covered with flags ! sweet, they NEVER missed 1 ! and then you go buy cake for your colleagues. __________________ "Pardon my French", euh I mean "English" MelleCyn "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete" Buckminster Fuller

Mar 27th, 2008, 05:56 PM	#6
madamestuff Junkie Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Melbourne / Bristol Posts: 712	My boss, who is this completely amazing and dynamic mother-of-two works twelve hours a day but is still home to make dinner and do school projects as well as out-performing every expectation everyone could ever have had of her role somehow finds the time to bake from scratch a completely organic entirely customised cake for them to share with the team. I'll really miss them when I go back to Australia! __________________ I'm not brandist... I fall for the bag, not the tag Current Wishlist (in no particular order): Chanel Classic Flap Miu Miu Coffer in Deep Blue Marc Jacobs Little Stam Balenciaga Envelope Clutch Prada Fairy Hermes Birkin (the holy grail...) ... But I don't think I'm lucky enough for the last two to ever happen

Mar 27th, 2008, 08:23 PM	#10
Mid- Panta Rei Joined: Mar 2007 Location: Wherever you are, there you are. Posts: 1,748	When our company was small with about 60-70 employees, we used to have a little birthday gathering for everyone including CEOs and somehow managed to make most of them a surprise. We all had a staff birthday list next to the phone directory. Now that the company got much larger, they are mostly done department base, but the spirit is still there. I personally love coming in the office early and decorate the birthday girl/boy's office/cubicle with balloons and such like crazy LOL!! __________________ Charity: Water ~ Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present. ~

Mar 28th, 2008, 12:20 AM	#11
kymmie superficial quirk Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 1,451	All the Kindergarten teachers & assistants at my elementary school throw elaborate birthday parties. We all try to out do each other with theme parties. Its stupid and funny all at the same time. My assistant and I have birthdays right after each other (5th and 6th) so we plan our parties together. This year we are having a Hollywood themed party. __________________ Kymmie

Mar 28th, 2008, 12:34 AM	#12
madamefifi cat hoarder Joined: Aug 2006 Location: virginia Posts: 2,987	When I turned 40 my co-workers put a huge bash for me complete with black streamer, black flowers, and a black cake, LOL. I was very touched. __________________ Some people are proud, and some have their doubts.

Mar 27th, 2008, 04:52 PM	#1
PenelopeBags Sofa King Banned Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 116	We don't really do much Birthday celebrating at my job, but I thought this was funny - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMczbilSreM You can evaluate your work place worth by how your Birthday is celebrated in the office. It really could mean something - do you think so?

Mar 27th, 2008, 05:06 PM	#2
Pursegrrl Oh no she di-int!! Joined: Jun 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 13,537	That's pretty funny! At my last job I was contracting and when I hit the big 4-0 I was pretty lowkey about it so no one did anything...not a real b-day place. My current job? Well when our CEO had his b-day we pulled out the stops with a huge cake and the whole works (no, no stripper like the video clip in the OP suggests, hehehe). A long time ago at my import/export job our receptionist would order a cake each month and have the names of everyone with a b-day that month on the cake. Pretty cool!

Mar 27th, 2008, 05:15 PM	#3
elizat Member Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 3,603	That's funny! We've done a cake for the month for all if there are birthdays in the month and it's just "cake" day and nobody is acknowledged. Really a waste, IMO. We've had a split w/ the firm and my guess is that nothing will be done now, which is fine too. For work friends, I do gifts though, but something small.

Mar 27th, 2008, 06:33 PM	#8
PenelopeBags Sofa King Banned Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 116	I want my desk covered in flags! That is so fun! That means everyone at your company gets acknowledged for their work place worth according to the video! As far as the beer cart goes Pursegrrl, those must have been the good old days! madamestuff - your boss sounds awesome! She bakes cakes for everyone - I am jealous! What does everyone do for her Birthday?

Mar 27th, 2008, 08:20 PM	#9
NoSnowHere Leap Year Baby! Joined: Feb 2007 Location: on my iPhone Posts: 2,134	We are asked to pitch in for a cake but no gifts are given usually.

Mar 28th, 2008, 12:35 AM	#13
rachieface Member Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,197	haha YES. We allllllllllways go out for each others birthdays either to dinner or drinks or both. We like each other or something hehe. __________________ "I like my money right where I can see it - hanging in my closet!"--Carrie Bradshaw Currently lusting: Marc Jacobs Topaz Quilted Elise Marc Jacobs Spring Street in Purple "In order to be irreplaceable - one must always be different!" - - Coco Chanel

Mar 28th, 2008, 09:37 AM	#14
divalicioust Hello Kitty Princess Joined: Jan 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 851	Yes, we have a cake for every member (21) in our department. Last year I had a chocolate cake and special Hello Kitty cupcakes from our assistant. __________________

Mar 28th, 2008, 10:09 AM	#15
purly IT'S Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,618	We never celebrate anyone's birthday because everyone gets their birthday off. I like the strategy: it prevents birthday drama and time spent thinking about birthdays while also making the employee happy. __________________