Do you take your birthday off work?

[itsallbowlsbaby]

It's my birthday this Friday. Not feeling great as still recovering from major surgery last month but I have some holiday to take still and thought it would be nice to take it off (I haven't been able to for years due to using all annual leave on kids school holidays) Is it self indulgent to take the day off for your birthday? And if not, what would I do? (No spa day suggestions!!)

I’ve never worked on my birthday, and often took myself off on a fabulous foreign holiday to enjoy it. When that wasn’t planned, I’d always make sure I’d have lunch or dinner in a great restaurant and I now usually have a browse in a garden centre for a new plant too 🌺😊

Pathetic 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

How miserable must your birthdays and life have been to be snide about someone choosing to use one of their days off on their birthday.

There is something pathetic and it isn't people taking annual leave on their birthday.

Ok. I've done it. Put in an A/L request for Friday. DH can't take it off but that's ok. I'm going to have a leisurely morning, then head into town to go shopping and for lunch. As luck would have it, my in-laws have just asked what I want so I've asked for John Lewis vouchers (they are very generous so normally get £100) and I'm going to treat myself to a new outfit. Then DH is taking me out for dinner and cocktails that evening. I feel so much happier now I have a plan!

Surprised to see that so many people take the day off - I don't know anyone who does.

Always!

Always! Grateful to be another year older, it's a privilege denied to many as they say.

I treat myself, either with a small purchase (£5 earrings) or a massage, or trip to a cafe or whatever. And always, cake.

It's MY day 😁

Yessss always at least the day, normally I'll do the week and go away somewhere!

The last time I worked on my birthday was 2015 and even that was a half day! My boyfriend was getting the train in to London from Far-Away-Shire and the timing meant we could meet up for lunch in London and then enjoy the rest of the day together.

I'm pleased to see that you're taking the day off and hope this becomes an annual tradition!

Yeah, yeah, we know you hate celebrations, but that doesn't mean the rest of us are pathetic for enjoying them 😏

Yes if it falls on Monday or Friday, no if it falls midweek. In your circumstances, he'll yes!

Yes. And when it falls on a Bank Holiday, I take the day after off.

I always take my birthday off if I can (I usually can). Finish work the day before them drive myself to the nicest hotel I can afford within an hour radiius, check in on a DB&B deal and let other people take care of things of the next 24 hours. Lovely.

Yes but we get our birthday off anyway if for whatever reason (staff issues) we can't get our birthday off there is a 2 week window to take a day off for it. If we didn't get it off paided already then no I probably wouldn't unless I had special plans for it.

Yes, I always do. In fact, I take an extra day or two around it too. Can usually merge it with my normal days off and end up with 4-5 days off.

I don't usually but your post has made me think ... Why not? it falls on a Friday this year and I've had a tough year. A day off doing nice things is exactly what I need!

Always!

I don’t, but would happily book it off if I wanted to do something specific.

Sounds like a lovely day planned OP. My last two jobs gave people their birthday off (closest day if the weekend). They were NFPs though so tried to give extra perks as the pay was low for what we did.

That’s me too, a summer baby so was never at school for my birthday hence why I try and take my birthday off.

i never used to but our company has started giving us our birthdays off as an extra holiday.
My sister always takes her whole birthday week off! which is very self indulgent especially when she used to come to me stressed because she didnt have enough holiday to cover school holidays!!!

Never had just my birthday off unless it's been part of a longer break because I've been going away.

Before kids Dh and I used to take the day off on each others’ birthday to do something nice the whole day. I remember once we went to a multiplex cinema and did 3 films in one day, one screen after the other 😂

Nowadays I’ll take the day off only if I feel to rather than routinely.

Yes I do! My partner and I book each other's birthdays off too, not self indulgent at all to celebrate your birthday nor to celebrate someone else's! I'm 38 and don't plan on stopping this anytime soon haha

Yes, I always do. We're given an extra day's leave for our birthday. It's a hangover from a previous incarnation of the business and there are always grumblings from above that it will cease at some point. But it's a nice little perk.

I always do even when the kids were at secondary school. I do something nice for me that day.

Yes every year 🥳 usually take the entire week off