Is acknowledging a birthday important

LIke kitchen I do enjoy attention on my birthday. Perhaps after all those years of making a fuss of the children's birthdays I feel I deserve something in return! Having DDs I am quite fortunate in that respect as they say that once a man marries, he need never write a greetings card again in his life. In other words - it gets left to the wife/female partner. Some people do birthdays, some do not - my MIL was never particularly bothered and a bit of that has rubbed off onto DH and his "side" of the family. For the last 2 years DH has either been ill in hospital or just out so my birthday was a DIY affair - not happy!!One year I bought 2 cards and asked him to choose which one he wanted to give me (he gave me both which totally defeated the object) and the other I just bought myself something which is not the point is it?
So greatnan and janea - Happy Birthday to you and if you are very good, I won't sing!

kitchen I get the feeling that it's not so much the birthday thing as the DiL thing, with which I can certainly identify. Sadly, I think it comes under the category of having 'the strength to change the things I can, the grace to accept the things I cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference'. All you can do is just be nice to her.
Greatnan happy birthday - mine is tomorrow, but I shall only be 63

I made the crafty move of being born on a date that it's difficult to forget - Nov 5th. I usually go to visit one or other of the families and enjoy going to firework displays with them.

I will be alone on my 72nd birthday this week, but I have been alone on most of my birthdays for several years and it doesn't bother me at all. It is just another day to me. I wouldn't like to be alone on Christmas Day - the one year when it was not possible for me to be with either daughter, I went to an hotel with Saga. Not my best Christmas ever, but I met some very pleasant people.

I've actually become less bothered about birthday cards the older I get it wouldn't bother me if they didn't send me cards, my daughters do , my son sometimes forgets but usually sends flowers which is fine but I wouldn't expect his partner/wife to remember for him. I did receive cards from my grandchildren but they are my daughters children my son has none thus far. So I suppose what I'm saying is 'maybe its a man thing', women are more sensitive to these things and men just aren't. Such a shame you don't have a 'nice' relationship with your daughter in law keep trying though she may be in awe of you or she may just be shy.

I am pretty confident that most of my many gc love me, but only my oldest grand-daughter remembers my birthday, which is two days after hers. My own daughters sent my mother and my MIL cards at Christmas and birthdays, but they had to be reminded by me (and I probably paid for them too).
I don't think it is worth getting upset about - young people are notoriously self-centred and have busy lives.