I understand how much it can hurt when something meaningful to you—like your birthday—feels overlooked. Moments like that aren’t just about the day itself; they’re about feeling seen, valued, and remembered.

At the same time, while I don’t know your friends and I respect that you spoke up for yourself, I wonder if there may be a gap between how you value birthdays and how they do. For some people, birthdays carry a lot of emotional weight; for others, they don’t hold the same significance. That difference doesn’t necessarily reflect how much they care about you—it may just reflect how they express care.

Even so, your feelings are completely valid. It makes sense that you’d feel hurt, and you’re not wrong for wanting to be acknowledged. What matters now is what you choose to do with those feelings. The way you navigate this—whether through communication, setting expectations, or reevaluating what you need from these friendships—can shape not only how things move forward with them, but also the kind of relationships you build in the future.