Yes, you read that right. It’s your birthday, what did you get me?

I just learned an interesting tidbit about Indian and Nepali culture. On your birthday, YOU are supposed to treat OTHERS, not the other way around, like in the US.

That explains why D Paul brought me treats the beginning of April for his birthday. I wanted to say, “But I should be giving you treats!”  Now I know.

It also explains the comments of a couple of people who said that when a friend says to them, “Hey, it’s your birthday” they like to play dumb and say, “Is it? Is my birthday today?”

We may downplay our birthdays in a desire to avoid any fuss or consideration of our new ages, but here feigned ignorance comes from the fact that if you admit it is your birthday you then need to treat your friend who pointed out this inconvenient fact.

I suppose it makes some sense. Rather than treating many friends through the year on their birthdays, you are on the hook only one day a year. And there is no chance of a surprise party, if you don’t like that sort of thing.