I think our culture has put such emotional symbolism on birthdays--happy happy happy--we've set ourselves up so that it is indeed a loss when our special day passes by with little acknowledgment from those we love. It's like, "You're going to be ALONE at CHRISTMAS??"

I've had many a birthday when I've had to remind myself that "nobody cares if it's my birthday" is not the same as "nobody cares about me".