I would not worry too much about a little piece of cake myself, but if you do - you do NOT have to eat anything you don't want.
If I felt I didn't want to upset anyone I'd just use the health excuse..got me out of many situations that I didn't feel comfortable with At any rate, Happy Birthday!!!
My previous company's CEO was friends with a culinary student/pastry chef. He hired her to make all sorts of elaborate cakes and pastries for birthdays in the office. The problem was: Her desserts were unpalatable. Perhaps because I am a fat girl, I know good desserts and that skinny pastry chef had no idea what she was doing. But people tend to eat and enjoy free food (even if it's bad).
Being a boss, I had to go and sing happy birthday. People would pass around cake and I would say, "I haven't had lunch yet! No dessert before lunch." (Which is actually true. I don't ever eat dessert before real food). Or if it was late afternoon, I would take a piece of cake with me back to my desk and promptly throw it in the garbage. To be clear, it was never because I didn't want cake. I just didn't want gross waxy cake. If it's not delicious, it's not worth the calories.
I hope you are celebrating your birthday even if you don't want cake. And I hope you allow people to celebrate with you even if they don't know how to celebrate without cake.
I actually think it's nice your colleagues want to do something to mark your birthday, even if it's an excuse for them to graze. The whole cake thing is part of the accepted birthday ritual.
If it was my birthday, I'd have a piece of cake. But if it's going to throw you off, then certainly don't eat it. You can be gracious and cut out generous pieces to give out and say you'll have your piece later (which will never come). You can even bring foil and send everyone home happy with cake for their families. That's what I did last year on my birthday. I had a large piece of delicious black forest cake, enjoyed it and made sure none of the rest of the remained in my possession AND was immensely popular with all my friends!
Last edited by toastedsmoke; 05-08-2012 at 12:16 PM.
I don't like cake, but my colleagues sometimes celebrate birthdays with it.
I have probably had at least four cake celebrations at work and one every year with my family since I was a kid.
I never eat the cake because I don't like it. People love to celebrate with cake (if you like cake or not) - let them! Smile and chit chat and thank everyone for being so thoughtful. It's sweet for them to think of you.
It was recently my birthday, and I never tell anyone - I always figure my mother should be the one getting the attention, since she had to carry me around!
Anyways, word got out and a very thoughtful colleague baked for me. I know that the cake seems frustrating, but this is what I did. I made sure to offer everyone a piece first - giving credit to the baker. I talked to people that I literally NEVER talk to just to give away cake.
By the end, everyone was distracted by cake, I claimed to already have had a piece, and when there was one left over I said I would save it for later... and then made my buddy eat it!
Focus on the positive - at least they want to celebrate you!
Thank you for sharing the above suggestion, I hope to remember it and use it some day.
At any rate, Happy Birthday!!!
