I think it's something I would want to discuss with him for sure.

That said I agree with Lefty's post about what is normal practice within different families. It may be that your partner's family don't really mark birthdays for instance - how is he around his own and his close families birthdays? If he makes a big fuss around others that is one thing, if he doesn't really bother about birthdays for anyone then that is quite another IMO.