Agreed! While I recognize birthdays, anniversaries, etc., expecting evermore gaiety on those dates is, um, weird. Personally, I think that the last birthday with parties, wampeters, foma and granfalloons should be the 9th, really.

Or as soon as a child realizes (or is told) that there is no Santa Claus. I believe that my most uncomfortable times with my dad were when we both knew that the other was lying about St. Nick.

Creepy.